Stem keeps coming loose from steerer tube

Big dave 3

I recently bought a new Ritchey stem & Handlebars.

I took my old stem off as well as a spacer, as the new stem was well above the steerer tube.

I then fitted the new stem with a 5mm spacer I believe below it. This is how it looks:





I tightened this top bolt



then the 2 stem bolts to the required torque using a ritchey torquekey.

However, the stem keeps coming loose & there is play.

Am I doing something wrong, or missing something obvious?

ANy advice gratefulyy received before I give up & take it to a bike mechanic :oops:

supersonic

You say you tightened the top bolt, but do you know what it does?

It looks like you need another thin spacer of 2-3mm too.

Also is that grease on that spacer and stem? It needs to be dry and spotless.

Jimbo.

IIRC that Ritchey torque key is intended for their carbon bars/stems, and set at 4Nm or maybe 5Nm. This might not be enough for what I assume is a normal (metal) stem. Is the required torque stated in the instructions/packagine/Ritchey website?

Big dave 3

supersonic wrote:

You say you tightened the top bolt, but do you know what it does?

It looks like you need another thin spacer of 2-3mm too.

Also is that grease on that spacer and stem? It needs to be dry and spotless.

The stuff on the stem is grease yes. I tried that after the Carbon paste stuff didn't stop stem from becoming loose.

Thanks for your points. I'll clean the grease off.

No I do not exactly know what the top bolt does. I tried tightening this before & after stem bolts, but either way, the stem comes loose.

I have a spacer of about 3mm which I tried this morning & the top of the stem came well above the steerer tube. Is this how it should be? AT the moment, the stem is already about 1-2mm above steerer tube.

Big dave 3

Jimbo. wrote:

IIRC that Ritchey torque key is intended for their carbon bars/stems, and set at 4Nm or maybe 5Nm. This might not be enough for what I assume is a normal (metal) stem. Is the required torque stated in the instructions/packagine/Ritchey website?

Yes I think you're right but if I remember right, the torque setting for the stem bolts was also 5Nm according to Ritchey :?

supersonic

The stem needs to be 3-5mm above the top of the steerer on average - and not higher than the first clamping bolt on the stem.

The top cap adjusts the bearings, but only can be sone when the stem is loose.

Park Tools has a good guide on how to adjust it. Once adjusted, the stem bolts hold it, and the stem in place.

I think a combo of things has made it look worse!

Big dave 3

supersonic wrote:

The stem needs to be 3-5mm above the top of the steerer on average - and not higher than the first clamping bolt on the stem.

OK thanks for the tips.

Can you explain what you mean about the above statement? Should the top stem bolt be above or below or level with the top of the steerer tube?

supersonic

You don't want the bolt to be above the top of the steerer. Usually a 3-5mm is perfectly fine.

Dirtydog11

That 5mm spacer you have under the stem is too is to tall. It looks like you need to remove it a put a 10mm spacer on the top. Then nip up the top bolt, not too tightly, just enough to take up the play in the headset and then tighten the two stem bolts.

jairaj

have a read of this:

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=115

should help explain what's going on.

Big dave 3

OK at least I now know it's because of teh spacers.

I'll have a play & a swap around when I get home & see how it goes.

Cheers for advice

rwsbike971

The fork steerer tube looks too close to the top of the stem, it should be at least 3mm lower but not more than 5mm. The stem top cap could be resting directly on top of the fork steerer instead of the stem and therefore not pulling everything together and preloading the headset bearings, also the star-fangled nut looks to be quite close to the top of the steerer, the top-cap bolt could just be tightening up against it which would have the same effect.

Big dave 3

Thanks for the help everyone . I cleaned off the grease first.

Then I sawed a 5mm spacer in 2 (bodged it!)

Then put this spacer below the stem so the gap from top of stem to top of steerer tube is bigger.

ANd I have been out on a ride today & stem not loose, so seems cured

nicklouse

i would be replacing that Hand sawn spacer with a machined one as if your hand cut one is not parallel you will be putting an uneven load on the headset bearings.

Big dave 3

OK I didnt realise that. Cheers