Worn stem threads?

Flogger
Flogger Posts: 23
edited July 2011 in Workshop
Loosened the face plate bolts in order to adjsut the angle of the bars but a couple of the face plate bolts just refuse to tighten back up! The bolts themselves look fine so I think the thread on the stem bolt holes has worn away? Has anyone heard of this happening before? (This is the first time they've been loosened/tightened on this bike)

Comments

  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    You mean the threads have stripped? Can happen if the screws have been overtightened. It helps to grease the screws before you pop them in.

    Unfortunately there's not usually enough material on the stem to allow a helicoil-type fix, so it's new stem time I'm afraid.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • cwm
    cwm Posts: 177
    did the same to mine today,not the 1st time either :oops:
    now sharing my plods on
    http://www.strava.com/athletes/cwm
  • TuckerUK
    TuckerUK Posts: 369
    Some stems are just very poorly designed; insufficient thread length in the stem body (easy to strip), and blind holes so one can't even bodge a fix with a longer bolt and nut.
    "Coming through..."
  • Flogger
    Flogger Posts: 23
    Bollocks! Yeah I thought a new stem would be in order... just got back from a 3 week tour with literally no problems, not even a puncture, and this happens straight away... all swings and roundabouts I guess. Must be more vigilant with regard to greasing/overtightening in future. Thanks all.
  • Yossie
    Yossie Posts: 2,600
    Try re tapping it - don't need a helicoil on it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tap_and_die

    LBS or local m/bike shop will do it for you if you don't want to do it yourself, but it really is a really simple 5 minute job.

    Also try taking everything out - bars, other bolts etc - you could have just stripped the first few threads and the angle at which the bars and face plate are sitting could be making those bolts that aren't doing up spin around on the funked thread.

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