Sram Apex 1x gxp fitting issue

luv2ride

Help please!
Just fitted a SRAM Apex 1x gxp crankset. Bike is a Pinnacle Arkose single speed with eccentric bottom bracket shell 68mm wide (am converting it to 1 x 11)...

DS and NDS both have a supplied spacer between shell and the gxp BB cups. Trouble is, if I try and tighten the NDS bank bolt to the recommended 13nm torque, it binds so that the cranks won't turn. I can loosen it to the point I get no play, and cranks turn @ 3-4 revolutions before stopping. But that's with nowhere near 13nm torque on the NDS bolt, so concerned it's nowhere tight enough. With no spacers I get a lots of play. Have also tried just 1x spacer on the DS but that didn't work either.

Any ideas where I'm going wrong? Previous Samox single chainring crankset used Shimano SM BB70 "mountain" BB with 3 x spacers (2 x 2.5mm, 1 x 1.5mm) and was rock solid.

My SRAM BB is marked "GXP Team road and mountain"....have fitted gxp BBs to all of my other bikes with no issues, but then again can't remember paying much attention to the torque settings either

Have removed, put more grease on the spindle and splines but to no effect.

sandyballs

For starters check your fitting instructions since SRAM cranks are torqued to @ 50 nM the 13 nM painted on the crank is for the self extracting nut. Torqued to this will only make your problem worse so the reason I have found is always in the spacers.

https://sram-cdn-pull-zone-gsdesign.netdna-ssl.com/cdn/farfuture/Xf-_GsO_0nsYPvZBCugVIAvgearLIBOgEqK-uU7KQok/mtime:1501777201/sites/default/files/techdocs/95-6118-015-000_rev_c_road_cranksets_and_bottom_brackets_0.pdf

luv2ride

Have found this on a dealers website for my SRAM Apex 1x crankset:
-Greater frame and tire clearance than other road cranks, 2mm per side
-SRAM 1x™ road 10-speed and 11-speed compatible
-Compatible with 130 and 135/142 OLD frames

Does this mean I should use extra spacers, or just that the crank arms have a wider Q-factor? I have a 135 OLD frameset

whyamihere

It sounds like you have too many spacers fitted. I've just looked at the GXP BB on my road bike and it has no spacers at all. Do you have instructions with the cranks to say to use spacers, or just with the BB?

luv2ride

Sorted (I think)...

Went back to first principles, properly measured and cleaned everything before starting over again with no spacers as 68mm wide shell. Removed the entire eccentric BB insert for a deep clean whilst i was at it. After refitting crankset still couldn't tighten and take out all the lateral play, though was better than before :roll:

My"ghetto" solution was to use the 1.5mm spacer from the old Shimano BB on the NDS. Thought had nothing to lose. Cinched up tight and easily turns 10 buttery smooth revolutions when spun up sans chain. Not sure why i had to deviate so much from SRAMs installation instructions but I figure if it works, it works. Will see how long the BB lasts I guess....

whyamihere

Luv2ride wrote:

Sorted (I think)...

Went back to first principles, properly measured and cleaned everything before starting over again with no spacers as 68mm wide shell. Removed the entire eccentric BB insert for a deep clean whilst i was at it. After refitting crankset still couldn't tighten and take out all the lateral play, though was better than before :roll:

When you did that, were you using the 13nm torque or 50? If you were using 13, that's way too low, and will not take out all the play.