Stem bolt alignment / attaching stem mount

es330

Hi there,

I am a terrible bike mechanic. I wrestle, swear and fumble my way the most basic of adjustments and maintenance tasks.

I recently bought a LifeLine Stem FacePlate Mount for my new road bike. After two hours of trying to affix the damn thing, along with attempting to keep the bars from dropping, I’ve ended up with the longer bolts I used poking though the other end of the bolt holds. It isn’t pretty (see pics). The existing bolts were two small. LifeLine provides no instructions on how to fit it. I fear I’ve made a right mess.

Any advice would be thankfully received!

Thanks in advance,
Kevin

wongataa

Looks fine to me.

Next time don't bother trying to stop your bars dropping when taking off the stem faceplate. Before you do anything mark the position of the bars relative to the stem. Change faceplate letting bars do what they want. Nip up the bolts enough to stop the bars moving under gravity but loose enough so you can move them yourself. Put bars back in correct position. Tighten stem bolts fully.

ibr17xvii

According to the web page on Wiggle it's supplied with bolts so I'm guessing you've used them? If you have I can't see what you might've done wrong TBH.

Looks like you just remove your existing top 2 bolts from the stem faceplate, replace with the longer ones & attach the mount.

If I'm honest the whole thing isn't the best aesthetically though. Don't like the way the whole thing attaches personally but each to their own.

It has a GoPro attachment as well so if you're looking for something to mount your GPS / camera there are better alternatives out there IMHO albeit more expensive.

Ben6899

The bottom bolts seems to be protruding through the back of the stem more than the top ones.

Can you get away with the original bolts on the bottom holes?

Is the faceplate - stem gap equal (or as near as damn it) at the top and bottom of the stem?

es330

Ben6899 said:

The bottom bolts seems to be protruding through the back of the stem more than the top ones.

Can you get away with the original bolts on the bottom holes?

Is the faceplate - stem gap equal (or as near as damn it) at the top and bottom of the stem?

tbh, I think there is a difference in the spacing. Not massively noticeable, but certainly different. I'll have a go at using the original bolts on the bottom then another shot at equalling up the spacing. Always worried about over tightening!

Thanks

wongataa

If you are worried about over tightening get a torque wrench. you need 5 or 6 Nm for stem bolts usually.

pilot_pete

You need to tighten them all enough to keep the gap equal top and bottom and as stated before, just enough to stop the bars moving via gravity. Then align the bars correctly, and then tighten the four bolts about 1/4 - 1/2 a turn each in a cross pattern, like an X - Top left, then bottom right, top right then bottom left.

When they are all nipped up, use a torque wrench to tighten to the correct torque using the same pattern, only doing a 1/4 - 1/2 turn max on each. That way they will all be applying equal clamping force, spreading the load correctly with the face plate positioned correctly with similar gaps top and bottom.

PP

pilot_pete

Sorry, forgot to add, they will supply longer bolts to fit the new mount. These will be a generic length to accommodate different stem face plates and designs. As long as the face plate is correctly positioned with equal gaps it matters not that there is excess bolt protruding. It may look shite, in which case you could either remove all bolts, shorten the ones that are too long, which is possible, but if you struggle mechanically will be tricky to achieve cleanly and nicely, or go to an engineering supplies shop and buy some stainless bolts of the correct length - take both the long and short bolts along and get two different lengths that all match.

I would also recommend either blue thread locker or coppaslip grease on the threads which will prevent them from corroding and mean you will be able to remove them at a later date if required - stem/ stem bolts in my experience get lots of sweat dripping on them which doesn’t help if you are not an avid cleaner!

To shorten a bolt you need at least one, but preferably two or more nuts that fit the bolt. Wind the nuts onto the bolt, then use a couple of spanners to tighten them towards each other locking them on the bolt. You can now use them in the jaws of a vice to clamp the bolt securely.

Use a dremmel type tool with a cutting disc, or a junior hacksaw and cut squarely across the bolt to the length you require. Use a file to clean up the cut end and to take off any burrs and leave a ‘start’ for the thread. Remove from the vice, unlock the nuts and then the action of removing the nuts will help to just ‘cut’ the thread start on the bolt. A tiny bit more delicate filing on that start may be needed to take off any sharp edge. Job done.

PP