I’ve got a space of about a mm, maybe less. Tapping it on with a mallet isn’t closing it up, and I’m not about to try to squash it up using the lockring.

Should there be a spacer in there?

No but I expect there should be another spacer between the bearing and the BB shell? What have you got – 68mm or 73mm shell and how many spacers have you used?

68, but i replaced spacers exactly where they came out. used 2mm of spacers on the drive side, as it came out.

A 68mm shell should use 3 spacers not 1 IME 🙂 I expect the crank is coming to the end of its travel on the axle and thus you need another 5mm of BB with to take up the gap? It must be a 73 mm shell then if it only uses one spacer!

is the little black tab thing that the bolt goes fouling on something?

Have a look at this – its a road service for HTII but its the same for all road and MYB HTII setups:

http://www.cyclistno1.co.uk/features/maintenance/shimano-ultegra-hollowtech-ii-crank-service.htm

Brakes – you mean:

“stopper plate and plate pin”

it’s that one on the non-drive side I’m missing.

Damnit.

What frame have you got – is it def 68mm shell?

I think it is. Rockhopper ’08

i replaced spacers exactly where they came out

I’d have words with whoever fitted the crank!

Yup should be 68mm – the 09′ RH def has a 68mm shell and my old stumpy had a 68mm shell! Just pop into LBS they’ll have loads of spare 2.5mm spacers I bet 🙂

I’d have words with whoever fitted the crank!

*Goes off to have a quiet word with myself…..

LOL 🙂