[Closed] Cannondale lefty help please

Sounds like you need new headset bearings.

There is no SFN, assuming you have one of the more recent Lefty's with fixed position clamps, the clamps are made to be a precision fit around the the headtube and top bearing cover. If it's one of the older ones with adjustable position clamps, just loosen the lower one and push it up the best you can!

Yup, more than enough adjustment on the older ones to reduce the play, however if you've the later ones you'll need new bearings.

On the new OPI setup there's no star fangled nut, the preload is achieved by tightening the steerer, which is a tube inside the head tube which threads into the bottom of the OPI stem and is braced against the bottom of the head tube.

If you have this setup, you can just loosen the two lefty clamp bolts, then tighten up the steerer - you can see the end of the steerer tube at the very bottom of the head tube (uses a standard Shimano HT2 bottom bracket spanner fitting)If there's still play after this, then I would assume the bearings need replacing.

Here's what the stem and steerer look like without the headtube - might help to understand...

[img] [/img]

I'd agree with the above posts questioning your bearing state, but would ask if anyones messed with it lately? Has the lefty been recently removed from (or fitted to) the bike. As the may have missed the crucial headset upper bearing seal (well crucial on the older models)... as I've seen this missed from assembly on a bike in my LBS (brought in for repair, not the LBS missing it out)

Cheers