Argggghhh, god damm effing bollocking stem!

Tried to install a new shorter stem tonight. Undid the stem bolts, then the top bolt into the steerer and swapped the stem over.

New stem is a touch shorter than the old one. No problem, I’ll add a spacer on top for now as I don’t want to chop down the steerer.

Aligned the new stem, tightened up the pinch bolts clamping to the steerer and then the top bolt. However, I cannot for the life of my manage to eliminate the play from the headset.

Bike is a Specialized Camber and the headset looks pretty simple to me and I’m certain is an integrated headset. The old stem was a Specialized own brand one with some fancy shim to adjust the rise. New stem is just a bog standard Truative jobby.

Is there anything simple I am overlooking as I’m at a loss why play remains in the headset? Ruined tonights planned ride too 🙁

Maybe star fangled nut got worn out somehow?

tightened up the pinch bolts clamping to the steerer and then the top bolt.

wrong way round. but for gods sake be carefull our youll kill your headset bearings. 1/4 turn at a time on top bolt and ONLY until play is gone, then stem bolts.

Do your spacers come up slighly higher than the steer? You need this to get a bit of purchase.

Aligned the new stem, tightened up the pinch bolts clamping to the steerer and then the top bolt. However, I cannot for the life of my manage to eliminate the play from the headset.

Wrong way round surely? Adjust the headset via the top cap, then clamp the stem to the steerer to hold it.

Aligned the new stem, tightened up the pinch bolts clamping to the steerer and then the top bolt.

man…i thought i was gonna be the first one to say it’s the wrong way round.
the hive is busy at work…

😀

Something isn’t sitting right.

As you put everything back together put your hand under the bridge of the forks and wiggle it until everything seats properly. Don’t over tighten the bolt into the steerer, that won’t fix it.

And that ladies and gentlemen is why you should use your lbs if you have the mechanical skills of chimp with a hammer. Made me properly giggle…Thanks x

You learn by your mistakes tho. You learn nothing by paying someone else to sort it

Lol this reminds me of me when I first started tinkering. If in doubt take it to your wok bellied bike mechanic friend to fix… well that’s what I do

Did you use another spesh stem? If not you need a standard top cap as I’m willing to reckon the original spesh stem as a shim and off centre top cap to give and extra half degree…

Right suitably reprimanded and full of beer I shall take heed of the above advice and try again 🙂

To be fair I always try most mechanical things myself first otherwise I’ll never learn and use the lbs as a last resort. Come to think of it, its quite clear to me now that the top cap should be tightened first, then the stem pinch bolts. I even googled the park tools step by step guide but had remembered it.. ahem the wrong way around.

Did you use another spesh stem? If not you need a standard top cap as I’m willing to reckon the original spesh stem as a shim and off centre top cap to give and extra half degree…

This does concern me as the Spesh top cap doesn’t seem too compatible with the new stem.

Do your spacers come up slighly higher than the steer? You need this to get a bit of purchase.

Yep. Steerer finishes about 3 mm below the spacer so at least I’ve got something right!

Make sure the wheels are off the ground (I often pick the forks up from under the crown) and then carefully tighten the top bolt. Then (as said above) align and tighten stem bolts. You’re not the only person to do it wrong.

creamegg – Member
You learn by your mistakes tho. You learn nothing by paying someone else to sort it

Yes but paying someone who knows may be cheaper for some in the long run…

To be fair I always try most mechanical things myself first otherwise I’ll never learn and use the lbs as a last resort.

Find a LBS that is helpful and friendly that you can ask how or get them to show you 🙂 Best of both worlds you learn and you get it fixed. Becoming more of an issue with some of these very specific manufacturers part selections bodges.

there was one in Melrose (South Australia) that carried a sign along the lines of.
Additional Workshop Rates
If you need it quick bring a 6 pack
If you need it don overnight bring 2
If you want to watch and ask loads of questions bring a case….

Yep the camber top cap is angled so you need a new top cap. The camber one sits off centre into the stem.

Really cheap on crc.

You’re not the only person to do it wrong.

I can confirm this. 😳

You learn by your mistakes tho.

This too. 🙂

When you’re done, check for no play in the headset, but also check it’s not too tight – pick the bike up by the saddle so both wheels are off the ground and the bike is tilted forward, turn the bars and check they turn smoothly and return to straight on their own when released. Or so I read after getting mine wrong recently!

Find a LBS that is helpful and friendly that you can ask how or get them to show you Best of both worlds you learn and you get it fixed. Becoming more of an issue with some of these very specific manufacturers part selections bodges.

I second that and used to have one back when I lived at home but have yet to find one where I live now. I’m systematically working my way around them all though 🙂

Following the advice above it all seems sorted now.

Mosey – top cap seems okay to my eyes. Its the same as this one?

I’ve rotated it so the arm on the to the left of the Specialized text is pointing down my top tube towards the saddle. It seems to be covering the spacer beneath pretty comprehensively.

Google specialized’s stem… You absolutely need a new top cap!

What you need is a stem top compass? Lucky for you i got one lying around brand new, never used, its yours and will solve any bike related issues not just headset,pinch punctures and loose spokes.

Not sure what all the digs at the OP are in aid of other to make those digging feel superior.

He’s made a boo-boo, realised then posted for advice on an mtb forum.

Anyway:

Do your spacers come up slighly higher than the steer? You need this to get a bit of purchase.

This is it.

On a normal top cap it would be a case of using enough spacers; however the specialized stem uses a top cap with an offset bolt hole that in combination with the specialized stem and shim provides an extra half a degree on the headtube. The problem the OP has is that the off centre top cap is not compatible with any other stem…

the specialized stem uses a top cap with an offset bolt hole that in combination with the specialized stem and shim provides an extra half a degree on the headtube

No, it just changes the rise of the stem. Has no effect on head-tube angle at all.

Both my camber and SJ had one of these – offset centre cap… and it does indeed alter the angle.

http://cdn.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/pdf/manuals/IG0239.pdf

it alters the stem angle not the head tube/fork angle.

Seems a lot of faff for not a lot of use. Surely you can just move the stem up and down and rotate the bars a bit to do the same?

Yep – I was wrong on the head tube angle but back to the OPs problem – I’m 99.9% sure he can’t eliminate the play because he is trying to clamp a normal stem with an off centre stem cap.

Yep – I was wrong on the head tube angle but back to the OPs problem – I’m 99.9% sure he can’t eliminate the play because he is trying to clamp a normal stem with an off centre stem cap.

No, as already established by the OP, his issue is the stem bolts were tightened before he had sufficiently tightened the stem cap.

The offset stem cap thing is a total red herring, especially if there is a spacer between the stem and the stem cap. It might mean the stem cap doesn’t sit straight, but it won’t stop it pre-loading.

Not sure what all the digs at the OP are in aid of other to make those digging feel superior.

He’s made a boo-boo, realised then posted for advice on an mtb forum.

Anyway:

Do your spacers come up slighly higher than the steer? You need this to get a bit of purchase.
This is it.

Ha cheers pp. Yep, spacer sits above the top of the steerer.

Ta for the useful link too wurzel. The Spesh 5 star top cap has an offset bolt which threw me a bit. I’ve managed to set the new stem up and eliminated the play but to be on the safe side have a standard top cap so will probably use that one instead. Think borisselbrus had it with the red herring comment 🙂