My front area of my bike is making suspicious noises and I think that the headset is kinda loose. Iām going to tighten the headset, but the stem bolts are too tight. Any ideas?
by BeanBoi_79
My front area of my bike is making suspicious noises and I think that the headset is kinda loose. Iām going to tighten the headset, but the stem bolts are too tight. Any ideas?
by BeanBoi_79
9 Comments
Need a bigger (longer) or better wrench…? Are you afraid of damaging the bolts or stem? If parts are so tight they will be damaged upon removal, you still want to do it — find out and make it right… and find the source of the noise. Carbon steerer tube? That could be damaged with over-tight stem bolts.
If you apply the front brake and try to rock the bike forward and back does it all feel solid or do you feel a knock?
Use good quality tools and loosen the pinch bolts.
If the heads still rounds, drill the screws out or the head off.
Loosen the stem bolts, tighten the headset, tighten the stem bolts.
Heat the bolts/stem up, the bolt should be steel and the stem alu and will expand differently, then it should be easier to loosen the bolts.
Once you loosen it. What is your plan of attack in making the creaking noises stop?
You might find yourself in a situation where a bunch of beating and races and spacers fall out and you don’t know which order you came in.
If you see yourself in this text, then you may wanna send it to a shop
grease it and clean the dirt out
you need self sealing stem bolts. š šš½
If you happen to round out the hex bolts and can’t loosen the bolts get a torx socket bit of a size that is a snug fit. Tap it in with a hammer and use a ratchet to undo. That should work.
A mechanic showed me that trick once when I had a stuck rounded out hex bolt.