Built up an ICAN X-Gravel 2 frame with their integrated carbon handlebar. Everything went smooth except the headset just will not stay tight. Here's what I've tried:
First attempt:
– Compression plug torqued to 10Nm
– Handlebar on steerer, bolts finger tight
– Top cap tightened until no play
– Handlebar bolts to 8Nm
Play came back the moment I tightened the handlebar bolts. Like literally right away.
Second attempt:
– Same thing but cranked the top cap a bit harder before tightening the handlebar
– No play initially, felt solid
– Rode maybe 200-300 meters and it was loose again, worse than before
I'm using the compression plug that came with the frame. Fork tube length looks fine, there's a small gap between the steerer and top of the handlebar clamp area.
ICAN told me to try more torque on the plug (did that, went from 8 to 10Nm) and to check the fork tube length. Neither helped.
Anyone dealt with this on an ICAN or similar chinese carbon frame with integrated cockpit? What am I missing here? Starting to think the compression plug is the weak link but I'd love to hear other ideas before I start throwing money at it.
Thanks in advance
by koekenstad
11 Comments
I had a similar issue last week on my bike where the topcap bolt kept pulling the expansion plug loose. Was thinking about putting a longer expansion plug in it so it has more surface area to grip, but I couldn’t find the one I had laying around in my parts storage. I just sent it and tightened it until it stayed in position. Probably a bad idea though so I won’t recommend it.
Whats weird to me about this is that you developed play in your second attempt. The handlebar bolts should keep everything in place and won’t depend on the expansion plug anymore.
When you say there’s a small gap between the steerer and top of the handlebar clamp area, do you mean the steer tube does not reach the centerline of the top stem bolt?
Most of the time it’s the carbon steerer plug. Buy the Shimano ‘pro’ one and use carbon paste.
Seems like a compression plug issue to me
I have the feeling that you have cut the steerer rather short. Does it protrude beyond the upper clamp bolt of the stem or is it only the lower bolt that actually clamps the steerer?
The steerer is on the short side, it might not be clamped safely. Reduce the spacers.
The torque numbers seem excessive to the degree that they might have damaged the steerer or cockpit. Are they as spec’d by the manufacturer? 10 nm for the plug is ludicrous in particular. More typically you’ll see around 6 nm for the plug and 5-6 nm for the stem/bar clamping bolts.
Please don’t just add more torque to fix slippage with carbon components. This is not the way to do it.
it seems your top bolt is over /on the top of the steerer tube – your top bolt isn’t doing any thing clamping, but more like crushing force on the steerer tube, thus pushing it ever so slightly inwards, and reducing clamping area even more. the expansion plug should overlap with the bolts to prevent crushing on the steerer tube
Way too short.
This is happening to me as well, and I suspect I also cut my steerer a bit too short, I haven’t even applied anywhere near the same torque as you (I torque my handlebars at literally 4 Nm) and the top cap even if I try to tighten it by hand, it seems like it’s never getting there because the top cap is pulling the expander plug, which I also tighten considerably more.
It’s up to the point where there are indents and rashes from the expander plug inside the steerer because the top cap pulls it up. and there’s a small crack too which may or may not spread in the future, at the moment there are no creaks and such, but I know with carbon cracks it’s like playing with fire, I now have to buy a new fork because of this shit lol.
https://preview.redd.it/oh0a3rgtz8jg1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa92e797278bb3b41a779316ab9ee40c9c657a30
1. Steer tube is very short. Ya need to address that gap. Top bolt needs to be at or below the top of steer tube.
2, 8 Nm is almost DOUBLE why the normal carbon stem bolts are carries the board. 4.5-5 Nm is the norm. Good possibility that the recesses that the head and nuts sit in are crunched or damaged
3. Finger right before you preload the stem cap bolt might the issue. Try NO tightness on the stem bolt before. Your idea of finger tight might be too high and the stem is preventing the steer tube from getting pulled up . Thus might explain the large gap at the top is the steer tube
4. Cartridge bearing and other headset assembly might be placed in the wrong order. You child pull the stem of and inspect that everything is in line and nothing is missing ( like the compression ring etc etc)
5 . 8 Nm is expansion plug norm. 6 Nm is uncommon but not unheard of, but 10nm is fairly high . But I’d have a hard time thinks this is the issue, as the steer tube is cradled by the stem, so splitting the steer tube is difficult to do. No impossible, but difficult.
So, I would start by making sure the assembly is in the correct order and nothing missing. Replacing a spacer with a short one so the steer tube is 1-2 mm below the top of the stem, and don’t preload the stem bolts.
Is the compression plug a little low?
It should be covering the area both bolts clamp on to and it looks as though it’s sitting maybe a bit low in relation to the top stem bolt.
As little as 3mm of space can be enough to establish preload so you should be left with some room even if you move the expander up a bit.
Edit: scratch that — I’ve just looked at second picture and it looks like steerer’s a bit short so I agree with the other comments on that