I have just reassembled the left crank and am wondering if the gap where the safety crank plate (part4) is too wide.
It currently reads about 1mm.
Should the plate sit tight? Are there two plates? Do I need to tighten the screws (part 3) until the gap is gone?
Thanks!
PS: Unfortunately, I currently do not have access to a torque wrench, so I can’t tighten exactly up to spec.
by bankster211
2 Comments
The gap reduces as the pinch bolts are done up to spec. The plastic plate only serves as a final safety measure to catch on the little hole in the spindle and prevent the crank moving off.
You don’t torque the pinch bolts up until the gap disappears, you torque them to 12-14Nm. If you don’t have a torque wrench, this is pretty **firm** with a decent sized allen key. Remember to alternate between the two pinch bolts. When you’ve tightened one, move to the other, and do a final check on **both**. Failing to tighten these sufficiently will result in the crank coming loose and the splines wearing down – and then your crank is just a fancy paper weight.
Ignore the gap, don’t ignore the torque spec. If you don’t have a torque wrench, it’s a 12 second job at any shop, chances are good they won’t even charge you.