matt swindell

Hey-
I just got a new bike(to me anyways) and it came with a carbon fork (it's a Profile BSC if it matters), which has a carbon steerer. I have searched and searched and cannot get a straight answer to two of my questions:
1) Why can't I use a star nut? The bike has one of those internal headsets and it came with a cane creek headset and a cane creek star nut+cap, but according to this site(still waiting on profiles reply), I can't use it, but I can't find why not.
2) What if I don't have a torque wrench? How should I go about installing my stem and tightening it without a torque wrench(again, absolutely mandatory according to this site), isn't there any other way?
Thanks alot, and I am sure there will be more questions from me about this soon!

Infact, I have already thought of one, how many spacers can I have under my stem(I seem to recall under 20mm's worth, is this correct?)?, and how about on top of my stem?(can't seem to find whether this matters or not)
Again thanks for any help!!

seely

If you install a starnut you will strip the epoxy/resin layer off the carbon fiber and SERIOUSLY compromise the integrity of the fork. Its like folding heavy card stock... if you put a light cut in it, it folds very easily but if you don't score it, it is very difficult to fold.

And YES a torqure wrench is ESSENTIAL. No offense, it sounds like you don't know what you are doing and don't have the right tools... take it to an experienced shop and don't risk ruining your expensive fork.

sydney

Rubbish! Ya don't need a torque wrench to tighten stem bolts on a CF steerer.But if you insist,get the best www.SheldonBrown.com/tork-grip

sydney

Unless the makers says different, 25mm with a 1" steerer amd 35mm with a 11/8", is the industry recommendation. The compession bung in the steerer tube supports the clamping force of the stem. You can't stack so many washers on top so as to cause the bung to be too high in the steerer to offer no support.

rmfnla

Couldn't resist, could ya?!

zonatandem

Have 25mm worth of spacers on my c/f fork.

matt swindell

Pretty funny, and only 3 posts in, I knew it was coming though, how tight should they be then?
This makes sense! Thank you, now, what do I need and where do I get it(online if available)?
I don't know what I am doing here(with this fork that is), and that's why I asked! And no offense to you, but my bike will not be going to a shop almost definantly(sp?). None of my bikes over the last few years have been to any shops, and I don't plan on starting with this one. I can get a torque wrench if you guys really think it's that important, I will, my dad works in a machine shop and my neighbor has one also. So what do I need, inch-pound; foot-pound; or inch-ounce?(something is telling me foot/inch-pound and not ounce, but which?)
Thanks for all the help guys!

sydney

Tight enough so it doesn't slip, not so tight as to break, bugger, strip, spindle or mutilate. Sorry,but it's a federal offense to attempt to send my elbow calibration over the internet.

sirshane13

Wow, dude I know flipped over his handlebars recently because the bolt through the top cap wasn't tightened down properly, front wheel turned, and he suddenly stopped while riding and flipped over the hb.

For what it's worth son, take it to a shop, and watch while they work on your bike. Learn from the pros the first time so you don't make any either dangerous or at least expensive mistakes.

jaldridge

Borrow the torque wrench. Inch-pounds are pretty standard in instructions these days, as are newton-meters (they can all be interconverted, of course).

sydney

The bolt in the topcap is for adjusting bearing preload.The stem clamped to the steerer is what secures the fork.Once the stem is clamped you could remove the topcap and bolt and throw them away. Not knowingg what you are doing when it comes to HS/stems/bars, can result in injury or death. It pays to Know!

rmfnla

Oh no, not deaty!

matt swindell

Does anyone know where I can find torque values that I need? thanks!

sydney

At least it's only typos.

Trogon

The stem MFGR.

sydney

But they don't know what it's being clamped to. There are also general torque recommendations for various sized fasteners,but again they don't necessarily apply to specific appplications. This is where knowing what you are doing and good brain/elbow calibration comes into play. There are plenty of documented buggered steerers caused by heavy handed hacks.

rmfnla

Too bad Sheldon Brown doesn't offer spellcheck.

Al1943

I cracked a carbon steer tube by using the torque recommended for the stem, 9 nm was too much. My intuition and "calibrated arm" would have been less torque.

I recommend using the best expansion plug available and set it where it best supports the steer tube behind the stem clamp.

Al

matt swindell

The stem is a weyless, does anyone have their website, I have been searching for about 15 minutes and cannot find it, therefore no torque values.

dmw010

I think Weyless is a Nashbar house brand. Try giving Nashbar tech support a call (good luck).

Trogon

He didn't ask how I do it, he asked where to get the settings.

Trogon

Oops.

sydney

Potentially dangrous/costly info in the hands of the mechanically disenfranchised.

matt swindell

What are you trying to say? It seems you always have something funny to say, but don't always know what you are saying. If you are not going to help, please don't post in my threads, thanks.

Does anyone know what inchpound or any other measurement(I will just convert it) I should use to tighten a Weyless stem(2 bolt faceplate, if it matters for the model) onto the all carbon steerertube on my Profile BSC fork. Oh and by the way, I know not to do it without first installing the compression bung, not the star-nut, so no need to repeat that, thanks!

sydney

sydney always knows what he is saying.So do a few others Read what AL1943 had to say(post #18). And it's not the faceplate that attaches to the steerer tube.