Gatorfreak

If I tighten the upper stem bolt at all then my steering becomes stiff. Lots of friction turning side to side. If I don't tighten then I can get it setup fine but with only the lower bolt holding it secure, it eventually slides up a bit and then I have a loose headset which needs to be re-tightened.

I have an integrated headset with carbon fork and steerer. Ritchey alloy stem. Currently my thinking is to order a new stem since that's cheaper than trying out a new fork.

I've read plenty on adjusting headsets and watched videos. I'm certain I'm doing it right. I think I either have some kind of warped/imperfect stem or steerer. I can't imagine what else it could be.

Any other ideas?

Edit: 5mm spacer below the stem; 10mm above.

Retro Grouch 

Try taking one of the stack spacers from below your stem and reinstalling it above the stem. I wonder if tightening the stem bolt is causing the carbon steerer to deform.

FBinNY 

My first thought is that the steerer may be short and not coming up beyond the height of the upper bolt (or beyond the stem with a spacer in top.

The next is that you might be overtightening the expander inside the fork. This distorts the steerer so when you tighten both stem bolt it creates a curve somehow.

If the steerer is long enough, try this...

After you adjust the headset and tighten the bolts, remove the top cap and loosen the expander. Then you may need to tighten the stem more, so check that, and see if things improve. If this makes a difference, stop overtightening the expander in the future.

Slash5

Are you running a spacer above the stem? If not then redo your spacers so there is one above. I wonder if the stem top bolt is compressing the steerer tube so that the top cap increases the tension tightening the adjustment.

Gatorfreak

Thanks for the replies! I'm going to try out your suggestions and report back. I should've mentioned that I have a 5mm spacer below the stem and a 10mm above. After reading your comments it occurred to me that this problem became more pronounced after the steerer was cut. I used to have about 50mm or so sticking out above the stem, threatening to impale me.

rpenmanparker 

Yes, once the side stem bolts are tight, the top cap bolt is completely unnecessary.

Gatorfreak

@Retro Grouch - I moved the 5mm spacer above the stem so the stem is slammed but same deal.

@FBinNY - I loosened and even removed the expansion plug but again, same deal. Tightening the upper stem bolt at all makes steering very stiff.

Any other ideas? Or should I order a new stem? Hoping I don't need to buy a new fork.

I've read about forks that come with an alloy reinforcement tube glued inside the steerer. Perhaps I could install such a thing in my steerer to prevent the deformation.

HillRider

If your stem is really "slammed", i.e. down against the top of the headset race with absolutely no spacers under it, it's entirely possible the stem is dragging against the upper race.

AnkleWork

Cracked steerer?

Gatorfreak

But it only causes friction when the upper stem bolt is tightened. Friction is gone when loosened. Also, it exhibited this behavior when the 5mm spacer was below the stem.

Gatorfreak

I don't see a crack but that doesn't mean there isn't one. Now I'm scared.

FBinNY 

OK, it's time to grab at straws and either confirm or rule out exotic possibilities. Try inverting the stem, and see which bolt (if any) causes binding. Or it that in any way changes things.

rm -rf

Yeah, a good test. And does the stem slide off the steerer easily, or does it bind? ( My new bike's carbon steerer is a little tight on the stem, I have to wiggle it a little to slide it off.)

My older Ritchey stem has an angled cut for the two stem bolts, with one bolt facing each way. But I don't see how that could bend the stem enough (or at all) to affect the bearings, even with cranking down on the bolts.

Post a picture of your mounted stem from the side and the back.

Stem bolt torque is only 5nm. That's moderate pressure with a couple of fingers on the hex wrench.

Gatorfreak

I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't think to try this myself. With the stem inverted and now angled upward, I could tighten both stem bolts without even the slightest hint of stiffness in the steering!

But...of course I want my riding position the way it was. So what does this new info tell me?

FBinNY 

OK so the fork is fine, and it's something related to the face of the stem not being flat and square to the bore, or how it seats against the top cap or centering cone.

It's possible that Hillrider hit it when he suggested that the extension itself is touching the headset (a NoNo). I ruled that out because you mentioned having a spacer under the stem, but maybe I missed something there.

Try this -- go out and buy an O-ring that you can fit between the stem and spacers or headset compression cone. This will allow some degree of equalization or float between the stem and spacer stack when compressed. If that solves (or improves) the problem, the issue is that the stem face on that side isn't square to the axis of the bore.

Also eyeball that edge for any hint of burrs or excess material anyplace.

Gatorfreak

I got a new stem. Now I can tighten the stem bolts without any hint of friction in the steering! Anyone want to buy a dodgy stem?

Thank you all (especially @FBinNY) for the help in getting to the root cause. Much appreciated!

fietsbob

"Upper stem bolt" wouldn't happen to be thru a Cap on top of the fork, would it?.

FBinNY 

Glad I was able to help.

Curious, did you try the O-ring trick to add some float? Did it make a difference?

Gatorfreak

I didn't have anything in the garage to fit for that and too impatient to go hunting for one so I just tried the new stem.

Gatorfreak

Good thought but no.