Originally Posted by
loimpact
Got the Ritchey key. (very cool & confidence inspiring, I have to admit)
Question........if a bolt says 6nm, using this Ritchey key, would it be wise to just go to the preset 5nm & be done with it or maybe a 1/4 turn or so beyond the click??
Noticed I've got 5nm, 6nm and 8nm in different places.
That 6 nm is the recommended maximum. And if you are using carbon assembly paste, it probably doesn't need to be even 5 nm.
The stem clamp on the steerer needs to be tight enough to not slip side-to-side when pulling on the bars, and also not slip vertically to affect the bearings load. I think the side-to-side slipping is the most likely, since that's where the highest loads are, and the stem cap helps to limit the vertical movements anyway. So if your stem and bars get out of alignment sideways, you didn't tighten the bolts enough.
I don't think there's any structural/safety reason to go to the max 6 nm if the stem and bars aren't moving.