Originally Posted by
AnkleWork
Shimano's instructions also call out a specific (low) torque for the NDS cap in order to preload the bearings and seals correctly. Too much and the seals open a little to let dirt and water in and then the bearings fail. That's probably the weakest aspect of HT2 and often overlooked. Newer HT2 BBs may have better seals, but still, follow the instructions.
And make sure the NDS arm slides easily on the splines during preload.
Again, good advice. The torque spec for that nds plastic cap is indeed low at 0.7 to 1.5 N-m. The Shimano tool (TL-FC16) is a plastic disk that is only tightened by hand to be sure you don't overdo it.
The nds arm is keyed to the splines on the nds end of the spindle so it can only go on one way unless you mistakenly really force it. Aligned correctly it does slip on with little effort.