Originally Posted by
seau grateau
They're called spacers, and they can be moved above or below the stem, depending on how high you want it to be. The chain is a K710. If it's working now, it's fine. Noise probably means it's too tight or the drivetrain is dirty, and your cog looks like it was recovered from the wreckage of the Titanic, so a good cleaning would be a good place to start.
Recovered wreckage from the Titanic?
I need to learn how to disassemble this thing and clean it! Or maybe I can clean it well enough without taking it apart.