problem solved, I realised that texturing would scratch the bars when installed. Luckily I found another brass washer on a 3ttt stem that had broken which I could use. So I put it on and tried it out. It worked... after looking at it I believe the problem could very well have been that the nut part of the fixing bolt was hitting the opposite side of the gap and therefore limited the tightening. Perhaps if I remove everything again and examine it I will be able to see where it was hitting and file away a bit of aluminum to eliminate the problem but I might just leave it with the extra washer now that it back together.