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Just realized I was over-torquing stem bolts for years
Heard a guy at the co-op say carbon stems need way less force than steel ones, like 4 Nm max. Checked my torque wrench and yep, been cranking them to 6 Nm. Anyone else make that mistake?
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tylerlane24d ago
Four Nm on a stem bolt is asking for trouble, more clamping force is safer.
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rowanbennett24d ago
More clamping force is safer" says the person who's never had to drill out a stripped stem bolt at 6am before a group ride. I bet you torque your brake calipers to 50nm too and wonder why rotors sound like a dying cat. Nah man, 4nm is the sweet spot unless you're riding a tank over boulders. Seen too many stems crack from gorilla grip mechanics thinking "tight" is the only setting.
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