Squeaky stem

Robertd_07

Hoping someone can suggest a remedy.
I've got a Trek 1.5.
The original Bontrager stem was removed and replaced with a BBB stem on the day I got it. (By the shop)
After about 2 weeks I noticed a really annoying squeak which I couldn't pin down. Took it back in to the shop and after little grease (on the headset) & tightening squeak was gone.
Well it's been another 4 weeks and squeak is back with a vengance and driving me nuts.
Took the handlebars off last night and noticed that the paint is worn away on the inside of the stem, on the front section at the very outer edge, and on the main stem section at the centre point. Put some grease on and tightend it up as tight as I dare.
Still squeaking this morning.
Can anyone suggest a solution/remedy?
Robert

seamus

Is it a squeak or a cracking/ticking/creaking sound?

victorcarrera

Robertd_07 wrote: »

...after little grease (on the headset) & tightening squeak was gone.
Well it's been another 4 weeks and squeak is back with a vengance and driving me nuts.

Squeaks and creaks can sometimes be very difficult to pin down, but assuming it was fixed originally its more than likely the same problem recurring.
The only part of a headset I would use grease on is an open ball bearing and race.
What type of headset bearings do you have?
If it's not originating from the bars to stem joint my guess is the stem to steerer needs tightening or insufficient preload on sealed bearings if you have them.

Put some grease on and tightend it up as tight as I dare.

I would remove the grease completely from there as the bars are likely to slip if you hit a bump when you have weight on the bars (racing type bars especially)

Robertd_07

seamus wrote: »

Is it a squeak or a cracking/ticking/creaking sound?

Cracking/ticking.
Every time I put pressure on (particurlarly pulling up).
Defo on the stem/handlebar joint.

blorg

victorcarrera wrote: »

I would remove the grease completely from there as the bars are likely to slip if you hit a bump when you have weight on the bars (racing type bars especially)

Greasing the stem-handlebar interface is common enough to deal with creaking. If you think about it you would always grease a (metal) seatpost and they don't slip as a result.

Personally though I use carbon assembly compound that actually increases the friction and reduces the torque necessary. Great stuff and you can use it on alloy bars too. Sorts out creaking.

seamus

It's ridiculously annoying.

Take the bars off again. Wipe everything down - the bars and the inside of the stem. Use WD40 if you need to, to clean off the grease, but make sure you wipe all the WD40 off afterwards and give it a few minutes to dry.

Then stick a light layer of grease (or even better the carbon compound blorg mentions) onto the bars and the clamp.

Be very careful and methodical in tightening the bolts. To get the best fitting, there should be the same distance between the front plate and the stem at all bolts. That is, it's too easy to overtighten the bottom two bolts and end up with the plate sitting against the stem.

So fit all of the bolts loosely at first (with grease on them) and then screw them in evenly, one revolution at a time, in an X pattern. So turn the top-left bolt one revolution, then the bottom-right bolt, then the bottom-left bolt, then the top-right bolt, and so on.
When you start to feel some resistance, change it to half a revolution per go, and when it starts to get very tight, change it to one-quarter of a revolution.

blorg

seamus wrote: »

When you start to feel some resistance, change it to half a revolution per go, and when it starts to get very tight, change it to one-quarter of a revolution.

I use a Ritchey Torqkey- this is a small pre-set torque wrench @5Nm, 4mm hex. Costs around £10. This does bars, stem, and seatpost on most of my bikes, not just the ones with Ritchey components (4mm is the most common bolt size for these things.)

Robertd_07

blorg wrote: »

Personally though I use carbon assembly compound that actually increases the friction and reduces the torque necessary. Great stuff and you can use it on alloy bars too. Sorts out creaking.

Is this the kind of stuff you mean.
Pace Carbon Composite Shield Grease

blorg

Robertd_07 wrote: »

Is this the kind of stuff you mean.
Pace Carbon Composite Shield Grease

The one I have is Finish Line but I am sure that one works just as well. Lasts for quite a while.