Carbon steerer star nut torque

[Gig Miller]

I'm currently building up a Litespeed with a Real Design carbon
steerer tube. Can anyone tell me the torque value required for the
star nut that goes in the steerer tube? I've been to Real Design's
website, but did not find any specs there.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[datakoll]

last one I did was about 45-50 pounds
but that was an older model
call Real Design USA PO Box 22666 Chattanooga, TN 37422 PH:
888.564.6694 ... EM: [email protected]
or Lightspeed if they haven't left town.

 

[Phil Holman]

"Gig Miller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:60683b40-f418-482a-9d49-e8a572d81086@e39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> I'm currently building up a Litespeed with a Real Design carbon
> steerer tube. Can anyone tell me the torque value required for the
> star nut that goes in the steerer tube? I've been to Real Design's
> website, but did not find any specs there.
>
> Thanks,
> Greg

You probably won't find a value. I'm assuming you mean before tightening
the stem, in which case, it's just enough to ensure there is no slack in
the headset. I normally slightly over-tighten it to make sure there is
no slack and then back it off until the allen wrench just becomes easy
to turn (not too easy). Tighten the stem and then tighten the bolt
through the star nut so it won't come loose but not so tight as to pull
the star nut out.

Phil H

 

[jim beam]

Gig Miller wrote:
> I'm currently building up a Litespeed with a Real Design carbon
> steerer tube. Can anyone tell me the torque value required for the
> star nut that goes in the steerer tube? I've been to Real Design's
> website, but did not find any specs there.
>
> Thanks,
> Greg


it sets the headset bearing tightness/function, so you need to adjust
for that, not for a specific torque.

 

[Werehatrack]

On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:18:00 -0700 (PDT), Gig Miller
<[email protected]> may have said:

>I'm currently building up a Litespeed with a Real Design carbon
>steerer tube. Can anyone tell me the torque value required for the
>star nut that goes in the steerer tube? I've been to Real Design's
>website, but did not find any specs there.

Just snug enough to take all the slack out of the headset and put a
very slight amount of tension on it; the bolt that goes into the star
nut has completed its task and could be thrown away once the stem has
been cinched down on the steerer. BTW, the stem clamp is one place
where you really do need to be careful not to overtighten. It's way
too easy to crush a carbon steerer.

A drop of low-strength Loctite on the cap bolt will keep it in place
without the need to go all Captain Overtorque on it, and there's zero
reason to make that bolt any tighter than is required to keep it from
ejecting like a low-bidder test pilot. Just snug plus a trifle is
plenty.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[datakoll]

TEST AS YOU SNUG IT DOWN
better yet, test on a buddy's bike
or better than that, get someone to pay you to practice !
running the bolt down to "begins to tighten" several times then into
the process shuld give a head start.
for that price level, phone consultations are justified

 

[[email protected]]

On Apr 13, 1:18 am, Gig Miller <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm currently building up a Litespeed with a Real Design carbon
> steerer tube. Can anyone tell me the torque value required for the
> star nut that goes in the steerer tube? I've been to Real Design's
> website, but did not find any specs there.
>
> Thanks,
> Greg

Don't use a star nut in a carbon steerer. That can lead to failure
which would be bad. Use and expansion plug made for carbon steerers.

Joseph

 

[Phil Holman]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:ecb4f7b3-b1db-4b30-96c9-4be696913eed@y18g2000pre.googlegroups.com...
On Apr 13, 1:18 am, Gig Miller <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm currently building up a Litespeed with a Real Design carbon
> steerer tube. Can anyone tell me the torque value required for the
> star nut that goes in the steerer tube? I've been to Real Design's
> website, but did not find any specs there.
>
> Thanks,
> Greg

Don't use a star nut in a carbon steerer. That can lead to failure
which would be bad. Use and expansion plug made for carbon steerers.

Joseph

You bring up a good point, which should be to use the method recommended
by the fork manufacturer. The following story illustrates this.
http://www.serotta.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42900
"Cannondale uses a starnut. I thought that was stupid and replaced it
with a compression plug. Last week I replaced that frame, and as I was
taking it apart I found where the compression plug had basically split
the fork half way around. I suppose I was only weeks away from certain
dental work. I would use the method that the fork manufacturer
recommends... I sure am glad that my new fork has an aluminum steerer
tube."

Phil H

 

[Lou Holtman]

Phil Holman wrote:
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:ecb4f7b3-b1db-4b30-96c9-4be696913eed@y18g2000pre.googlegroups.com...
> On Apr 13, 1:18 am, Gig Miller <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I'm currently building up a Litespeed with a Real Design carbon
>> steerer tube. Can anyone tell me the torque value required for the
>> star nut that goes in the steerer tube? I've been to Real Design's
>> website, but did not find any specs there.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Greg
>
> Don't use a star nut in a carbon steerer. That can lead to failure
> which would be bad. Use and expansion plug made for carbon steerers.
>
> Joseph
>
> You bring up a good point, which should be to use the method recommended
> by the fork manufacturer. The following story illustrates this.
> http://www.serotta.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42900
> "Cannondale uses a starnut. I thought that was stupid and replaced it
> with a compression plug. Last week I replaced that frame, and as I was
> taking it apart I found where the compression plug had basically split
> the fork half way around. I suppose I was only weeks away from certain
> dental work. I would use the method that the fork manufacturer
> recommends... I sure am glad that my new fork has an aluminum steerer
> tube."
>
> Phil H
>
>


What makes a Cannondale carbon steerer so 'special' that it is more
prone to splitting by a compression plug than other forks? My guess is
that the person used to much torque. You can break everything you know
and some people do it all the time. A compression plug is only needed
for preloading the headset.

Lou

 

[Artoi]

In article <[email protected]>,
"Phil Holman" <piholmanc@yourservice> wrote:

> You bring up a good point, which should be to use the method recommended
> by the fork manufacturer. The following story illustrates this.
> http://www.serotta.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42900
> "Cannondale uses a starnut. I thought that was stupid and replaced it
> with a compression plug. Last week I replaced that frame, and as I was
> taking it apart I found where the compression plug had basically split
> the fork half way around. I suppose I was only weeks away from certain
> dental work. I would use the method that the fork manufacturer
> recommends... I sure am glad that my new fork has an aluminum steerer
> tube."

I understand that one needs to make sure that the level of the expansion
plug is within the protective band of the stem. So in effect, the stem
protects the outer of the CF steerer tube.
--

 

[datakoll]

On Apr 13, 7:51 pm, Artoi <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
>  "Phil Holman" <piholmanc@yourservice> wrote:
>
> > You bring up a good point, which should be to use the method recommended
> > by the fork manufacturer. The following story illustrates this.
> >http://www.serotta.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42900
> > "Cannondale uses a starnut. I thought that was stupid and replaced it
> > with a compression plug. Last week I replaced that frame, and as I was
> > taking it apart I found where the compression plug had basically split
> > the fork half way around. I suppose I was only weeks away from certain
> > dental work. I would use the method that the fork manufacturer
> > recommends... I sure am glad that my new fork has an aluminum steerer
> > tube."
>
> I understand that one needs to make sure that the level of the expansion
> plug is within the protective band of the stem. So in effect, the stem
> protects the outer of the CF steerer tube.
> --

$$$ AND NOOOO DIRECTIONS ???