Ti Bolts for Ritchey Stem



8

8cht

Guest
Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
advance.
 
your best bet is asking that question here:
http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?s=711bed849a3248c27dca559b2db7409c&f=49



8cht wrote:

>Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
>stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
>Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
>Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
>the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
>advance.
>
>
>
>
 
On Wed, 12 May 2004 19:51:12 -0400, "8cht" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
>stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
>Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
>Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
>the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
>advance.
>


http://www.racebolts.com

The bolts are all likely standard metric bolts. They are measured by
taking the distance across the threads and the length of the threads.
For instance, a bolt that measures 6mm across with a vernier and 10mm
in length would be an m6x10. There are no in-between sizes and you can
use a ruler to measure quite adequately.
Sometimes, (usually) if you dont know the diameter, a knowledgable
shop would probably get you the right size based only on the length
and the size of key the head takes.
In any case, the link I mentioned above will show you different types.
The tapered head socket bolts are likely what you need. The tapered
head just saves a bit more weight. It's the bearing surface under the
head that is important, not the fact that the head tapers. You can get
washers if the original application used them.
Careful with the Ti. It creeps over your bike slowly, but expensively.
Have fun.
 
On Thu, 13 May 2004 00:28:04 GMT, Henry Morgan <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Wed, 12 May 2004 19:51:12 -0400, "8cht" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
>>stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
>>Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
>>Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
>>the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
>>advance.
>>

>
>http://www.racebolts.com
>
>The bolts are all likely standard metric bolts. They are measured by
>taking the distance across the threads and the length of the threads.
>For instance, a bolt that measures 6mm across with a vernier and 10mm
>in length would be an m6x10. There are no in-between sizes and you can
>use a ruler to measure quite adequately.
>Sometimes, (usually) if you dont know the diameter, a knowledgable
>shop would probably get you the right size based only on the length
>and the size of key the head takes.
>In any case, the link I mentioned above will show you different types.
>The tapered head socket bolts are likely what you need. The tapered
>head just saves a bit more weight. It's the bearing surface under the
>head that is important, not the fact that the head tapers. You can get
>washers if the original application used them.
>Careful with the Ti. It creeps over your bike slowly, but expensively.
>Have fun.


I forgot to mention. The length measurement is taken along the shank,
NOT including the head.
 
>Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
>stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
>Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.


Switching to stainless steel bolting will avoid the corrosion issue, and be
cheaper than going to ti.

SS bolts are available at better hardware stores.



Chris Neary
[email protected]

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh
 
> Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS
road
> stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
> Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
> Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
> the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
> advance.


You might want to reconsider your choice of Ti bolts. Ti hardware is fine
in many applications, but to use it in a place where failure is, as they
say, not an option... that's not my first choice for where to put ultralight
stuff. It's not as strong as the steel hardware it's replacing, and your
objections about rust can be overcome with stainless steel hardware (or,
just replace the steel bolts once in a while, or make sure they're lightly
oiled).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
8cht wrote:

> Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
> stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
> Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.


I'd prefer to avoid face plants when the Ti bolts fail by using steel bolts.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote:

> > Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS

> road
> > stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
> > Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
> > Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
> > the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
> > advance.

>
> You might want to reconsider your choice of Ti bolts. Ti hardware is fine
> in many applications, but to use it in a place where failure is, as they
> say, not an option... that's not my first choice for where to put ultralight
> stuff. It's not as strong as the steel hardware it's replacing, and your
> objections about rust can be overcome with stainless steel hardware (or,
> just replace the steel bolts once in a while, or make sure they're lightly
> oiled).


I think Mike is right here. The Ti bolts are just not as strong as they
need to be, especially in bolts as short as these, where the thread runs
right up to the bottom of the head. That is the typical failure point.
Drying that area of the bike off after a wash is important - try using some
compressed air (if you don't have access to it you can use that canned
stuff for computer or photo work) - then a little drop of oil. I'd stay
away from hardware store stainless bolts, too, as they are of unknown
quality. Try to find a good fastener supply place, if you can.

--
tanx,
Howard

"Moby **** was a work of art, What the hell happened?"


remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?
 
"Howard Kveck" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'd stay
> away from hardware store stainless bolts, too, as they are of unknown
> quality. Try to find a good fastener supply place, if you can.
>


Is this true (about hardware store quality)?

Recommendations? Anyone? Thx.
 
In article <[email protected]>, No.KirbyPublic2
@Verizon.no.net says...
>
> "Howard Kveck" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I'd stay
> > away from hardware store stainless bolts, too, as they are of unknown
> > quality. Try to find a good fastener supply place, if you can.
> >

>
> Is this true (about hardware store quality)?


Depends on the hardware store, but IMO, since most people looking for
cheap fasteners don't pay the extra for stainless, the stainless is
likely to be of satisfactory quality.

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).
 
"Kirby Krieger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Howard Kveck" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I'd stay
> > away from hardware store stainless bolts, too, as they are of unknown
> > quality. Try to find a good fastener supply place, if you can.
> >

>
> Is this true (about hardware store quality)?
>
> Recommendations? Anyone? Thx.
>

Hi tensile Allen screws are about as good as you can get.

Marty
 
"8cht" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
> stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
> Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
> Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
> the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
> advance.


I think the bolts that came with WCS stems are stainless already. I
wouldn't use ordinally replacements from HW stores because the
standard sets have nicely polished heads. Contact Ritchey directly and
I am sure they can help you out. Don't forget to grease them before
install. WCS is my favorite stem.
 
Having worked in the titanium business for almost 20 years, I can tell
you a little about bolts. If you buy standard titanium bolts made for
the chemical industry, you would get somewhat weak bolts. These would
be around 50,000psi yield strength much similar to a hardware store
stove bolt (little stronger). These are made from commercially pure
titanium and not alloyed to add strength.

If you bought aircraft quality the strength would go up considerably
to about 70,000psi or more. The alloys like ti-6al-4v would be what
you would be looking for and be very common. Other alloys are even
stronger and may be harder to find.

One way to find out if what you are trying to do is safe is to find
the existing bolt strength either from the manufacture of from the
letter stamped on the bolt head, if there is one. For example many
automotive bolts are stamped and used in specific locations. Compare
this strength to the titanium alloy bolt.

The alloy bolt, although not good for many chemical applications
should not corrode in your application.

Hope this helps.

John P.S. Try Titanium Fabrication Corp in Fairfield, NJ --Sales Div


On Wed, 12 May 2004 19:51:12 -0400, "8cht" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
>stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
>Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
>Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
>the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
>advance.
>
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Marty Wallace" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Kirby Krieger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Howard Kveck" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > I'd stay
> > > away from hardware store stainless bolts, too, as they are of unknown
> > > quality. Try to find a good fastener supply place, if you can.
> > >

> >
> > Is this true (about hardware store quality)?
> >
> > Recommendations? Anyone? Thx.
> >

> Hi tensile Allen screws are about as good as you can get.


It still kind of gets down to quality: the ones from fastener supply
places (like Olander or Danforth) are just better bolts than what you get
at the local Orchard Supply Hardware. Most readily available steel socket
head cap screws are of about the same grade (what you're referring to as hi
tensile), which is roughly in between grade 5 and grade 8, as I recall
(sorry, I left my Machinery's Handbook at work).

An example of why I don't care for hardware store bolts: Recently, I had
to make some tooling to hold a part; it involved some 10-32 socket head cap
screws, which were to be tightened and removed with a screw driver handle
hex driver. You can't really make a huge amount of torque with those. On
about the fifth loosening/tightening cycle, the heads on the OSH brand
bolts started popping off. But the ones from Olander that we got to replace
those have been through at least 300 cycles with no loss.

--
tanx,
Howard

"Moby **** was a work of art, What the hell happened?"


remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?
 
[email protected] (Richard Chan) wrote:

> I think the bolts that came with WCS stems are stainless already. I
> wouldn't use ordinally replacements from HW stores because the
> standard sets have nicely polished heads.


Stainless bolts are almost never polished. Most polished fasteners on
bikes are chrome plated and capable of rusting in the right
conditions. It is exceedingly rare for a bike parts manufacturer to
specify stainless fasteners, because they are both more expensive and
usually weaker than their carbon steel counterparts.

In my experience as a career machinist, there is no appreciable
difference in quality among common stainless bolts and screws from
different sources. Hardened alloy steel fasteners-- which are usually
black in color-- come in premium quality varieties which are
distiguished by better finish, tighter tolerances, and certified
materials.

Chalo Colina
 
Will Wright <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Having worked in the titanium business for almost 20 years, I can tell
> you a little about bolts. If you buy standard titanium bolts made for
> the chemical industry, you would get somewhat weak bolts. These would
> be around 50,000psi yield strength much similar to a hardware store
> stove bolt (little stronger). These are made from commercially pure
> titanium and not alloyed to add strength.
>
> If you bought aircraft quality the strength would go up considerably
> to about 70,000psi or more. The alloys like ti-6al-4v would be what
> you would be looking for and be very common. Other alloys are even
> stronger and may be harder to find.
>
> One way to find out if what you are trying to do is safe is to find
> the existing bolt strength either from the manufacture of from the
> letter stamped on the bolt head, if there is one. For example many
> automotive bolts are stamped and used in specific locations. Compare
> this strength to the titanium alloy bolt.
>
> The alloy bolt, although not good for many chemical applications
> should not corrode in your application.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> John P.S. Try Titanium Fabrication Corp in Fairfield, NJ --Sales Div
>
>
> On Wed, 12 May 2004 19:51:12 -0400, "8cht" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >Does anyone know where I can purchase titanium bolts for my Ritchey WCS road
> >stem? I'm not concerned about the weight difference, it's just that the
> >Ritchey bolts have rust in them and I'd like to avoid that with ti bolts.
> >Also, exactly what size and type of bolts do I need to replace the four on
> >the face plate and the two bolts on the back of the stem? Thanks in
> >advance.
> >


I don't know the stem in question but I would be far more concerned
about the internal threads in what is I assume aluminum, than I would
be about the UTS of the fastener..

That being said Ti and Alu do not go well together... (if the stem
isn't aluminum please fell free to ignore the comment)