Stem bolts: Ti, stainless, or plain steel?

[alessandro]

I stripped a Ti bolt on my 3T ARX Pro aluminum stem the other night. I don't know if I stripped it, or my LBS, but these things happen.

I could buy a set of 6 for $32.50 from 3T, or for less from a place I found through a search like Tekbolt.com.

But after searching on the forum, I'm a little uncertain: Should I replace it with titanium, better-than-hardware-store-quality stainless, or reg'lar old steel?

Alternative: Does anyone have a spare 3T stem bolt they'd be willing to send me for a few shekels?

[dave thompson]

Not being a weight weenie, I wouldn't use Ti bolts on anything critical like stem, chainrings or cranks. If necessary I'd replace all Ti bolts in those categories with stainless.

Generally speaking, hardware store stainless bolts are fine for those applications. I've found that ACE Hardware stores have a very good selection of metric stainless fasteners.

[Ken Robb]

I'm not familiar with your stem but I think a stainless bolt should be fine. Is the head stripped so you can't get a tool to "bite" or are the threads stripped?

[alessandro]

Not being a weight weenie, I wouldn't use Ti bolts on anything critical like stem, chainrings or cranks. If necessary I'd replace all Ti bolts in those categories with stainless.

Generally speaking, hardware store stainless bolts are fine for those applications. I've found that ACE Hardware stores have a very good selection of metric stainless fasteners.

Not a weight weenie. More of a parts should match weenie... for now. I'll check out my local Ace, thanks.

I'm not familiar with your stem but I think a stainless bolt should be fine. Is the head stripped so you can't get a tool to "bite" or are the threads stripped?

The threads are stripped.

What about anti-seize paste? Or should I just use grease on stainless steel bolts?

[slidey]

I have the 3T ARX stem as well, and I've snapped off two of those Ti screws over the past 2 years. A lot of the blame lies with me, as I'm a cheapskate and I haven't bothered investing in a torque wrench of my own, but those Ti screws don't help. I've now replaced all the 6 screws with Stainless Steel ones (as Dave Thompson suggested earlier) and I'm tension-free.

By the way, if anyone is really worried about the additional weight that 6 SS screws will add then I suggest they have/spill a couple of sips worth of their drink before setting off on a ride :rolleyes:

[Likes2ridefar]

I have the 3T ARX stem as well, and I've snapped off two of those Ti screws over the past 2 years. A lot of the blame lies with me, as I'm a cheapskate and I haven't bothered investing in a torque wrench of my own, but those Ti screws don't help. I've now replaced all the 6 screws with Stainless Steel ones (as Dave Thompson suggested earlier) and I'm tension-free.

By the way, if anyone is really worried about the additional weight that 6 SS screws will add then I suggest they have/spill a couple of sips worth of their drink before setting off on a ride :rolleyes:

i broke one with a torque wrench not even close to the recommended torque.

[buldogge]

I'm not familiar with the 3TTT stem in question...but...some of the stems have a recess that will only accept 5mm bolts with smaller heads that use a 4mm hex.

These are available on ebay and from some of the online sellers as you mentioned...usually in Ti.

I recently lost a bolt for a Ritchey WCS stem and grabbed some Scott stem from the bin at the co-op to "steal" a 4mm head bolt from...same bolt manufacturer even...but...ferretic stainless or plain steel as opposed to the 3xx stainless on the Ritchey.

If the 5mm heads fit, I would just buy appropriate 18-8 stainless bolts from a decent hardware store, along with matching small OD washers.

-Mark in St. Louis

[alessandro]

[chop]... I'm a cheapskate and I haven't bothered investing in a torque wrench of my own

Me too. Has anyone tried the 5 nm torque key made by Ritchey, Giant, or Bontrager? They cost $15-$20. Then there's the beam-type torque wrenches, about $45 from Park Tool, and the fancier ratcheting wrenches by Park et al., $105 & up.

i broke one with a torque wrench not even close to the recommended torque.

I saw that in the thread from 2012. Have you switched to stainless?

[Likes2ridefar]

Me too. Has anyone tried the 5 nm torque key made by Ritchey, Giant, or Bontrager? They cost $15-$20. Then there's the beam-type torque wrenches, about $45 from Park Tool, and the fancier ratcheting wrenches by Park et al., $105 & up.



I saw that in the thread from 2012. Have you switched to stainless?

Yep that's what I did.

[bargainguy]

I also like the idea of stainless stem bolts. Too critical of a part to be saving weight - what, a few grams?

[Ken Robb]

I'm surprised that the ti threads stripped in what I assume are aluminum parts.

[spdcyclist]

I'm surprised that the ti threads stripped in what I assume are aluminum parts.

+1

If you stripped the threads on a Ti bolt, you also likely damaged the mating threads in the stem. You should inspect the threads in the stem.

[zap]

Me too. Has anyone tried the 5 nm torque key

No.......because it's 5nm.......i use less torque on my stem bolts, ti or not.

Guess what, in umpteen years never busted a ti bolt. Also, carefully bring the bolts to final torque...around 4nm.......x pattern per supplied instructions.

By the way, new 3T Ti bolts have a bigger shoulder with lock washer.

Anyhow, if ss makes you feel safer, purchase quality ss bolts. Not sure I would trust the china bolts sold at HD or Truevalue, etc.

[alessandro]

I'm surprised that the ti threads stripped in what I assume are aluminum parts.

+1

If you stripped the threads on a Ti bolt, you also likely damaged the mating threads in the stem. You should inspect the threads in the stem.

My stem was creaking, so I decided to tighten it up. I did this late Saturday night, in poor light, so I didn't get a good look at the bolt. I replaced the bolt with one from another stem, and it seemed to go in nice and tight. On Sunday, I rode for 60 miles, and climbed both sides of Appalachian Gap. There was no creaking from the stem.

Today I looked at the screw: It's fine. So I must have stripped out the aluminum threads in the stem.

Now what? Should I:
-Put in a longer bolt?
-Can I tap this hole and restore the threads?
-Toss the stem and be more careful with the next one?

[cachagua]

I'd go with option #2, unless there'd be so little metal left after you tap the new threads in that it seems risky.

Added benefit: you get to use bigger bolts, so they're harder to break.

Or go the whole nine yards and put in helicoils. Put in big helicoils, and big bolts, and torque the bejeez out of everything! No creakin' on YOUR handlebar.

[oldpotatoe]

I stripped a Ti bolt on my 3T ARX Pro aluminum stem the other night. I don't know if I stripped it, or my LBS, but these things happen.

I could buy a set of 6 for $32.50 from 3T, or for less from a place I found through a search like Tekbolt.com.

But after searching on the forum, I'm a little uncertain: Should I replace it with titanium, better-than-hardware-store-quality stainless, or reg'lar old steel?

Alternative: Does anyone have a spare 3T stem bolt they'd be willing to send me for a few shekels?

Stainless..altho heavier than titanium, they still aren't 'heavy'. Ti hardware, as you have found, is pretty 'soft.