Chainring bolts...

[benb]

Any hints with chainring bolts?

I'm having a wicked time keeping my chainring bolts on my Serotta tight.. (SRAM crank)

It makes a clicking noise very similar to a loose BB. I had gone over the BB first, didn't solve, it then discovered it was the chainrings after I retorqued the bolts (8 – 9 Nm / 80 – 90 in.lbs.) The noise went away for a while and then came back.

I haven't tried loctite or anything like that.. never had this problem ever before.. I don't recall ever looking at it with other cranks I've owned but SRAM's chainrings appear to be pretty flexy perpendicular to the chainline.

[jvp]

sand.

[OperaLover]

It has a pin and fits into the slots to hold the nut in place while you tighten the bolt. I have found that you can tighten the bolts without it, but they don't seem to stay tight.

[regularguy412]

I had the same, intermittent clicking problem with my DA crank set when I reinstalled it on my CSI after a re-paint of the frame. Instead of Locktite, I went the other direction and used anti-seize on the threads of each bolt and had positive results. Be sure to use the abovementioned tool to hold the back side of the nut when torquing.

Mike in AR:beer:

[Lifelover]

Don't know if it could be the problem, but on my SS the sleeve nuts were just a tad too long. They would bottom out but the chainring appeared to be tight. After a few rides I noticed the noise. I ended up using spacers on the back side.

[benb]

You don't need a special tool for the SRAM bolts.. just an allen key to hold the other side. (Two different sizes)

I guess I'll try grease first unless I have some left over anti-seize.

Thanks.. I guess I'll take it apart & clean everything too just in case there is sand or something in the threads.

[Lifelover]

You don't need a special tool for the SRAM bolts.. just an allen key to hold the other side. (Two different sizes)

I guess I'll try grease first unless I have some left over anti-seize.

Thanks.. I guess I'll take it apart & clean everything too just in case there is sand or something in the threads.


Are they just making noise or coming loose?

[benb]

They were loose the first time.. torqued them, no noise.

Noise came back, I checked the bolts and they had not come loose. (Still torqued to spec according to the torque wrench.)

[cdimattio]

You don't need a special tool for the SRAM bolts.. just an allen key to hold the other side. (Two different sizes)

I guess I'll try grease first unless I have some left over anti-seize.

Thanks.. I guess I'll take it apart & clean everything too just in case there is sand or something in the threads.

I have had some issues greasing these bolts and having them work loose. I would stick to the anti-seize. Most recently I have also used teflon tape with success.

[Lifelover]

They were loose the first time.. torqued them, no noise.

Noise came back, I checked the bolts and they had not come loose. (Still torqued to spec according to the torque wrench.)


I would just be a little weary with loctite or something. I'm under the impression that thread engagement does not lock a bolted connection unless there is a certain amount of back pressure from the contact of the 2 items being connected.

Thus, using loctite, lock nuts or whatever is not really achieving the design and if it works it may just be masking the real problem. I think was originally designed to help in applications that have fairly low torque applied.

This is just based on my understanding and maybe way off base. I just don't like depending on loctite for a connection that is designed not to need it.