Here's a quickie means to spread a stem clamp that is a bit too tight:
The soft copper pennies won't harm the aluminum.
This was an 'Aha!' moment for me while installing a particularly troublesome stem on a new fork. It was so tight it would make later service absurdly difficult and proper bearing preload would be impossible. This worked super quick, didn't harm the anodizing on the machined stem, and the stem just slipped on without a hitch. Should work to remove a stuck stem as well.
Not sure if this is an old idea, but I thought it was a useful trick to pass along...
- Remove the clamping screws
- Reinsert the screws into the opposite (threaded) side of the clamp and run them down leaving a 1/16" gap in the slot
- Insert a couple of pennys into the gap in the clamp and snug down the screws
- Use a Tbar wrench or similar to crank down the screws, spreading the slot open
- Remove pennies, test, and repeat if necessary until stem slides on
The soft copper pennies won't harm the aluminum.
This was an 'Aha!' moment for me while installing a particularly troublesome stem on a new fork. It was so tight it would make later service absurdly difficult and proper bearing preload would be impossible. This worked super quick, didn't harm the anodizing on the machined stem, and the stem just slipped on without a hitch. Should work to remove a stuck stem as well.
Not sure if this is an old idea, but I thought it was a useful trick to pass along...
