Stubborn stem bolt

[Marmo]

Hey guys , I'm trying to take apart the front end of my bike but the stem bolts pinching the fork is stuck. I've tried spraying wd-40 onto the bolt already but it just won't move. I'm going through these allen keys like water. They keep striping.

Any tips would be great. Thanks.

[stokens]

the allen wrenches keep stripping :|, what i usually do is put the allen wrench in and lightly tap it with a hammer so it jams as much as it can. then try to turn it, or you can just go to the bike store, they are like gods it seems

[fed tom]

the other bolt is at least reasonably tight right?

[AustinK]

get better allen keys. and use a cheater bar

[fed tom]

get better allen keys. and use a cheater bar

this wont solve the problem necessarily. if one bolt is left tight all the pressure will be on theat one, causing it to be stupidly tight, like he described...

[AustinK]

ya but still. If the allen key is stripping it probably is cheap.

Be sure to use the correct size. You can get away using an American in a metric or vice versa once in a while but if it is stubborn you will strip them.

[fed tom]

if the allen key is stripping he is doing something wrong.

[AustinK]

Probably, but i have stripped a few ones just tightening things up. I finally bought my self a real nice set and haven't had any problems.

[C K]

ive never stripped an allen key

[Marmo]

I was able to take the top bolt out relatively easily. The bottom is stuck. Maybe I should tighten the top bolt a little bit and try the bottom one again?

[C K]

that may help

thats messed though

when i had a fit stem, i know they were hard as F too get loose, and when they did, they sounded like they snapped

and some wierd smell came outta them hahah

[skullsplinter]

Dude get some better quality allen wrenches and use a 1m pipe to get it loose.I mean put the pipe on the wrench so u can pull like 50x easyer:)
Hope iv helped

[C K]

wats with mad mega neg rep?

tongue twista

[stokens]

yeah do what skull said, putting a pipe over your tool makes it soooooooo much easier

[Marmo]

Alright so I went and try it again and I killed the allen keys again lol. I decided to go to the bike shop and they got it done. Thanks for the help guys.

Another question , I don't think it's necessary for a new thread just for this. I want to install the pegs that came uninstalled with the bike. The front axle is slightly smaller than the back but the hole in the pegs are the same size , both fit the back axle better. Is it fine to just install these pegs at the front or do I need some kind of adapter?

[fed tom]

I was able to take the top bolt out relatively easily. The bottom is stuck. Maybe I should tighten the top bolt a little bit and try the bottom one again?

yes, that's exactly why i said you should do that about 4 times already. i even explained why that happened. why ask for help if you're not gonna listen and take it to the shop anyway? i will never fully understand the mindset of 99% of the members of this site. "this doesn't work and is breaking things so i'll try it another 4 times, ask for help, ignore it, try again with my original method and then take it to the shop".


and yes, you will need an adapter for your pegs.

edit: and to everyone else, you do NOT need a cheater bar for a stem. AT ALL. it only makes things worse.

[jwnolte]

are you sure you are using the right size allen key? most stems use a 6mm bolt but some stems use a 1/4". a 6mm allen wrench fits in a 1/4" hole, but it will be very loose and strip out.

[hot karl]

i'm pretty sure the only stems that use 1/4" bolts now are s&m and profile stems. it's very important to always use the right size wrench. this goes for everything in life. otherwise you're just going to make your life even harder with stripped out bolts and busted tools.

if you're stripping your allen keys then you have crap tools. the only allen keys i've ever stripped were cheap pieces of shit.

and remember, when tightening down an allen bolt on anything in life they weren't made to be ridiculously ****ing tight. they were designed to be reasonably tight, but not torqued down with hulk hands. that's how you strip allen bolts out.

[AustinK]

i'm pretty sure the only stems that use 1/4" bolts now are s&m and profile stems.

S&M switched to metric with the release of the lt or xlt. But i know my stem is metric and it is the xlt

[Marmo]

yes, that's exactly why i said you should do that about 4 times already. i even explained why that happened. why ask for help if you're not gonna listen and take it to the shop anyway? i will never fully understand the mindset of 99% of the members of this site. "this doesn't work and is breaking things so i'll try it another 4 times, ask for help, ignore it, try again with my original method and then take it to the shop".




Wut. I only thought of tightening the bolt on top after reading your post. I did not ignore your post. I only went to the bike shop because my allen key was already striped not because I find it fun to ignore people's tips.

[fed tom]

lolwhut

[Marmo]

yeh wut.

I did take your advice.Anyway , it's all good now , I just felt that you were getting worked up because you thought I didn't take your advice , no needs for grudge and no offense intended. By the way , do you know where I can get those adapters for pegs?

Thanks everyone.

[mrsancheezz]

Your local bike shop must have it just ask for a 14mm to 3/8th adapter for pegs.
That's what I did...

[fed tom]

if i took offence from things like this i wouldn't be half the man i am today.

[RID]

get better allan wrenches haha

[Smitty2GT]

I almost ****ed my stem bolts because I was using an American 7/32 which fits but there is a little wiggle room and it will strip the bolts or tool when you try to tighten it up, so my bars slipped a few times. Then I got a decent allen key set of Metric and American and I used the number 6 IIRC and it fit perfectly tight in the bolt, much better than the US "equivalent". My point is do not try to us US tools with Metric bolts and vise versa as they are usually slightly different. Yes some of them fit fine or close enough and with stuff like huge 17-19mm axle nuts it is not as big of a deal but for smaller bolts make sure you have the right size tool.

[evilchris50]

I was able to take the top bolt out relatively easily. The bottom is stuck. Maybe I should tighten the top bolt a little bit and try the bottom one again?

tight the to bolt up like you would if you were riding it, then try the other one, the other bolt should take 1/2 the load that your stuck bolt is taking.