Acros the clamp thin metal washers

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Alexandrumarian
Posts: 795
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:34 pm
Location: Romania

by Alexandrumarian

I am assembling a new frame with Acros "the clamp" headset. Package includes 3 very thin metal washers that seem to fit on top of the plastic cap which goes over the upper bearing (so in between clamp and plastic ring) but I have no idea how/why to use them. I can't really see them in the instruction sheet (maybe I am dumb but it is more cryptic than any manual i've seen) and gogle didn't help either.

Thanks...

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MayhemSWE
Posts: 867
Joined: Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:44 pm
Location: Stockholm, Sweden

by MayhemSWE

If the clamp makes contact with the frame or the bearing cup (if there is one), I'd assume you add one or more washers between the clamp and plastic ring. Otherwise you probably don't need them at all.

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Alexandrumarian
Posts: 795
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:34 pm
Location: Romania

by Alexandrumarian

Seems to be ok without any washer. I can't see if anything is rubbing because of the rubber skirt of the clamp piece, but I don't feel any noticeable rub.

Alexandrumarian
Posts: 795
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:34 pm
Location: Romania

by Alexandrumarian

An update which might help other noobs searching in the future:

the Acros clamp is not solid enough to be fool proof. The preload seemed fine but the gap at the fork was pretty big. I tightened some more and the bearing seated fully. At this point I should have backed off the screw, loosen the stem and press it down further by hand, but instead I just turned the screw a bit more. The plastic threads easily snapped rendering the clamp useless. I tried to preload by tightening stem under full body weight but wasn't enough. I tried to fix it by coating the hole with an epoxy/carbon fiber dust mix. While cutting new threads the plastic torx tool handle snapped rightfully slicing through a finger. I fixed the handle only to have the torx head shear. So then I just put an internal expander with top cap screw preload and all is fine now.

I guess that a metal or at least harder insert for the screw would make it fool proof (plus a larger torx size) but oh well. Take it easy with it.

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