Installing Red 2013 crank -- what is the plastic spacer for?

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VTBike
Posts: 383
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 8:14 pm

by VTBike

Just bought a used Red 2013 crankset to replace my 2012 crank. BB30. The crank came with a plastic clamp-type spacer that clamps onto the BB spindle via a small allen head bolt. I didn't have this on my 2012 crank. What is this for? Do I need this for a BB30 installation on a supersix frame? Seems like this crank also doubles as a PF30 install with some interchangeable parts, want to be sure this clamp isn't for a PF30 install.

Thanks!

gospastic
Posts: 261
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:58 am
Location: Portland

by gospastic

It's the preload adjuster.

by Weenie


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VTBike
Posts: 383
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 8:14 pm

by VTBike

Thanks. Interesting, I'm not quite sure what that means. I just installed the crank with the 'preload adjuster' on, and left the 3 plastic spacers off that I had on my old setup. Seems to work just fine. The wavy washer has just a smidgen of wave left in it.

Thanks,
Todd

gospastic
Posts: 261
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:58 am
Location: Portland

by gospastic

The preload adjuster takes the place of the plastic spacers and wavy washer. Remove those and reinstall the crankset. Tighten down with a 10mm hex, then turn the preload adjuster clockwise until it is snug against the bearing shield. Tighten the 2mm allen head down and you're done.

sungod
Posts: 1702
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:37 pm

by sungod

^^^this

in the old days sram used a wavy washer with the adjuster, but they stopped that (imho it was easier to adjust when there was the washer)

for full instructions see...

http://cdn.sram.com/cdn/farfuture/lSlIB ... nksets.pdf

start with the adjuster at minimum, then make sure you get enough torque on the 10mm hex (c. 50Nm) *before* tightening the adjuster

gilesharrison
Posts: 226
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:44 pm

by gilesharrison

Could have just read the instructions really.

woz9683
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 6:58 pm
Location: MS, USA

by woz9683

The instructions really are not very clear. I just installed one last night (new bb30 red quarq). For example, what is "hand tighten" on the preload adjuster? I can "hand tighten" it enough that it spreads and jumps the threads (obviously not correct, but still within the realm of possibility of hand tightening). I can also just snug it up against the bearing shield, but even then it actually snugs up a little more when you tighten the 2mm allen. It tightens up enough that there is an increase in drag. In the end, I just kept playing with it until I got no lateral play, AND no increased drag once the preload was tightened down. This meant that before tightening the preload it was barely touching the bearing shield. Hardly what I call "tight." Maybe it will develop some play and need to be tightened down some more? Finally, Even after doing all of this, the crank was not perfectly centered in the frame. I had to add a couple of the thin, clear plastic spacers to the DS to get the crank centered.

thisisatest
Shop Owner
Posts: 1980
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:02 am
Location: NoVA/DC

by thisisatest

You got the gist of "hand tighten". Like almost all bearing systems, you want the adjustment to be as loose as possible without play.
to keep the preload collar from spreading, don't loosen the pinch bolt so much, only enough so you can turn it by hand. that will also make your initial hand adjustment more accurate. The system will not tighten up so much when you finally tighten the clamp screw.

by Weenie


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