stickyfrog wrote:
I was thinking about doing the same thing ponydrvr
ponydrvr wrote:
Does anyone know what the inside diameter of the center steering tube is when new? I'm thinking of fabricating an insert. Why? Just cause!
If you are thinking about doing it, I would highly recommend doing it before you experience an issue. Despite the workaround, my steering clamp is still defective. To get the clamp tight enough to not slip, torque much higher than that specified in the manual needs to be applied. My theory is that once the column is damaged, the inner diameter will be less than original. At that point whatever you fit into it, no matter how snug will only serve to keep the inner diameter from getting smaller. To truly fix it, you would need to get something that matches the original inner diameter and force it into the opening. Given the apparent weakness of the column, forcing something into it doesn't sound very appealing either. So I think it's best to address this defect before it comes up.
As for my situation, I think the column diameter has decreased enough that the clamp is simply past the point where it would have maximum leverage and that's why so much torque is required now to get it to grasp securely. I have been trying to come up with a solution since I believe it is just a matter of time before the clamp slips one day. What I need to do is find some way to increase the column diameter yet at the same time not compromise the ability of the clamp to grip to the column. So far, the only plausible solution I have come up with draws from my experience installing the Springer (http://www.springeramerica.com/) on my bike's seat post and a Magellan Meridian GPS on my bike handlebar years back. The Springer attaches to the seat post via a clamp. Since seat post come in varying diameters, the Springer comes with several plastic wraps that can be layered around the seat post to increase the diameter (see Step 1 in the manual here:
http://www.springeramerica.com/instructions.asp). The Magellan Meridian GPS bike handlebar mount was also a metal clamp on a metal tube scenario:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B00005QSQP/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=172526&s=gps. It came with a piece of rubber to wrap around the handlebar so that better grip could be achieved between the clamp and the handlebar tube than if it was just metal on metal. So my idea is to get a piece of EPDM rubber and wrap it around the steering column and then tighten the clamp around that. The rubber should get the column's outer diameter back to the original and then the clamp should be back in the range where it has the necessary leverage to grip firmly at the manufacturer specified torque. The rubber should also help improve grip and avoid slippage without overtorquing the clamp.
Akela
