Had my 2011 Cervelo P4 with the original 3T stem shipped back from Hy-Vee today and just snapped off one of the stem bolts. After some quick research, see where this is a common problem with the original titanium bolts. Have another race next weekend. Anyone know the best/fastest way to get replacement bolts. Thanks,
The fastest way and probably the best way to go is to bring one of the bolts to home depot and match it up in the “fasteners” aisle. Note that the replacement bolt will NOT be titanium, but it will work just fine.
The fastest way and probably the best way to go is to bring one of the bolts to home depot and match it up in the “fasteners” aisle. Note that the replacement bolt will NOT be titanium, but it will work just fine.
Sounds good…thanks
Be sure to grease the new bolts. They install easier, will torque more accurately, and will be less likely to snap.
Have you tried 3T’s spare parts page: http://store.3tcycling.com/en/63-spare-parts ?
Also worth running the correct tap up the stems threads… Cleans them up ahead of the greased / thread locked bolts insertion…
Thanks all for the tips…heading to Lowes/Home Depot today for the quick fix. I did check 3T for the parts…$12 for the bolt kit is fine but $15 shipping…ouch. May end up ordering but will see if the Lowes/HD fix works.
I have ordered many Ti bolts from Racebolts on their website.
I found the exact replacement (in stainless) at Home Depo…exact replica of the original bolt. Paid $2.98 for two bolts…beats $12 Plus $15 shipping from 3T. Thanks again for advice.
I found the exact replacement (in stainless) at Home Depo…exact replica of the original bolt. Paid $2.98 for two bolts…beats $12 Plus $15 shipping from 3T. Thanks again for advice.
Are you clamping on a carbon bar? I hope not. If so then I strongly recommend using carbon paste and torque wrench.
I found the exact replacement (in stainless) at Home Depo…exact replica of the original bolt. Paid $2.98 for two bolts…beats $12 Plus $15 shipping from 3T. Thanks again for advice.
Are you clamping on a carbon bar? I hope not. If so then I strongly recommend using carbon paste and torque wrench.
Huh?
That’s an entirely different issue. He’s talking about a bad bolt. You’re referring to a stem/bar interface. Carbon paste would NOT go on the bolt. Also, the torque wrench is not to avoid crushing the bars, it’s to prevent the threads from pulling out.
I found the exact replacement (in stainless) at Home Depo…exact replica of the original bolt. Paid $2.98 for two bolts…beats $12 Plus $15 shipping from 3T. Thanks again for advice.
Are you clamping on a carbon bar? I hope not. If so then I strongly recommend using carbon paste and torque wrench.
Huh?
That’s an entirely different issue. He’s talking about a bad bolt. You’re referring to a stem/bar interface. Carbon paste would NOT go on the bolt. Also, the torque wrench is not to avoid crushing the bars, it’s to prevent the threads from pulling out.
Why is the bolt bad?? I don’t understand how it broke. It snapped off the stem or ???
Carbon paste would go on a carbon handlebar on the area where stem makes contact with stem. Torque wrench is used to assure the proper torque & yes, a carbon bar will snap (crush) if the stem bolts are over torqued.
I found the exact replacement (in stainless) at Home Depo…exact replica of the original bolt. Paid $2.98 for two bolts…beats $12 Plus $15 shipping from 3T. Thanks again for advice.
Are you clamping on a carbon bar? I hope not. If so then I strongly recommend using carbon paste and torque wrench.
Huh?
That’s an entirely different issue. He’s talking about a bad bolt. You’re referring to a stem/bar interface. Carbon paste would NOT go on the bolt. Also, the torque wrench is not to avoid crushing the bars, it’s to prevent the threads from pulling out.
Why is the bolt bad?? I don’t understand how it broke. It snapped off the stem or ???
Carbon paste would go on a carbon handlebar on the area where stem makes contact with stem. Torque wrench is used to assure the proper torque & yes, a carbon bar will snap (crush) if the stem bolts are over torqued.
I know what carbon page and a torque wrench are for. The paste is not relevant for a broken bolt as I mentioned above. Again, the torque wrench is for the bolts…that’s why stem manufacturers have a torque spec listed. It’s for the bolts as there could be a multitude of different bars used. You think the same torque setting is needed for all carbon and aluminum bars? No. It’s for the bolts. Don’t believe me, over tighten some bolts in a stem with carbon bars and report back the results.
I found the exact replacement (in stainless) at Home Depo…exact replica of the original bolt. Paid $2.98 for two bolts…beats $12 Plus $15 shipping from 3T. Thanks again for advice.
Are you clamping on a carbon bar? I hope not. If so then I strongly recommend using carbon paste and torque wrench.
Huh?
That’s an entirely different issue. He’s talking about a bad bolt. You’re referring to a stem/bar interface. Carbon paste would NOT go on the bolt. Also, the torque wrench is not to avoid crushing the bars, it’s to prevent the threads from pulling out.
Why is the bolt bad?? I don’t understand how it broke. It snapped off the stem or ???
Carbon paste would go on a carbon handlebar on the area where stem makes contact with stem. Torque wrench is used to assure the proper torque & yes, a carbon bar will snap (crush) if the stem bolts are over torqued.
I know what carbon page and a torque wrench are for. The paste is not relevant for a broken bolt as I mentioned above. Again, the torque wrench is for the bolts…that’s why stem manufacturers have a torque spec listed. It’s for the bolts as there could be a multitude of different bars used. You think the same torque setting is needed for all carbon and aluminum bars? No. It’s for the bolts. Don’t believe me, over tighten some bolts in a stem with carbon bars and report back the results.
Do you know how the OP broke the bolt?? Let him tell us… Have u ever worked on a bike?
I found the exact replacement (in stainless) at Home Depo…exact replica of the original bolt. Paid $2.98 for two bolts…beats $12 Plus $15 shipping from 3T. Thanks again for advice.
Are you clamping on a carbon bar? I hope not. If so then I strongly recommend using carbon paste and torque wrench.
Huh?
That’s an entirely different issue. He’s talking about a bad bolt. You’re referring to a stem/bar interface. Carbon paste would NOT go on the bolt. Also, the torque wrench is not to avoid crushing the bars, it’s to prevent the threads from pulling out.
Why is the bolt bad?? I don’t understand how it broke. It snapped off the stem or ???
Carbon paste would go on a carbon handlebar on the area where stem makes contact with stem. Torque wrench is used to assure the proper torque & yes, a carbon bar will snap (crush) if the stem bolts are over torqued.
I know what carbon page and a torque wrench are for. The paste is not relevant for a broken bolt as I mentioned above. Again, the torque wrench is for the bolts…that’s why stem manufacturers have a torque spec listed. It’s for the bolts as there could be a multitude of different bars used. You think the same torque setting is needed for all carbon and aluminum bars? No. It’s for the bolts. Don’t believe me, over tighten some bolts in a stem with carbon bars and report back the results.
Do you know how the OP broke the bolt?? Let him tell us… Have u ever worked on a bike?
That’s fine.
Worked on bikes? Um, yes. I’ve done my own wrenching for over 20yrs. Worked in a shop after college in Hawaii. Own several $1000 in tools. Own two work stands. Own a truing stand. Rebuild wheels. Have wrenched for numerous friends on here and in the San Diego area especially. Put another way, I haven’t had a shop touch a bike of mine or my wife’s in 20yrs and I probably average about 8k miles per yr riding. Not an expert (have never faced a BB shell), but definitely can do almost it all (di2 and mechanical). Any questions I’ve ever had, consulted a former pro tour mechanic who happens to be Crowie’s (and I believe TO’s) personal mechanic. Yes, I’ve worked on bikes:)
I found the exact replacement (in stainless) at Home Depo…exact replica of the original bolt. Paid $2.98 for two bolts…beats $12 Plus $15 shipping from 3T. Thanks again for advice.
Are you clamping on a carbon bar? I hope not. If so then I strongly recommend using carbon paste and torque wrench.
Huh?
That’s an entirely different issue. He’s talking about a bad bolt. You’re referring to a stem/bar interface. Carbon paste would NOT go on the bolt. Also, the torque wrench is not to avoid crushing the bars, it’s to prevent the threads from pulling out.
Why is the bolt bad?? I don’t understand how it broke. It snapped off the stem or ???
Carbon paste would go on a carbon handlebar on the area where stem makes contact with stem. Torque wrench is used to assure the proper torque & yes, a carbon bar will snap (crush) if the stem bolts are over torqued.
I know what carbon page and a torque wrench are for. The paste is not relevant for a broken bolt as I mentioned above. Again, the torque wrench is for the bolts…that’s why stem manufacturers have a torque spec listed. It’s for the bolts as there could be a multitude of different bars used. You think the same torque setting is needed for all carbon and aluminum bars? No. It’s for the bolts. Don’t believe me, over tighten some bolts in a stem with carbon bars and report back the results.
Do you know how the OP broke the bolt?? Let him tell us… Have u ever worked on a bike?
That’s fine.
Worked on bikes? Um, yes. I’ve done my own wrenching for over 20yrs. Worked in a shop after college in Hawaii. Own several $1000 in tools. Own two work stands. Own a truing stand. Rebuild wheels. Have wrenched for numerous friends on here and in the San Diego area especially. Put another way, I haven’t had a shop touch a bike of mine or my wife’s in 20yrs and I probably average about 8k miles per yr riding. Not an expert (have never faced a BB shell), but definitely can do almost it all (di2 and mechanical). Any questions I’ve ever had, consulted a former pro tour mechanic who happens to be Crowie’s (and I believe TO’s) personal mechanic. Yes, I’ve worked on bikes:)
And do you know how the OP broke the bolt? You ignored that question 
I’ve never seen a bolt break from something other than over torquing.
3T used a very soft grade of titanium on their Team stems a few years ago. I always use a torque wrench yet the flexing from sprinting and climbing would pop the heads off. I’m not alone, there are plenty of people that this has happened to. The stem was redesigned last year with different bolts.
I probably average about 8k miles per yr riding.
That’s all? 
And do you know how the OP broke the bolt?
I just returned from Hy-Vee and unpacked the bike from its case. Have had the bike (Cervelo P4) with the 3T Auro-Pro bars for three years. I’ve done probably 15 races over these three years where I’ve needed to dis-assemble and re-assemble the bars from/to the stem. The only other thing I need to do when packing/unpacking besides the bars is the seatpost clamp. When replacing the four stem bolts this time, one of them just snapped pretty much at the mid point as I was about to finish tightening the bolt. I don’t use a torque wrench (maybe I should) but am very aware of overtightening…simply using a small hex wrench because of the tight space (can’t use typical t-wrench because aerobars are very close together). Before posting this thread , I Googled the issue and found several articles on other sites, some going back four years, about these bolts snapping. There has been some mention of simply inferior materials used during a certain period of manufacture…I have no idea. Hope this helps.
I probably average about 8k miles per yr riding.
That’s all?
For a Navy officer married father of 3, sadly yes:)