Like you post, if you don't have the adjuster, you have to use shims and the wavy washer to establish preload (I had such a 2012 Force crank and know it well). From an engineering standpoint, I'm not sure preloading the bearings is super important (considering the speeds and loads these bearings experience, though the cyclic nature of the radial load probably is a factor in needing adequate preload) but I do see that the preload also locates the spindle axially in the shell and that is going to impact FD alignment.
I have hard copy of the install "manual" (came with my Red 22 cranks). I still have a problem with SRAM's nomenclature, as nothing on their web site refers to "integrated spider" as a variant. All the refs seem to be the standard hidden-bolt design exogram crank. But we now know that a "goupset" may contain this "integrated spider" variant.
scott s.
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