Trouble getting my rack on my Surly DT - help!
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Trouble getting my rack on my Surly DT - help!
I recently bought a 2013 Surly Disc Trucker. I purchased a Tubus Duo Lowrider front rack but I'm having trouble install it onto my bike. The rack isn't parallel to my bike, the front end swings out a bit. I haven't tightened anything yet. I was thinking maybe I need more spacers on the bottom? Does anyone have any idea? Pictures in next comment (sorry about that). Thanks for any help!
Last edited by SoFloGirl68; 01-24-21 at 02:08 PM. Reason: Add additional info.
#2
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,516
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4350 Post(s)
Liked 3,989 Times
in
2,663 Posts
You may need some spacers? Should have posted a pic or two so we could see what is going on! The big key is making sure everything is properly torqued and greased or threadlocked and nothing rubs or causes issue will riding. I think when I had the rack on my old DT it tilted forward a bit but never caused any issues.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,203
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3459 Post(s)
Liked 1,465 Times
in
1,143 Posts
I am guessing that you had trouble loading a photo because either it was too large in memory size or you have too few posts to be able to post a photo. I photo reduce my photos to 20 percent of original size before posting on this forum.
Not sure what the problem is, do you mean that the top bar that you hang the pannier is not horizontal but instead is sloped up or down?
Or do you mean that one or both sides of the rack are angled outwards at the front of the rack instead the two sides being parallel with each other?
It sounds like you had no problem mounting the bottom of the rack to the dropout, or was that your problem?
I was going to suggest you look at a different recent thread on mounting a front rack on a DT, and I see that you started that thread too.
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1...c-trucker.html
Not sure what the problem is, do you mean that the top bar that you hang the pannier is not horizontal but instead is sloped up or down?
Or do you mean that one or both sides of the rack are angled outwards at the front of the rack instead the two sides being parallel with each other?
It sounds like you had no problem mounting the bottom of the rack to the dropout, or was that your problem?
I was going to suggest you look at a different recent thread on mounting a front rack on a DT, and I see that you started that thread too.
https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1...c-trucker.html
#4
-
Steel can be safely bent to some extent. Rack and fender installations often require some flexibility of plan and parts, since there are no universal standards.
Likes For seeker333:
#5
Senior Member
floridalady, its very very common to have to use spacers for mounting racks. If you are able to visit an actual bike store, they will have spacers and doohickeys that will allow for proper mounting. These spacers often come with racks when sold, but you may be able to find some in hardware stores, although diff inner hole diameters etc will be a factor, not to mention length-although you can hacksaw them to a better length if you have a vice and a hacksaw, and the inclination for this stuff.
show photos, side view sorts, but also close ups of the contact points and mucking around the caliper and all that jazz.
show photos, side view sorts, but also close ups of the contact points and mucking around the caliper and all that jazz.
#6
Senior Member
relatively small spacer (silver part) used to space out my front fork from my fork, this is the non disc side but on the brake side, the same size spacer was enough to move the rack enough to not be in the way of the brake caliper
#7
Senior Member
and a quick look found some various spacers I have kicking around, in case different lengths are needed. The bigger ones often came with rear racks, and I've cut them down to size before, probably why the shorter one is lopsided a bit.
The two little knurled things are those rings that screw down onto a presta tube valve, and I've used a couple of those as spacers for rack bolts before, and they worked too.
so if you ever find you want or need to fiddle with your rack to even it out or whatever, these are the options to play with , and usually a bike store will have some to sell or give you.
dont forget to check rack bolt tightness once in a while.
cheers
The two little knurled things are those rings that screw down onto a presta tube valve, and I've used a couple of those as spacers for rack bolts before, and they worked too.
so if you ever find you want or need to fiddle with your rack to even it out or whatever, these are the options to play with , and usually a bike store will have some to sell or give you.
dont forget to check rack bolt tightness once in a while.
cheers
#8
Member
Thread Starter
Side question, someone mentioned that I should grease the bolts when I put them on the racks which I did. Then my friend said he thought I should use no grease but loctite. I'm not familiar with this product but by the name, I figured it's to glue it on. I did not follow that advice. Which is correct? Also, thanks for the reminder to check the bolt tightness. I would not have thought of that!
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,203
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3459 Post(s)
Liked 1,465 Times
in
1,143 Posts
Side question, someone mentioned that I should grease the bolts when I put them on the racks which I did. Then my friend said he thought I should use no grease but loctite. I'm not familiar with this product but by the name, I figured it's to glue it on. I did not follow that advice. Which is correct? Also, thanks for the reminder to check the bolt tightness. I would not have thought of that!
https://www.truevalue.com/6-ml-remov...hread-locker-1
Some things on a bike like water bottle cage bolts, I use grease. But rack bolts, I use a thread locker.
Likes For Tourist in MSN:
#10
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,516
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4350 Post(s)
Liked 3,989 Times
in
2,663 Posts
A blue(or mild) threadlocker is not a bad thing for rack bolts. I personally generally just use grease or anti seize because I usually have that around at home but for ultimate piece of mind a threadlocker is the way to do it. If you are good about using a torque wrench and checking your bolts with some regularity grease will do the trick.
#11
Senior Member
I put threadlocker almost anywhere. Unlike grease, it won't wash off eventually and there's really no chance of a bolt rattling loose with a thread locking compound. It also works better as a rust / welding inhibitor than grease as it creates an almost plastic like shell around the threads.
I don't understand why bottlecage screws are greased rather than threadlocked
I don't understand why bottlecage screws are greased rather than threadlocked
#12
Senior Member
In the past I didn't know about putting stuff on rack bolts, and wondered why they sometimes loosened.
Then read about loctite and heavy grease, and because I had a bottle of really thick anti-seize automotive grease, I used that and it really helped.
Finally bought a small bottle of loctite and it helps.
I still am not sure if it's better to let the stuff dry for a while after putting it on a bolt before putting it in or not....
also, on some bikes, rack bolts screw in very easily, and others are much harder, maybe paint inside, but it certainly helps them from loosening.
When touring, it's always good every week to do a bike go over, but I do check the rack bolts after the first few days too.
Then read about loctite and heavy grease, and because I had a bottle of really thick anti-seize automotive grease, I used that and it really helped.
Finally bought a small bottle of loctite and it helps.
I still am not sure if it's better to let the stuff dry for a while after putting it on a bolt before putting it in or not....
also, on some bikes, rack bolts screw in very easily, and others are much harder, maybe paint inside, but it certainly helps them from loosening.
When touring, it's always good every week to do a bike go over, but I do check the rack bolts after the first few days too.
#13
Senior Member
In the past I didn't know about putting stuff on rack bolts, and wondered why they sometimes loosened.
Then read about loctite and heavy grease, and because I had a bottle of really thick anti-seize automotive grease, I used that and it really helped.
Finally bought a small bottle of loctite and it helps.
I still am not sure if it's better to let the stuff dry for a while after putting it on a bolt before putting it in or not....
also, on some bikes, rack bolts screw in very easily, and others are much harder, maybe paint inside, but it certainly helps them from loosening.
When touring, it's always good every week to do a bike go over, but I do check the rack bolts after the first few days too.
Then read about loctite and heavy grease, and because I had a bottle of really thick anti-seize automotive grease, I used that and it really helped.
Finally bought a small bottle of loctite and it helps.
I still am not sure if it's better to let the stuff dry for a while after putting it on a bolt before putting it in or not....
also, on some bikes, rack bolts screw in very easily, and others are much harder, maybe paint inside, but it certainly helps them from loosening.
When touring, it's always good every week to do a bike go over, but I do check the rack bolts after the first few days too.
I've actually snapped a screw into an eyelet because the paint was too thick. From then on I've always tapped eyelets on a new frame.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,203
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3459 Post(s)
Liked 1,465 Times
in
1,143 Posts
I just use a thread locker where it is most important. And I have seen lots of racks that are missing a bolt when in the campgrounds when I was touring. At one campground where we were about 150 km from any form of retail, someone in the next campsite was checking his rack bolts, he had already lost a few and had no more spares. To check them, he had to take the tape off, he had wrapped tape around all of his and his wife's rack bolts so that if they loosened, they could not completely fall out.
Although I have been careful to check my cleat bolts regularly, I lost one a couple years ago, now I use locktite on those too, and fenders, and kickstand bolts. But lots of my bolts, seapost, stem clamps, etc., I use grease.
Lots of bike shops do not even have a bottle of threadlocker anywhere in the shop.
Leonard Zinn is a sharp guy, this was published a few months ago in Zinn's column:
https://www.velonews.com/gear/tech-w...nd-warm-shoes/
And I will add that grease might sound like a stupid thing to keep bolts from falling out because it is a lubricant, but a dry bolt or screw that is not tight can easily rattle and move in the threads with vibration, thus easily falls out. But grease is a very viscous fluid, and a loose screw (pun intended) is less likely to vibrate when greased.
And Ritchey told me that I should NOT use any grease on my downtube clamp on my Ritchey Break Away bike, so there are times when it is not recommended.
My S&S bike, when I pack that for airline travel, I have to take it completely apart to fit in the case, on that bike I only use thread locker on the racks and kickstand bolts, nowhere else. I have started to carry a little bottle of thread locker on tours so that I can apply new thread locker to my rack bolts, but I want my water bottle cage bolts to come out faster when I have to pack up my bike to get to the airport on time.
#15
Member
Thread Starter
If I use loctite, would I still be able to remove the rack if necessary?
#16
Senior Member
https://www.loctiteproducts.com/en/p...tal%20surfaces.
if you do get some to use, do clean all the grease off your rack bolts first. I'm pretty certain it needs a good clean surface to work properly.
post a photo of your rack, you said its kinda crooked, but there's crooked and there's crooked....
ps, you gotta love how the "blue 242 Loctite" stuff is sold in a predominantly red tube.....
Last edited by djb; 02-07-21 at 11:33 AM.
#17
Senior Member
Loctite is anaerobically drying so it doesn't actually dry when it's exposed to air. So letting the stuff dry before you put the bolt on is unnecessary.
I've actually snapped a screw into an eyelet because the paint was too thick. From then on I've always tapped eyelets on a new frame.
I've actually snapped a screw into an eyelet because the paint was too thick. From then on I've always tapped eyelets on a new frame.
My wifes touring bike had the most gummed up eyelets, I don't have tapping doohickeys so just carefully did my best with the bolts, and anyway, once it was on, there was no need to remove it afterwards (rear rack).
#18
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,516
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4350 Post(s)
Liked 3,989 Times
in
2,663 Posts
Yes if you use a mild threadlocker (typically blue in color). It will come out but will give a little bit of resistance so just make sure you are putting the bolts in correctly because you won't know if the resistance is just the loctite doing it's job or you are destroying threads. That is why on some bolts you will see loctite in the middle not at the start of the threads.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,203
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3459 Post(s)
Liked 1,465 Times
in
1,143 Posts
#20
-
#21
Member
#22
Member
In a pinch - fingernail polish or hardener, just under the nut/spacer. Fingernail products might vary, and might crack under stress... but "in a pinch" means just that.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,489
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1182 Post(s)
Liked 833 Times
in
435 Posts
I come from the "grease every bolt" school. I check all bolts regularly while on tour, and have never lost a bolt. The only threads I use thread lock on are replaceable cantilever posts. I'm involved in teaching bike safety and do the maintenance on our schools' 37 bikes. I can guarantee you that not one bolt has come lose on any of the bikes this year
Likes For Doug64:
#24
-
#25
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,516
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4350 Post(s)
Liked 3,989 Times
in
2,663 Posts
I think my next torque tool will likely be the Topeak D-Torq DX since it goes 4-80 so I can do BBs and such though I have invested in a lot of 1/4 stuff so I don't know. I do really want a Snap-On digital wrench after using one but the Topeak one seems pretty close to it and has gotten generally good reviews and I love and use a lot of Topeak products so we shall see.
I wouldn't go for any of the cheap-o stuff but you don't have to go all the way to a $500 Snap-On one either. For the money the Guista is quite a good one and easy to dial and has a good click and feel when you have hit the torque and isn't so terrible price wise with case and all the bits plus it does feel nice in the hand. If you wanted something cheaper the Park Tool TW-5.2 is a great option it is the first one I ever used (well maybe a different model number but similar design).
The one thing I always say is buy the best possible tools you can especially for stuff you are going to need often. Buy your tools once not several times. You don't save any money buying them twice or three times or more. Plus the feeling of a good tool in your hand is just so nice.
Likes For veganbikes: