# Over tightening seat clamps



## saga (Feb 12, 2005)

Can you over torque your seat clamp and cause damage to the seatpost and even more important damage to the frame? My seatpost slips down ever ride but I'm worried about over tightening the seat clamp on a interrupted seatpost full suspension designs, such as the old Specialised FSR range.


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## nnn (Feb 1, 2005)

It is possible to bend the seatpost out of round but it takes a LOT of force, I use old seatposts as cheater bars because they are so tough. I wouldn't worry too much about it. What you could also do is grease it as usual but clean the grease off where the seat tube clamps the seatpost an just make sure you move it around every now and then.


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## Squash (Jul 20, 2003)

*Like nnn said....*

you can damage the seatpost, and it is possible to get the seat clamp tight enough to bend the seat tube slightly inward so that it would be difficult to insert or remove the seatpost. But you'd have to use a heck of allot of force to do it. You'd be more likely to strip or break the bolt of a bolt on seat clamp or snap the QR shaft of a quick realease type clamp before you did any real damage to the frame.

My suggestion would be, if you are using a qr seat clamp, but don't change seat position when riding. Go to a bolt on clamp like the Sals Lip Lock. Or, if you are using a qr clamp, and want to keep using one, go to the Salsa Flip Lock, or a Hope qr clamp, or an Interloc Tail Fin clamp. The above clamps have a taller clamp band and are designed to transfer more force over a given area for a given torque setting than most others.

I know your problem well. I'm a heavy rider, 230lbs, and have always had problems with stock or low end qr clamps and seat post slippage with ANY seattube design. I went to the Salsa Lip Lock bolt on years ago and haven't had a problem since. Deffinately grease the post and seat tube, but only with a THIN layer, wipe off any excess with a rag. Mimimal grease is another factor that helps. I can even use the Salsa Flip Lock qr clamps with sucess, but I usually don't, I don't move my seat when riding anyway so why bother.

Your choice of course, but I'd give the Slasa or similar a shot.

Good Dirt


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## dan0 (Oct 12, 2005)

clean & lightly grease the post, then throw some dirt on it and re insert it, . no more slipping.

on 1 of my rides I have a thompson post and it will slip unless its not greased. If the post is not bare metal you probably dont need the grease


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## saga (Feb 12, 2005)

Ok thanks guys, I think I've been using too much grease so I'll wipe it down and see if that helps.


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