# Fellow Felt AR2/AR4/AR Team owners please help!!



## theychosenone (Mar 3, 2006)

Hey guys,

Do any of you know the actual recommended torque specs for the 2-bolt seatpost clamp for the Felt AR2/AR4 bike? I barely got to 5NM using a torque wrench, with alternate turns on each of the 2 bolts, before the clamp gave with a rather loud snap sound. Realised I probably worn the threads off the rear clamp as it couldn't tighten on 1 side anymore  Thank goodness my local Felt dealer gave me a new one from another AR2 bike.

I also noticed the carbon area of the AR2's seattube, where the seatpost clamp resides, had a couple of "crack" lines or a significantly deep cut into the carbon, on both sides (not referring to the 2 original line cutouts that are already there on the seattube). Please see the photos below. Do any of your AR2/AR4s have this too? One of the cracks looks to be about 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of the seattube's thickness. I'll be gutted if my torquing-booboo caused this. 

Appreciate any help you can give, thanks!!


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## UpStroke (Oct 12, 2008)

My LBS said Felt has commented on the weakness on the seat
tube. They ( Felt) know it is a weak spot.


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## theychosenone (Mar 3, 2006)

UpStroke said:


> My LBS said Felt has commented on the weakness on the seat
> tube. They ( Felt) know it is a weak spot.


Thanks for the info. I noticed you also have an AR2, does your seattube look the same as mine? Thanks!


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## UpStroke (Oct 12, 2008)

theychosenone said:


> Thanks for the info. I noticed you also have an AR2, does your seattube look the same as mine? Thanks!


I don't know, I haven't loosened the clamp to look.

I took off the clamp and mine is ok at this time,


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## IanChilders (Dec 24, 2008)

I believe it's 5Nm, that's what I've been torquing mine to and it's fine.


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## martinh (Aug 25, 2008)

I sent an email to Felt regarding all the recommended torque settings last Friday. If I get a response I will post here


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## theychosenone (Mar 3, 2006)

Many thanks for all your help. I've since returned the bike to my local dealer in Singapore, and they've contacted Felt to request for a replacement, so hopefully that'll work out. Pity though, I only rode it once so far and its an awesome ride.


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## theychosenone (Mar 3, 2006)

An update:

Felt has been tardy in terms of responding to my LBS' (and my) emails on the warranty exchange for the AR2 frameset.. Been almost 2 weeks already and nothing heard from them at all. For cyclists outside of USA, Felt bicycles are distributed and controlled by its German entity. So I called up Felt Germany myself and was told they have to contact the Felt USA brand manager before deciding if my frame is eligible for warranty exchange. Since then, I' ve heard nothing again although a quick response was promised.  

If the warranty claims are rejected I'd just sell off the problem frame at some significant loss, and go back to Cervelo or something. Very disappointing so far. Pity though, the Felt AR2 looks awesome and is a great ride.


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## Superdave3T (May 11, 2009)

*Fet AR seat clamp*



theychosenone said:


> An update:
> 
> Felt has been tardy in terms of responding to my LBS' (and my) emails on the warranty exchange for the AR2 frameset.. Been almost 2 weeks already and nothing heard from them at all. For cyclists outside of USA, Felt bicycles are distributed and controlled by its German entity. So I called up Felt Germany myself and was told they have to contact the Felt USA brand manager before deciding if my frame is eligible for warranty exchange. Since then, I' ve heard nothing again although a quick response was promised.
> 
> If the warranty claims are rejected I'd just sell off the problem frame at some significant loss, and go back to Cervelo or something. Very disappointing so far. Pity though, the Felt AR2 looks awesome and is a great ride.


I am sorry that your inquiry has taken longer than you hoped to receive an answer. The message had to circulate the globe a few times before landing in the right inbox. 

As for the torque settings, keep the clamp to 5Nm max, or about as much torque as you could generate from a hand held screwdriver. The cross-section change created by the split clamp generates a huge clamping force and very little effort is needed to hold the seatpost in place.


*Upstroke:*
UpStroke My LBS said Felt has commented on the weakness on the seat
tube. They ( Felt) know it is a weak spot. 

There is not a "weak spot" it is the only area of the seat tube that applies the clamping force, as such it is the only area subjected to over-tightening. If you clamped the frame in a work stand, or attached the clamp to the seat tube elsewhere, it would be susceptible to being crushed if over torqued as well; just like your handlebar, your stem, fork steerer tube, quick releases, etc...

-SD


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## UpStroke (Oct 12, 2008)

SuperdaveFelt said:


> I am sorry that your inquiry has taken longer than you hoped to receive an answer. The message had to circulate the globe a few times before landing in the right inbox.
> 
> As for the torque settings, keep the clamp to 5Nm max, or about as much torque as you could generate from a hand held screwdriver. The cross-section change created by the split clamp generates a huge clamping force and very little effort is needed to hold the seatpost in place.
> 
> ...


Thanks SupperDave, weak spot was the wrong term...."cautionary spot".


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

I don't know about you, but Felt was good to me when my frame cracked at the rear dropout on the drive side of my frame. The failure occurred on a Sunday; The shop called Felt on Monday; My frame arrived on Tuesday and I was back in the saddle on Wednesday. Oddly enough, Felt never even responded to my LBS. The owner called Felt that Monday morning and left a message. They never returned his call. Tuesday, my replacement frame was dropped off at the LBS and the bike was ready by that afternoon. I picked it up the following day.This was probably easy since my LBS is about 15 miles from the Felt headquarters, but they never even asked for receipt info or even a frame serial number from the LBS. I am now on my fourth Felt and plan to own another in the future.


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