Fitting handle bars and sticking

[andy13]

Hi Guys, I am in the process of fitting the handle bars. Mounted them onto the stem tightened up the pinch bolt and turned left to right and it felt notchy on left turn, I took the handle bars off and look around the area and found the bottom of the steering lock housing was catching on the chrome ring. It has made a little groove in the housing.
The chrome ring is not the original as that got damaged during strip down, any help would be appreciated.
Thanks Andy
PS I forgot to mention it’s an early S3

[dickie]

Is there clearance all the way round between the headset and chrome ring? And is that clearance uniform?

I’ve had to bend them to achieve correct clearance before, I might add that I’ve also cracked one doing so, so be careful if you do.

[andy13]

Hi, yes there is even clearance around the headset and the ring. Somebody mentioned putting washers in to raise the handle bars, I can’t see how that’s possible as the pinch bolt won’t go through.

[MK Monty]

The headset casting fits onto the bottom of the head stock clamp, so adding washers will only lower it making it closer to the chrome ring. You could try removing the paint at the face of the headset and clamp to raise it a bit. Getting the ring a bit lower. Obviously loosed the clamp through bolt and lift as high as it will go. Look to see it the steering lock piston is hanging low.