My stem won't tighten

I've just fitted new bars which needed a 26mm stem [my old one was 25.4mm];

I purchased a 2nd hand one off the 'Bay, fitted everything, but stem won't tighten fully so it still moves about slightly. Arghhhh!

What am I doing wrong if anything?

try hitting it

which bit wont tighten? is it quill or ahead? will the bolt spin and nothing happens, or is it stuck?

I've just fitted new bars which needed a 26mm stem [my old one was 25.4mm];

I purchased a 2nd hand one off the 'Bay, fitted everything, but stem won't tighten fully so it still moves about slightly. Arghhhh!

What am I doing wrong if anything?

Change it (the thing) to not the old before or swap it (that) around for different.

It's an Ultegra quill stem.

You have to use a long allen key to tighten the bolt within the stem, so it's not easy to put a lot of torque into it.
So i'm tightening as much as i can, no spinning at all, not stuck seems to work perfectly except not tightening enough.
I can move bars adrift from alignment with the wheel with a small amount of force after tightening it as hard as possible.

bolt could be stripped take it out and look at the threads

Change it (the thing) to not the old before or swap it (that) around for different.

eh?

You mean use the wedge from the old stem? Or?

bolt could be stripped take it out and look at the threads

Just looked bolt fine, no stripping

eh?

Ask a silly question and you get a silly answer.

man up and turn the damn thing.

eh?

You mean use the wedge from the old stem? Or?

Like you were said or either pull the old (thing) out/off to remove the old previous (or new thing) to keep tighter.

Ask a silly question and you get a silly answer.

Stop with the trolling. Bah. Noobs get a bloody hard time here.

Not a silly question when there seems nowt wrong with the stem, wedge, bolt, etc etc.

I'm no bike mechanic :(

Ask a silly question and you get a silly answer.

dmczone, the bringer of clarity. :D

grease the thread.

but make sure there's not a load of grease on the outside of the stem.

I usually use some copper grease on the expander bolt of quill stems, never any problems getting them in or out.

Stop with the trolling.

Only kidding ! :D

Your post was very ambiguous, so I thought I would string some random words together to form an answer of kinds.

Just mucking around, I am sure someone here will understand your dilemma and help out.

man up and turn the damn thing.

That would be quite difficult to achieve unless you have a ready supply of testosterone for sale?

grease the thread.

but make sure there's not a load of grease on the outside of the stem.

I usually use some copper grease on the expander bolt of quill stems, never any problems getting them in or out.

Thanks, will try this.

That would be quite difficult to achieve unless you have a ready supply of testosterone for sale?

Duh, we're cyclists. Tynan even has some EPO under his bed.

and make sure the stem isn't too far down the steerer!

Duh, we're cyclists. Tynan even has some EPO under his bed.

Excellent. I'll put my order in now. Will make for interesting hair growth in strange places as well as boost my ride times.

That would be quite difficult to achieve unless you have a ready supply of testosterone for sale?

ok grow some balls, man up and turn it

and make sure the stem isn't too far down the steerer!

You know what, I have never considered that, seriously, learnt something new today.

Duh, we're cyclists. Tynan even has some EPO under his bed.

60 litres.

Excellent. I'll put my order in now. Will make for interesting hair growth in strange places...

it did for him too:

I have degreased the outside of the stem, greased the bolt and wedge, made sure the bloody thing is not too low or too high. Still no joy :(

More ideas please anyone?