Can't find a creak
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,468
Bikes: Co-Motion Cappuccino Tandem,'88 Bob Jackson Touring, Co-Motion Cascadia Touring, Open U.P., Ritchie Titanium Breakaway, Frances Cycles SmallHaul cargo bike. Those are the permanent ones; others wander in and out of the stable occasionally as well.
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 427 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 339 Times
in
229 Posts
Have you used a proper torque wrench and check every bolt and made 100% sure everything is properly installed and tightened. Thru-Axles and QR skewers can be the cause sometimes as well.
Make sure you aren't missing something as well. Sometimes a washer or seal or something is gone and can cause some issues.
I also wouldn't jump on anything but you could Jump Around
Make sure you aren't missing something as well. Sometimes a washer or seal or something is gone and can cause some issues.
I also wouldn't jump on anything but you could Jump Around
#27
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: 4352 Post(s)
Liked 3,989 Times
in
2,663 Posts
We had a bike i the shop with a similar issue - everything pointed to a bottom bracket, but when we isolated every part it turned out to be a slightly loose rear QR skewer that creaked under chain tension then released. Taking chain off of crank helped isolate the creak. If you have a decent stand and some creativity you can isolate just about every part of the bike, even sides of the rear triangle to pinpoit noise sources. Lots of folks jump to blame press-fit bottom brackets but in our experience it is almost always something else.
#28
Senior Member
Thread Starter
We had a bike i the shop with a similar issue - everything pointed to a bottom bracket, but when we isolated every part it turned out to be a slightly loose rear QR skewer that creaked under chain tension then released. Taking chain off of crank helped isolate the creak. If you have a decent stand and some creativity you can isolate just about every part of the bike, even sides of the rear triangle to pinpoit noise sources. Lots of folks jump to blame press-fit bottom brackets but in our experience it is almost always something else.
I'm starting to think it's the BB and that even without feet on the pedals, the frame flexes in a way that makes it creak... I'm going to disassemble and reasemble it with new grease.
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 2,266
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 714 Post(s)
Liked 800 Times
in
475 Posts
Just greasing a thru axle won't prevent creaks if its not tight enough. There is still some play in the axle/hub/dropout interface and the axle needs to be tight enough to hold the hub endcap firmly in place against the dropout face. If its not tight enough, the axle end cap will move under load and scrape on the dropout face.
#30
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Just greasing a thru axle won't prevent creaks if its not tight enough. There is still some play in the axle/hub/dropout interface and the axle needs to be tight enough to hold the hub endcap firmly in place against the dropout face. If its not tight enough, the axle end cap will move under load and scrape on the dropout face.
Likes For Amt0571:
#31
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I think I've nailed it down.
I noticed that when I tightened the thru axle lever, It always made a creak.
After checking the axle thoroughly, I removed the wheel and pressed on the axle from the NDS with my hand while holding the wheel diagonal between my other hand and the floor. And there it was. CREAK! I also noticed a diminute amount of movement together with the sound.
I disassembled the wheel (a Mavic Ksyrium Disc) to the bearings and found that there's a circlip that holds the axle in place, and behind it, theres a wave washer to preload the bearings.
What's happening then? Well, the wave washer, although it's really strong and makes replacing the circlip a total pain, allows a tiny bit of movement. It can't be seen, but it can be felt. And what happens when something moves and there's zero lubrication? CREAK.
I greased the bearing interface with the axle, put a bit of grease on both sides of the wave washer and on the circlip groove, and reassembled everything. I hope my next ride will be creak free.
I noticed that when I tightened the thru axle lever, It always made a creak.
After checking the axle thoroughly, I removed the wheel and pressed on the axle from the NDS with my hand while holding the wheel diagonal between my other hand and the floor. And there it was. CREAK! I also noticed a diminute amount of movement together with the sound.
I disassembled the wheel (a Mavic Ksyrium Disc) to the bearings and found that there's a circlip that holds the axle in place, and behind it, theres a wave washer to preload the bearings.
What's happening then? Well, the wave washer, although it's really strong and makes replacing the circlip a total pain, allows a tiny bit of movement. It can't be seen, but it can be felt. And what happens when something moves and there's zero lubrication? CREAK.
I greased the bearing interface with the axle, put a bit of grease on both sides of the wave washer and on the circlip groove, and reassembled everything. I hope my next ride will be creak free.
Last edited by Amt0571; 03-10-21 at 04:27 PM.
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 7,386
Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,968 Times
in
1,917 Posts
post #20 on the 4th didn't help?
__________________
-Oh Hey!
-Oh Hey!
#33
Senior Member
Thread Starter
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 7,386
Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,968 Times
in
1,917 Posts
following the removing of the rear wheel assembly was to do two things, isolate the noise to be wheel related or further investigate it possibly being frame related.
__________________
-Oh Hey!
-Oh Hey!