Teflon tape for creaky BB?
06-09-17, 02:15 PM
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Teflon tape for creaky BB?
I still have the creaky BB issue often after a day or two after riding in the rain. A guy I ride with on the commute often suggested to use teflon tape on the BB cup threads. This sounded pretty good. I'm also wondering of I can wrap a thin piece of tape around the Octlink V1 splines as well. Anyone else use teflon tape for BB installation?
06-09-17, 02:25 PM
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Teflon tape on the threads will only help. THere are no promises, but nothing gets worse and years from now you may be thanking yourself for the foresight. (Actually you won't. The BB will just unscrew like it should. It's when you don't use it and go years when you wish you had.)
I wouldn't put it on either the octalink splines or a square taper. Maybe the tape, then blue loctiting the bolt in place to get rid of the squeak, but I would want to know first that it was for sure the source of the squeak. (Maybe do the threads first, try it, if still a squeal, tape the spines, try it and remove the tape if that doesn't cure it? If it does locktite the bolt.)
Ben
I wouldn't put it on either the octalink splines or a square taper. Maybe the tape, then blue loctiting the bolt in place to get rid of the squeak, but I would want to know first that it was for sure the source of the squeak. (Maybe do the threads first, try it, if still a squeal, tape the spines, try it and remove the tape if that doesn't cure it? If it does locktite the bolt.)
Ben
06-09-17, 02:54 PM
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That's typically a 30 ft/lb torque spec. That's more than I would use if I were left to my own judgement. You might be a better bike mechanic than me and not need a torque wrench. On the other hand, you're the one with the creaky bottom bracket.
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06-10-17, 01:36 PM
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Teflon tape probably works but I fixed a creak with grease on the BB threads of a cartridge BB. I think that was back in 2010 and it has never returned.
06-10-17, 05:01 PM
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i kinda doubt the BB itself is creaking... usually ends up being the taper that the crank seats on, or the screws/nuts that hold the chain rings onto the crank spider... or pedals.... or the seat, maybe? i've even heard of the seat CLAMP being the source of a "crank squeak".
06-10-17, 05:25 PM
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Yeah, it's usually not the bottom bracket itself but the interface between its threaded cups and the bottom bracket shell. Copious grease or anti-seize along with proper installation torque usually keeps them quiet but I've also used teflon tape with great results.
06-10-17, 06:26 PM
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No, I don't. might be the pedals .. riveted on plates ? A friend gave me his steel Campag pedals,
I banged the swaging more.
I banged the swaging more.
06-10-17, 07:51 PM
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Grease the bb threads and you should be golden for a good while. The creak is probably from a chainring bolt or some other component in the stack. You can use thread lock on bolts which helps reduce noises.
06-12-17, 07:07 AM
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^^ Grease was what I have been doing in the past. Although would be nice to have a more permanent solution since the creaky bike usually comes back after a rain or two. This morning I took off both crankarms and put a little grease on the Octlink splines. It didn't seem to help. So it seems that the creaking is coming from the BB lockrings. Will try to get some teflon tape on them soon. Might need to buy a small roll of it at the local hardware store.
06-12-17, 07:11 AM
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i kinda doubt the BB itself is creaking... usually ends up being the taper that the crank seats on, or the screws/nuts that hold the chain rings onto the crank spider... or pedals.... or the seat, maybe? i've even heard of the seat CLAMP being the source of a "crank squeak".
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