Creaking noise from my suntour freewheel
12-18-21, 10:51 PM
#1
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Creaking noise from my suntour freewheel
I've been bashing my brain over this for a week.I was getting a creaking sound coming
from my rear wheel at slow speeds.I wasn't sure where it was coming from until I
removed the chain and it was still making the noise when I would spin the wheel.
The noise would seem to make the frame creak. I was sure it was the bearings
so I cleaned and regreased them. Still had the creaking sound. One final thought hit
me so I removed the freewheel and tried it without and the creak went away. I had
flushed and reoiled the freewheel and it seems ok but something in it is making
the noise .The bike had sat hanging in a garage for years and had only been ridden a
half a dozen times and is like new. Anything I should try before getting a new freewheel?
from my rear wheel at slow speeds.I wasn't sure where it was coming from until I
removed the chain and it was still making the noise when I would spin the wheel.
The noise would seem to make the frame creak. I was sure it was the bearings
so I cleaned and regreased them. Still had the creaking sound. One final thought hit
me so I removed the freewheel and tried it without and the creak went away. I had
flushed and reoiled the freewheel and it seems ok but something in it is making
the noise .The bike had sat hanging in a garage for years and had only been ridden a
half a dozen times and is like new. Anything I should try before getting a new freewheel?
12-19-21, 12:05 AM
#2
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If you took the chain off and spun the wheel, the freewheel would have been passive, just turning with the hub, wouldn't it? But you say that when you took the freewheel off, the sound went away. Hmmmmm...... I'd look for a crack in the hub at the base of the freewheel threads or within the threads themselves. I'm assuming you checked that the axle wasn't broken when you had the wheel out to remove the freewheel. Good Luck!
12-19-21, 12:17 AM
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Had the same problem with a Shimano TZ30 Freewheel. It would creak and Cluck on my 3rd and 6th cog so I replaced it. Now years latter not being able to find any new versions of the TZ30 I refurbished the six speed by using the cogs off of a Shimano TZ31 seven speed. I only needed the 34T cog assembly and kept the other cogs as they were not visibly worn from chain wear. At installation again the Freewheel clucked on the 3rd cog. I am assuming that the creak and cluck was coming from worn cogs and most likely they had become worn on the inner diameter surface then loose on the hub itself when transferring load. When I replaced the 3rd cog with the new one from the TZ-31 the cluck went away.
I don't normally refurbish Freewheels. Replacements used to be easy and cheap; especially for the ChiCom made TZ-30. All the bikes in my small stable except for my Wall Hanger use them. My rides are up and down so that 34T gear takes a beating and wears out before the others. Now that Shimano is no longer making the TZ-30 I am refurbishing them with TZ-31 cogs.
I don't normally refurbish Freewheels. Replacements used to be easy and cheap; especially for the ChiCom made TZ-30. All the bikes in my small stable except for my Wall Hanger use them. My rides are up and down so that 34T gear takes a beating and wears out before the others. Now that Shimano is no longer making the TZ-30 I am refurbishing them with TZ-31 cogs.
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12-19-21, 05:45 AM
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Two thoughts: move the part in question and see if the problem follows the part. Basic trouble shooting. So screw that suspect FW onto another wheel and try that wheel in your frame and, even in another frame. Does the creak follow the FW?
Check the spoke tension on the wheel of that little used bike you're working on. See if any are a bit loose and creaking at the spoke crosses. Probably not as you get the creak in the stand, no ground contact. +1 on inspecting the hub.
Otherwise, I'm puzzled too as a properly assembled FW should not creak. All cogs should be properly seated and locked down. The bearings should be properly spaced and tightened. Not much else to it. Even if the bearings are loose, the FW could wobble, but not creak.
Check the spoke tension on the wheel of that little used bike you're working on. See if any are a bit loose and creaking at the spoke crosses. Probably not as you get the creak in the stand, no ground contact. +1 on inspecting the hub.
Otherwise, I'm puzzled too as a properly assembled FW should not creak. All cogs should be properly seated and locked down. The bearings should be properly spaced and tightened. Not much else to it. Even if the bearings are loose, the FW could wobble, but not creak.
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12-19-21, 08:23 AM
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Does this sound happen in the repair stand or whilst riding?
What sort of freewheel? Shimano? SunTour?, Sachs? Regina?
When you remove the freewheel, how are you determining the creak is gone? By spinning the wheel?
Are the cones over tight, or over loose? Have you removed the axle to see if it is cracked?
Does the freewheel creak when you spin it off of the wheel?
Agree completely to put the FW on another wheel and back into the same frame if possible.
What sort of freewheel? Shimano? SunTour?, Sachs? Regina?
When you remove the freewheel, how are you determining the creak is gone? By spinning the wheel?
Are the cones over tight, or over loose? Have you removed the axle to see if it is cracked?
Does the freewheel creak when you spin it off of the wheel?
Agree completely to put the FW on another wheel and back into the same frame if possible.
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12-19-21, 09:25 AM
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Does this sound happen in the repair stand or whilst riding?
What sort of freewheel? Shimano? SunTour?, Sachs? Regina?
When you remove the freewheel, how are you determining the creak is gone? By spinning the wheel?
Are the cones over tight, or over loose? Have you removed the axle to see if it is cracked?
Does the freewheel creak when you spin it off of the wheel?
Agree completely to put the FW on another wheel and back into the same frame if possible.
What sort of freewheel? Shimano? SunTour?, Sachs? Regina?
When you remove the freewheel, how are you determining the creak is gone? By spinning the wheel?
Are the cones over tight, or over loose? Have you removed the axle to see if it is cracked?
Does the freewheel creak when you spin it off of the wheel?
Agree completely to put the FW on another wheel and back into the same frame if possible.
12-19-21, 10:18 AM
#7
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Two thoughts: move the part in question and see if the problem follows the part. Basic trouble shooting. So screw that suspect FW onto another wheel and try that wheel in your frame and, even in another frame. Does the creak follow the FW?
Check the spoke tension on the wheel of that little used bike you're working on. See if any are a bit loose and creaking at the spoke crosses. Probably not as you get the creak in the stand, no ground contact. +1 on inspecting the hub.
Otherwise, I'm puzzled too as a properly assembled FW should not creak. All cogs should be properly seated and locked down. The bearings should be properly spaced and tightened. Not much else to it. Even if the bearings are loose, the FW could wobble, but not creak.
Check the spoke tension on the wheel of that little used bike you're working on. See if any are a bit loose and creaking at the spoke crosses. Probably not as you get the creak in the stand, no ground contact. +1 on inspecting the hub.
Otherwise, I'm puzzled too as a properly assembled FW should not creak. All cogs should be properly seated and locked down. The bearings should be properly spaced and tightened. Not much else to it. Even if the bearings are loose, the FW could wobble, but not creak.
12-19-21, 10:35 AM
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I put an old Shimano freewheel on it and it is quiet as could be. I did notice
the Suntour freewheel had a very slight inward and outward movement to
it and I think that may have been the problem. I think it caused a slight vibration
that was amplified through the frame
the Suntour freewheel had a very slight inward and outward movement to
it and I think that may have been the problem. I think it caused a slight vibration
that was amplified through the frame
12-20-21, 01:54 PM
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I chased a Creak/Cluck for almost a year through my ChroMo Univega and finally nailed it down to a third cog on my Shimano freewheel. Thankfully freewheels are not that expensive or even complex to refurbish. Bravo... You found it...
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