Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 43 total)
  • Anyone know a cure for a BB30 creak on my Dale ?
  • Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Not done lots of miles, but after about 100, the creaking started in the BB . So, stripped it out, thought the bearings weren’t 100% , so replaced with new and greased the area and pressed in using the proper BB30 tools. 10 miles later and creaking starts again. So research it and people say about Loctite on the bearings. So strip out again , degrease everything and then Loctite in. Still bloody creaks. Sounds like a 10 quid special. Checked pedals and chainset for loose bolts, iffy axles and seem fine. So any ideas other than heading to Praxxis to cure this, as getting a bit miffed now……..

    onandon
    Free Member

    I had this on mine. Turned out to be too much preload on the bearings.
    Slackened off a tad and it stopped.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Cheers. I did wind it totally off and then just took up the slight slack, so minimised the preload. It was actually less than set by Cannondale during its build, by a third of a turn. I can have another look though.

    neilsonwheels
    Free Member

    Is the axle greased.?

    Haze
    Full Member

    Had similar on a Cervelo BBRight, would be fine after installation but would start creaking again after one or two rides, turned out to be the preload also.

    Not familiar with the BB30 but basically winding preload all the way out and tightening to recommended torque (or guessing close to it) left a tiny bit of side to side play. Used the preload nut to take up the play and it hasn’t made a sound since.

    Don’t know if any of that helps…

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Everything helps guys. Neils, yes, well greased with Exus grease before sliding in, which makes it nice and smooth for moving the spindle for setting preload. I basically set the pre load on the sram cranks in the same way I do HT2, which is just to ‘pinch’ the gap and not over pressure the side load on the bearing.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Ive just wound the preload in about a 10th of a turn. Suspect the grease behind the bearing shim cover may have settled a bit. I will commute on it tomorrow and see if it creaks, but usually I know within 20 ft of the garage.

    globalti
    Free Member

    The conventional wisdom is that the bearings are creaking inside the ali sleeves in the frame but it’s not the bearings in the frame, it’s the crankset axle in the bearings. Have a look at this picture of mine:

    Those areas of erosion are where the axle is inside the bearing inners and they indicate fretting. In proof, when I greased the axle, the pale green grease very quickly turned black with metal wear and the noise returned within 100 miles. I think it’s caused by microscopic flexing of the axle under extreme stress such as when you’re climbing a hill. I cleaned everything up and refitted with a smear of bearing fit compound and everything has been silent for over 1000 miles now. The same happened with my cycling pal’s BB30 and my son’s, same cure. I wrote to Specialized about it and they didn’t bother to reply.

    Smear the bearing fit compound on the inside of the RH (drive side) bearing and on the worn track on the LH (non-drive) end of the axle, so that you don’t “wipe” it all off as you push the crankset axle back through the bearings.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Interesting Globalti. Currently the bike is 150 to 200 miles new and there is currently no signs of any wear on the crank spindle. I didn’t ride in today, as no guards and peeing with rain and ride in work clothes, but will take the bike back to work after my lunch. What compound did you use on the spindle ? Weird, as my Jekyll seems fine, although lots on chain guides and whirring may hide it and so is the wifes Caad 10. You are right in the under pressure mode as the creaking being there, rather than just spinning away.
    I am sure most bike manufacturers would shy away from any issues with the amount of bikes sold and a solution. Hope use the same theory on their BB’s and on another bike, that creaks too, so wonder if there’s a link there, as plastic hatted BB’s don’t seem to suffer.
    Cheers

    alanw2007
    Full Member

    Do you have a Hollowgram crank? I spent ages trying to fix what I thought was a BB creak only to find that the spider lockring was slightly loose. Tightened it up with a dab of threadlock and it’s been gloriously silent ever since.

    wilburt
    Free Member

    Thats an interesting post, what brand is the crank?

    My FSA branded crank has creaked on and off over a couple of years(10k+ miles), the original bearings were poorly fitted and dry as bone, its a Bianchi and I suspect there made in the same factory as Cannondales.

    I’ve gone on to replace the drive side bearing and a couple of times and strip, clean and refit the existing ones several more times, doesn’t take long and I actually prefer this design now to anything other than square taper.

    Generally speaking a re-grease and adjusting the pre load fixes any problems(which are rare now) the only difficult to diagnose problem turned out to be a pedal bearing that seemed ok in use but after trying alternatives I had laying around which fixed the creak I stripped the originals rebuilt and refitted them which solved the issue.
    [URL=http://s86.photobucket.com/user/starseven1968/media/IMG_0211_zpszsdcefqs.jpg.html][/URL][URL=http://s86.photobucket.com/user/starseven1968/media/IMG_0227_zpsscmuqb4v.jpg.html][/URL]

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    I have a SRAM triple chainset on the bike. I have brand new stainless bearings just pressed in and I have filled them with Phil Wood grease before doing this. They run totally smooth.I also use a torque wrench for doing the bolt up, which I think is up to 54 Nm , off the top of my head.

    globalti
    Free Member

    The chainsets on my Roubaix and my buddy’s Tarmac are FSA. That on my son’s bike is Ultegra and now I think about it, his hasn’t creaked; in fact I don’t think I’ve even needed to remove it.

    So perhaps the FSA chainset axle (or crank spindle?) is slightly flexy?

    I used bearing fit compound, which is a softer version of threadlock or anti-shake and when I needed to knock the chainset out by a couple of mm recently to free a trapped chain, it moved easily so wasn’t glued in!

    I agree that it’s a good system; after numerous washes with hot soapy water the bearing seals are fine and the bearings in tip-top condition with no signs of movement within their sleeves in the frame. Would that headset bearings were as well protected….!

    boblo
    Free Member

    I recall your top tip from before Global. I did the fix to my CAADX as soon as I got it as I can’t abide sqeeeeeaks. It’s been fine so far for about 1000 miles.

    gazza100
    Full Member

    I’ve only experienced the creaking/clicking coming from my supersix on one occasion. I loosened the crank arm and nipped it back up slightly which cured it. In my opinion it’s a fine balance between over tightening it and having the crank working its way loose.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Ive got some special sealant at work, so might try some of that on the bearings. It doesn’t set hard and made by Loctite , it may work. Must have taken the bloody cranks apart about a dozen times this week so far.

    globalti
    Free Member

    Actually I reckon a smear of silicon bathroom sealant would do the job as long as you left it for a couple of days to go off. The axle is a snug fit in the bearing inners so you only need a film of something a few molecules thick.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Got some Loctite 572 here. Its free to try. So might have a got with that. it doesn’t ‘set’ so that’s what worries me about using stuff that does and dismantling when I need to. By the way, the ride back after lunch is just creak crack creak………. so the preload isn’t the cure, more than likely the axle to bearing as you said.

    Rockplough
    Free Member

    I got the creak on my FSA Gossamer BB30 cranks, but I left it for a while and it went away. Funny one.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    So, my axle is showing slight markings on both bearing running faces

    So, I cleaned the axle with contact cleaner and the bearing inner faces and did the sealant trick rather than the stuff from work. I found some fish tank sealant, which smells like normal silicon sealant , so a light smear on the axle and bearing faces and slid back together.

    Then torqued back up to the 54 Nm as on the chainset face and put back away to set.

    Next stage is if it creaks, um not sure. I have some newish SLX cranks and may fit the FSA sleeve and a HT2 BB and be bloody done with it…..

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Well, the creak is still there. I stripped and regreased my Shimano pedals, as one seemed a bit ‘drier’ than the other. Creak still there. So a thought of a friend who had a creak, struggled to find it and rode to France with it creaking, until he could take it no more. Found a French cycle shop, who found the cassette spacer for 10 sp was missing on his road bike, so the cassette was loose. Cassette spanner wielding, I take the back wheel out and check. Seems tight, but the bearings seem a bit tight. When I got the bike, new, I changed the steel loose balls for some ceramics, just because I bought some for my road bike and were the wrong size and seemed rude not to. Cone spanners now and thought, well, If I am here, I might as well strip and regrease anyway. Typical Shimano style hub, with non drive side looking as good as the day I regreased it. The drive side was totally contaminated with mushy watery grease !! Its a Formula hub, which obviously doesn’t like damp England. Its not been jetwashed yadda yadda. So, I cleaned out and because I used ceramic, means there is no pitted corrosion between seats and bearings. So clean, regreased and back together…………… the bike runs silenty !! for 200 yrds and I gain a squeak. Thinking its the rear caliper needing a tweak after hub / axle adjustments, ends up as the ‘front’ wheel bearing in the lefty squeaking. Its all as dry as dry, not water in anything on the front at all. Seems the bearing has no grease and is running dry. So, a splodge of grease, cover back on and wheel bolted in again and a ride of totally silence.
    Plan is to get a better rear hub, as it seems to enjoy water ingression through the freehub behind the cassette and runs into the bearing surfaces. Difficult to get a pair of wheels with the front being a lefty, but happy to relace a back hub in……….Now to find a decent hub and that’s not going to be a Hope(less).
    Shame I haven’t the time for a decent ride this weekend……..

    TheSanityAssassin
    Full Member

    I chased an annoying creak for months. I eventually found the cause….
    when the drive-side crank sheared across the pedal thread!
    I paid for that ‘discovery’ with a bruised right plum…

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    Have been following this one, I’ve got a creaky BB30A in my Synapse, just waiting to bodge my own bearing press before stripping and cleaning etc.

    Will check those other things as well.

    On my other bike, I seem to have a very squeeky pedal/shoe interface, tried oiling the surfaces of the pedal jaws which hasn’t achieved anything, has anyone dealt with something like that?

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Just back from a cheeky 37 miles and the creak is back with vengeance. Sod it. I hope its the Thomson usual seat post creak, but that’s tomorrows search. Even my C456 runs quieter than this thing, although it is a fast sublime bike to ride. 🙄

    onandon
    Free Member

    Oh, just a thought with could help you.
    I chased a creak on my scalpel which annoyed me for months. It wasn’t the bb, but the steerer.
    If your using the old version of the steerer, buy the updated version for a massively stiffer front end and no creaking.
    Have a look on the qwerty site for details –

    here ……..

    onandon
    Free Member

    Sorry, too late to edit …..

    Have you done no handed to make sure it’s the crank that’s creaking?

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Not sure how that steerer works, as not touched the front end yet. Bike is a 2012 old model from Pauls Cycles and have had it 3 months now. Wanted to strip and pack the steerer bearings when I got it, but thought that it works, leave alone.
    Its definitely sounding ‘feeling’ where I have been searching for it, but resonance travels through a frame. Under pressure is when it starts , especially at top of stroke at maximum exertion.
    I have found an issue with the hub and regreased. I changed notchy BB bearings with smoother ones. Siliconed and loctited. I have even bought a new chain to replace the original, incase that was the issue, which will be here next week.
    I’ll give it a clean in the morning as was 3 hrs of mud slogging today and see if I can find the latest crime scene.

    onandon
    Free Member

    If you put pressure one one side of the bars it can be enough to flex the stem and create a creak.
    This is why I asked if it does it when riding no handed.
    The new steerer is much stiffer and prevents this. It may even be worth getting one to stiffen up the front end anyway.
    £15 well spendy IMHO?

    hummerlicious
    Free Member

    I got so fed up with mine, bought a Praxis BB, that still didn’t help. In the end I bought the cheap SRAM plastic converter cups and fitted new Shimano cranks and a HTII BB, no noise since!

    boblo
    Free Member

    Just to add to the ‘might be on the wrong track’ theme, I spent spent ages sorting a Hollowtech creak to find it was the bar/stem interface. Bit of copper slip sorted it. No more creak. I was convinced it was the BB.

    squin
    Free Member

    Watching with interest as I’ve got a Dale Super Six Evolution with Sram cranks (less than 200 miles ridden). Got 2 clicks per revolution under load when cranks are at 2&8 O’Clock.

    Have stripped and greased all crank bolts.

    Will take cranks out next. Got some sort of ‘retention’ device on non drive side. Do I need to loosen this before taking cranks out?

    Don’t know how to take the cranks out. Advice please knowledgeable ones.

    Thanks.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Back to the top again, to say I am ‘sort of ‘ still creaking. Went for a 23 miler off road to Mums for Easter lunch today and for the first 15 ish miles the creak is still there. I ‘think’ today it is coming from the headset, although pushing on the cranks does seem to amplify the sound. Then for no real reason……….. it stopped for the last 8 ish miles.
    In the week, just tinkering with the bike, if I picked it up by the top tube to put in the stand it would creak. If I help the top tube and put my knee into the down tube, it would creak.
    So, I get back from mums ( wife drove me home) and I decided to strip out the lefty fork and check the headset. The steerer as recommended above wont fit my bike but is just a straight alloy tub with larger diameter points where the bearing fit. Removed stem, top seal on headset and with a rubber mallet tapped it out. Was very gritty and the lower bearing did seem a bit stiff. So I used my air compressor to blow out any old grease in the upper and lower bearings and repacked with Exus blue grease as thicker then Phils grease on a lower rotational bearing would be better. Cleaned and greased the steerer before twatting it back in and put all back together. One thing I did notice, is that the lower clamp on the lefty fork face , the paint was chipped away, which was very odd.
    So, a quick spin round the block and ………… creak, creak is still there. FFS.
    I have twisted bars and stem t see if it creaks and nothing. Beginning to think this bike is jinxed, but googling shows this is an issue with these bikes and I have tried the majority of possible fixes people have tried other than another frame and a different back wheel. I have a mate I can blag a back wheel from, so that’s my next line of thought. I have been contemplating the replacement of the hub and DT Swiss hubs are crazy prices , although being white and matching the front, I have been looking at Halo Supa drive hub to utilise.
    The bike is a great long distance machine and a great step into 29ers for me, other than this damn noise.
    Its the same as this noise:

    onandon
    Free Member

    What frame is this on? If it’s a scalpel try tightening the main pivot.
    It’s not a scalpel, I give up 🙂

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Its the F26 alloy frame . Only pivots are my knees……….

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Next days ride and the creak continues. I thought I would double check the seat post, as the sound ‘seems’ to come from down that way now. So, stripped post from frame. I had greased with Finish Line carbon paste, although is a Thomson alloy post, I fitted. It had slippage issues, previously, so even though I had tightened the teeny Cannondale clamp still moved. I used course emery cloth to give the grip back to the seat tube and used a KCNC clamp ring, which has rubber rings internal to it and the ring around it , clamps into the seat clamp. Bit fiddly, but seems to work and not move. The post had water and muck on it, as the slit in the seat tube faces the back wheel, as all American ‘ ride in the dust’ bikes seem to do.
    Off for a local spin today and it continually creaked the same. I got out the saddle to honk a hill and it went silent !! . So, I am thinking Thomson saddle clamp.
    Back home, I unbolted and removed the saddle ( Charge spoon) checked and twiddled the rails and no noise. The clamp was pretty mucky so soapy water washed and scrubbed. I decided on where the barrels holding the bolts in the top plate, where the mud sits and grinds and creaks, to cut up a lemonade bottle and made some plastic shims between the barrel and the top plate, to try and stop the noise, if that was the cause. All coppa slipped bolts and re assembled, remembering the lemonade shim , threaded onto the bolts before the barrels. Well……. the creak is still there.
    Next step, is to ditch the crap seat post clamp and have bought a 2 step clamp from bike fridge, which is the frame diameter and the post diameter , with the hope this may give a stronger better fit for the frame and stop this racket.
    Thought I would document these findings, as I am sure they would help someone in the future 😆

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Well, after todays ride and continual creaking, that seemed to be at 2 pm and 10pm crank positions, I had decided it ‘must’ be the bb. Last night, I thought the rear freehub sounded course, so stripped and actually removed the freehub from the wheel. Checked for any grease on the threads on the hub and smothered in coppaslip. Rebuilt and used a thicker Exus grease in the bearings. Still clickety click today. Get home and found the seat clamp had arrived from Bikefridge. Fitted and went for a spin round the block………… and all I heard was the whirr of tyres on tarmac !! Totally chuffed with this result, as the bike is just fantastic and with resolving the lack of brakes (Elixir) and gears being poor ( Sram) everything is just brilliant. Got a 40 miler tomorrow , so hope this is the long term fix.

    Thrustyjust
    Free Member

    Creakity creak creak is still going strong. The noise saves any need of a bell to warn anyone of my appearance . Spoken to Pauls Cycles this week and they say that they haven’t heard anything about this, as I am confident it is in the frame. I can hold the top tube and gently pressure the down tube and ‘crack, creak’ . I took it to Mountain Trax on Sunday, a I was still doubting myself. Being my nearest Dale dealer open on a Sunday. Chap (James) was very helpful and was totally surprised to hear the noises from the frame. I explained I didn’t get the bike from him, but wanted a second opinion from a Dale dealer, before I stripped the frame and sent it away to Pauls, who in turn would send it back , almost passed the door to the south coast for Cannondale importers to inspect. Mountain Trax were going to chat to their rep and see what they as a dealer can do, as it shouldn’t be making such loud noises. So, they have reported the frame noises to Cannondale and I am quite happy to take it to Poole for inspection if need be, rather than post it to Norfolk. Hopefully I can get this resolved and have a silent ride soon.

    ton
    Full Member

    crack in the frame?. i rode a 300 audax with a crack mid chainstay.
    noticed it when cleaning the bike after the event.

    Pooley
    Free Member

    Thrusty, have you discounted the creak from headset area, these noises have a habit of ‘moving’ around the frame, I say this having experienced similar on Cannondales fleet test bike a couple of years ago. Undo the 2 6mm steerer clamp bolts, check for any freeplay on the large (Shimano castellated BB tool) nut at bottom of steerer, take up any slack. Tighten clamp bolts. Worked for me. I then went on to buy a F29

    Rorschach
    Free Member

    I’ve had issues with the unwelded joint where the seat tube meets the BB shell as they are just welded around the circumference of the st/dt junction.You can see this bit if you remove the chainset.
    I suspect its where the 2 parts touch but move slightly as the frame flexes under load.It creaks as you load it up but also as the frame ‘relaxes’ back again.
    Had it occur on an ali F29 and a couple Giant defys.All the frames were replaced under warranty (after a bit of grumbling).

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