Anyone know if SC have had issues with slightly incorrect dimensions for the main pivot pin? Specifically threaded section too long meaning the bearings can run on the threaded section and hence have issues.

Have’nt heard anything specifically about either. I’ve got an 18 month old Butcher & have had no problems so far. Have you tried posting on MTBR ? There’s a lot more owners over there. I’ve never heard of any first owners having any issues making warranty claims on pivot bearings. Bloke I spoke to at Laggan has had 3 sets of VPP bearings done, all under warranty.

D.

Had this problem recently. Have a heckler but the most recent swingarm has the same pivot as the butcher. Spoke to jungle who import santa cruz and they said that the bearing tends to sit half on the threaded section of the axle which seems like woefully poor design to me. They suggested glueing the bearing to the shaft with the locktight glue stuff (If need be then i can go and look up the code) that comes in the pro pack. This means that if the bearing gets a bit sticky then it wont rotate on the axle and wear the threads away leading to huge play developing. The propack includes new bearings and axle and costs £30.

Benz,

I took apart my Nickel frame apart last weekend and found exactly the same problem as you describe in the main pivot pin.

I was about to order a propack set but they`re £83 at Stiff website, haven’t checked prices elsewhere

http://www.stif.co.uk/mtb/product/santa-cruz-butcher-and-nickel-1-0-pro-pack/9945

In the end I’ve just assembled it back in place as when it’s properly tightened there’s no noticeable play, even with the upper link and shock removed.

In the SC US website they sell a Pivot Axle set for $34 but I cannot seem to find prices for it in the UK, does anyone knows where is this available?

does anyone knows where is this available?

Depends where you live, but the guys at Pedal and Spoke in Peaslake, Surrey were super helpful when my friend needed bits for his Nomad.

Apparently more people had the same issue

Santa Cruz Butcher Pivot Pin Issues

Mmm I guess I need to keep an eye on this, had my Butcher a year now and haven’t found any problem yet

Here’s a couple of pictures of my Nickel main pivot after roughly 1 year of use:

As you can see in the pictures, the missing part of the thread sits inside the driveside bearing and with time the inside face of the bearing starts to rub away the thread material.

I’ve sent an e-mail to SC and I am waiting for an answer from them. In my opinion, the bolt thread shouldn’t be so long that half of it sit inside of the main pivot bearing.

Did you email SC in the US or Jungle ? Have you heads anything back yet, just interested I have a Butcher, it’s a year old just would we good to know the situation with this. Thanks

What SBrock says. My understanding is that all SC bearings are covered by a lifetime warranty to the original owner. I’m wondering if they going to include the badly designed pivot pin under the same warranty ? If mine wears out I won’t be buying anything. My contract’s with Stif, they’ll be fixing it.

D, wait out.

My 9 month old Nickel has been to stif for warranty bearings once, then they went again. They replaced pivot pin and shortly after failed again. My pivot pin looks exactly the same as the one above. This is a design flaw, pure and simple poor engineering. There is a simple fix here, more shaft less thread. I would encourage owners with this model to check the pivot threads and ensure the bearing is not crushing them. I would also say that stif/jungle have been very responsive in all ways to attempt to fix it. However sc in the us do not have a fix. If you get a 2012 Nickel of will have the same pin. I am in almost daily contact with jungle at the moment. Watch this space, I will keep his thread updated with developments.

I am sure sc will sort this problem as despite the issues I love the bike and te sc brand.

Quick shout to the guys at stif an jungle who have been superb throughout all the issues I have had in the last 9 months of ownership.

Fingers crossed for a quick fix so I can get off the back up bike and onto the sc for the spring!

Davegt.

Thanks for the update 😀 Reassuring to hear & hopefully your bike will be fixed soon.

Dave.

I am speaking with them tomorrow and should get an update from sc in the US as to how they propose to fix the issue for me.

Fingers crossed!

Thanks Dave, I take it your speaking to Jungle then tomorrow?

Hopefully we will be offered a new pivot pin, a re-designed one FOC

Yeah that’s right, speaking with them tomorrow.

Probably no need to take the pivot pin onto my Butcher, it’s probably worn like all the others, tbh Jungle are pretty good they sent me some redesigned pinch bolts for my old 2008 Heckler!

Any update from Jungle?

Yep, any update would be helpful.

Just pulled my Butcher apart and the main pivot axle has badly worn again. I replaced all the bearings and the main pivot axle last Spring as well, paying out £80 for a pro pack. So this will be the third replacement axle for a 2010 bike & will be chasing this one up with SC/ Jungle.

In fairness, it does still tighten up okay without play, but i’m worried that this could become more of an issue as wear increases and no-one wants to spend £80 each year just for this one part!

Owen, I’ve got a Butcher too, just over a year old it does get used frequently in the Peaks and is always cleaned with a garden hose, so far there is no play yet, but how did you know your bearings were gone, I thought SC warrantied the bearings for life?

Well, the first bearing set was REALLY gone. Having had the frame about 9 months i was surprised when things started feeling a bit odd to ride (didnt seem to sag properly). Popped the shock off and cycled the back end through the stroke and it was rough as anything, really ‘notchy’.

Figured i had just left it too long to give it any TLC, so popped out the axles/ pivot pins without any real intention of doing a full bearing replacement after 9 months. Found 7 of the 8 bearings were trashed, with the drive side main pivot bearing completely seized. Pro kit got ordered and replaced the lot.

One year later, i have one bearing that is a bit rough, but not enough to replace it yet. The main axle/ pivot pin is worn just in the photos above, the first replacement was worse though.
Since the first problems, i regularly (once every 2 months i guess) remove the shock, check for play or sticking in the bearings and especially the main pivot. That would seem the best way of picking up on bearings getting worn.

I am also concerned that things dont seem to line up properly on my Butcher main pivot axle (closer to the downtube on the drive side) and my shock needs persuading into line when refitting it. Might be wholly unrelated though and maybe now i’m just a bit paranoid!

Surely coudnt you get the bearings replaced under the lifetime warranty, any special tools needed?

Off topic, but how are you liking the Butcher? He are you getting on with rear shock? I’m thinking of a tune as I’m not getting full travel with the recommend sag

TBH, this is the first i have heard of the lifetime warranty on bearings for SC; i just assumed they were like drivechain parts and need doing now and then. Any links to where they promise to replace them free?

Tools wise, to replace the bearings (officially…) you need two different sized drifts, a special removal tool and one bearing press. Most of it you could probably do with homemade drifts and press, same as most bearings, BUT the ones that are sunk into the APP links would be harder. As they are thin bits of alu, removing bearings needs a gentler approach than bash out/ bash in. SC do a tool specicially for it: http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/catalog/bearing-removal-tool-butcher-nickel-p-530.html , i think it would be tricky without that.

I like the Butcher, had mine since August 2010 run 1×10 with Marzo 55 RC3 ti 160mm forks. Weighs in at about 32lbs these days, still a bit at the porky end but it does get the job done and i have ridden a right mix of stuff since getting it. The rear shock was a problem for me right out the box (i have the RP23). It was dead in the midstroke (some reviews have found this so its not just me!) and seemed to not get full travel, but if i ran more sag it would pack down on repeated hits. A custom tune and PUSH from TF solved it and really got the bike to what it should be (boosted the hell out of the propedal too!). costs a bit, but i found it really helped.

I had my Heckler sorted free this year (after getting slight play in the pivot) with the shop I bought mine from. Anyhow they took my frame number and kept the old bits they swapped out to send back to to SC. As far as I know (and have been informed) the above is true with regards to the pivot parts being free for life. I guess the fitting charge is at the discretion of the bike shop? I’m happy.