When I lift up my bike by the saddle or the top tube there is a slight upward movement and a clunk.

Is this normal with rear suspension?

Can’t remember it happening with my trance.

It feels like the clunk if your headset is loose but only occurs vertically.

Is some vertical play normal?

Nope not normal – usually something worn or not tight

Shock bush?

Could be the wheel bearings btw or not tight in the drop out

Bushings….

DrP

worn bushes almost definitely – the 1st time I got it I’d reached the stage where the bike would understeer and then snap into to oversteer as the back end could waggle about 2 inches laterally 😳

its a new frame isn’t it??

mine has started doing this, bearings on the frame are worn.

Has it got a coil shock?

If so try tightening the screw on the shock for the spring holding.

It worked on my v10.

Seems I missed out the key word – yep brand new frame.

Brand new RP23 air shock.

It’s only a few mm but definitely there.

I’m starting to wonder wether this is a new frame or a factory second!

What with this and the seat post issue – you begin to wonder.

Can you not check each link individually for play? Have you checked the wheel bearings?

When 18bikes sent thru the warranty claim jungle would have picked up the serial number – if it was a seconds frame they surely would have been alerted??

It’s from Jungle direct.

I can’t work out where the play is coming from.

doubt they would trot shite out

There’s apparently a dodgy batch of DU bushes doing the rounds. Given that they’re churned out by the 1,000,000 they could probably end up anywhere.

A mate just took delivery of a new Banshee, the CCDB Air arrived with play in the DU… they sorted it immediately, blaming said dodgy batch

Nightmare thought it was sorted now!!

I guess I best contact Jungle again!

still fine to ride mosey!

Am I not better to bring it up before riding?

Check all pivots are tight.
My brand new Norco had slight play in the rear, exactly like a worn du bushing. Once I’d pin pointed it with the ‘feeling play with the finger tips test’ I found a loose bolt…

You should be able to feel where the ‘play’ is coming from. What frame is it?

Of course. If you are in any doubt, do NOT ride it. Get it back to Jungle.

Santa Cruz butcher.

I’ll feel all the bolts now.

Right I did the finger test on all bolts but could feel anything. Then I gave the shock (an upgraded kashima RP23) a big wiggle and that was where the play was coming from.

The bolt felt tight but I gave I loosened it off and tightened again and the play is gone.

Thank you everyone.

chuffed for you 🙂

Thats the method, got to check each one in turn till you find it.

Glad you sorted it in the end.

😀

The bolt felt tight but I gave I loosened it off and tightened again and the play is gone.

Or have you just ‘clamped’ it?

I’d let the air out of the shock and make sure everything moves smoothly – you could also take the shock off and check both it and the frame/bearings/bushings too.

Did you torque it correctly?

What br said, to be sure.

Br if I’m honest I probably just cranked it but it wasn’t even hand tight. It was the only bolt on the frame that moved a few mm though when turned.

I don’t own a torque wrench yet.

Seems to coincidental that the play came from the only loose bolt.

I say loose as in it didn’t move In the finger test but turned easily with an Allen key to tighten.

Now I’m worried I’ve clamped. If I let all the air out of the shock what should I look for as an issue?

It will let you see whether or not all the pivots work freely, with no slop. Overtightening something will make it bind.

So if I let all the air out and cycle the shock if it moves through all the travel smoothly it’s ok?

Cheers for all the help fellas never had vertical play on a new frame before.

Order some new bushes from TF tuned and get the torque settings from Santa Cruz. They’re a couple of quid.

If that doesn’t work out send it back.

You’ll be dealing with this at least once a year, Santa Cruz’s (or at least the Nomad MK1 and MK2 and VP Free) eat bushings.

Just to mention with the bolt done up finger tight there is no play. Surely a brand new frame can’t need bushes?

Well if there’s a dodgy batch then yes – it will. Santa Cruz don’t make the bushings themselves.

The reason why I say get the correct torque settings is that there are different levels to how free the suspension moves, when my mega (and previous SX trail) is clearly not torqued up properly the suspension does move a bit more freely.

Spare bushes are always good to have around anyway – especially if you notice play whilst on holiday.

Ok well maybe I should look into getting a torque wrench.

I already had to drive an hour to get the seat tube sorted I don’t really wanna spend anymore money on what should be right from day one.

Mosey – in sheffield? I have a torque wrench you can borrow if you want mate

I already had to drive an hour to get the seat tube sorted I don’t really wanna spend anymore money on what should be right from day one.

Hope you get it sorted Mosey, I know it can be disappointing. Are you building a bike from a frame? If so you should definitely get a torque wrench.

Anyway I ask because I’ve had lot’s more minor issues with frames as compared to what I’d expect from full builds. I think the reason for this is that when full bikes are assembled, those doing the assembly process notice things like roughly finished seat tubes.

Shocks/shock bush top hats/reducers are held in place by clamping force provided by the bold and not by the bolt itself (i.e. not the shear resistance of the bolt, except possibly on bottom out) which is why you are not meant to grease any part of the bush or pin (you can grease or loctite the threads if you wish).

So it looks like they had just forgotten to tighten up the bolt, you/it will be fine if the play is now irradiated.

yeah im in Sheffield mate, thinking of picking up a torque wrench tomorrow. Thanks for the offer though.

Yeah frame only build so can’t blame an overlook in the assembly process, except the shock must have been taken out for the upgrade so it was probably missed then.

The shock seems fine with all the air out, full range of movement etc.

Jungle are sending me two sets of bushes to make up for the drive for the seat tube which is great.

As it’s the weekend they haven’t got back to me re the play yet so we shall see what Monday brings.