How do you know when the pivot bearings have gone ? I have a strange creaking coming from the crank or shock area. Creaks when out the saddle and very very slightly if I stand off the bike and push down.
Should feel play when wobbling the rear wheel? Also if you lift the saddle slightly you may feel the play in bushes of the shock.
What bike, age, do you Pressure wash?
Could be loose crank, bb, pedals, etc
disconnect shock (letting out air first of course) remove back wheel, move linkage to feel for looseness and roughness/smoothness.
2014 Giant anthem 29er. In very good condition and not used off road much.
All seems thight. Never pressure washed. Does not seem to be any play in the back wheel or movement when I lift the back wheel up.
First time I [s]had[/s] [i]noticed[/i] it it had got bad enough that the bike was handling like as US cop's car in a movie chase - understeer flipping to oversteer half way round a corner, bloody terrifying. Took the bike in to a shop and they laughed their arses off at me in a friendly look at the daft englishman way (was in california) as they waggled the swingarm an inch either side of centre 😳
Take the linkage apart,put your finger in the bearing and turn it,if it won't turn or is very notchy you need new bearings
With the shock and wheels in, there's so much force involved that you'll only usually feel it if they're absolutely ****ed. Taking the wheel out and unbolting one end of the shock removes that so give it a waggle and feel (listen with your fingers! It's vibration and crunching you're feeling for) and you'll often spot things you never would otherwise.
I like to isolate the pivots properly- which on my bike means, unbolt the shock and undo one set of linkage bolts, that way I can move every pivot individually, that's not much more work and is pretty much definitive.
Horrible intermittent cracking noise when riding.
Took off the shock and the back wheel, cycling the swing arm through the travel felt realy notchy.