Can jetwashing bike=creaking BB after only 3 months?

andyturner28

I know, i'v been very noughty, and have been jetwashing my bike instead of using a sponge and bucket of water because i am a lazy fecker. I now have a creaking noise which seems to be coming from the BB area, but can only be heard when peddling hard, and it's even louder when peddling very hard out of the saddle. I stripped the cranks out the other day and cleaned all the faces etc. Dose this sound like the BB? It's a standard XT external BB by the way, with 07 HT2 cranks. Could it be the chain? Also i have replaced the chain ring bolts with Brand X ones recently. Should i have greased them before fitting?

I need the bike fully fit for a ride this weekend, so if someone could let me know their thoughts asap so i can order the parts in time. Feel free to call me an idiot, plank, etc too :roll:

Cheers,

Andy.

nicklouse

could be anything. read the finding that noise topics on parktools.

and yes iy could be your bb or your....

Raph

BB more likely to rumble than creak - contact between cranks and axle might creak. You don't say whether stripping cranks has made any difference or not. If it's still there then did you grease ends of axle? Greasing axle and non-greasing axle are two religious gropups that will never agree on anything so expect an argument with someone.

Chainring bolts - definitely grease them. I know you say "seems to be coming from the BB area" but noises like this can be amplified through the frame and could originate anywhere so also check headset and if your frame has any bolted-on bits, e.g. some old carbon frames have bolt-on aluminium bits such as rear drop-outs, they can also creak and need greasing on mating surfaces and bolt threads. I've been there.

andyturner28

It's definately not the headset. It is loudest when out of the saddle and at the bottom of the peddal stroke. It dose seem to be amplified through the frame, eg, i can feel a vibration through the bars. It's a steel frame, so no bolt on bits. It's definately not coming from the rear. I'll try greasing the chainring bolts tomorrow. I think i will order a new BB now just in case anyway, as i have been jetwashing that area for months since replacing it, so i think that is the most likely candidate.

Nick- i had a look for the the "finding that noise" topic on Park Tools but couldn't find it. I don't suppose you could post up a link?

Cheers,

Andy.

nicklouse

Andy, look in the MTB FAQ forum.

andyturner28

nicklouse wrote:

Andy, look in the MTB FAQ forum.

Thanks Nick.

hamstrich

Hi Andy,
I had a similar problem - a noise that occurred with every downward pedal stroke, but only when pedalling hard and especially when out of the saddle. I removed the BB and cleaned and greased the threads, which cured the problem completely. I'm not sure if this would be the same problem as yours - my noise was definitely a 'click' more than a 'creak', but perhaps greasing your threads would be worth a try - it doesn't take very long to do.
Hope this helps,
Rich

del46

hi andy ive had the same problem three times on one of my bikes.my bb shell hasnt been faced on this bike but thats not the cause of the problem because when i first fitted a GXP bb for my truvative crank it creaked but it wasnt until i removed a non drive side spacer that the creak was cured, however since then ive swapped cranks on my bikes and now ive had probs with HT 2 BBs plus a[hope ceramic ht2] BB. Ive tried removing a left side spacer but no joy plus tried loads of grease.Im now going to try removing one spacer from other side.del 46

pittpony

Hi Andy,

I'm suprised cleaning and greasing didn't help. It sounds like mine did once and that sorted it out nicely, but then i properly filled it with grease Other times i've had noise i made sure there was zero play in the cranks and tightened the chainring bolts which seemed to work

RussAlf

Mountain Goat mate, check the xt cassette you have, mine creaked where the rings connected to the plastic spider holder thingy. Took it off and lubed it up and no more creaking!

RussAlf

p.s Your an idiot

andyturner28

Cheers guys. I fitted a new BB yesterday which didn't help, so i think it's either the chainring bolts where i didn't grease them before fitting, or something at the rear end. I'll have a fiddle with them tomorrow, got the rear brake to faff around with at the moment. I shortened and bled it today, and now it screeches lika a b*&$c and every time i stand the bike on the rear wheel the lever goes straight to the bar ! I love bikes!!!

Raph

"It's definately not the headset. It is loudest when out of the saddle and at the bottom of the peddal stroke. "

The fact that it happens under pedal pressure doesn't prove it's in the area of the pedals (doesn't mean either that it isn't of course) - the whole bike gets stressed at the same time. I've had creaking like this a few times over the years and once it was in the BB - never found out whether between cup threads and shell or between axle and crank because I greased them at the same time, but anyway it cured it, another time it was a headset cup creaking in the head tube, another time is was a rear aluminium drop-out bolted to a carbon fibre seat stay. In all those cases it always sounded and felt like it was in the pedals, cos it was when giving the pedals a good dose of grief going up hills that it did it the worst.

Think of someone blowing a raspberry with their lips, then doing the same into a trumpet - the cause of the sound isn't in the vicinity of the bell - where you hear the sound isn't necessarily where the cause is. Sorry I'm going off into pontificate mode...

Confucius he say - man who go to bed with stiff problem wake up with solution in hand.

Raph

Oh - and I remember a brand spanking new campag chainset that creaked because the chainring bolts were bone-dry.

deadpool2e

Have you checked the pedals?? Does it creak only when pedaling on one side or both (as you bob)?

My old stupy used to creak and all i had to do was tighted the chain ring bolts a bit as they was flexing underload.

And Andy if you do ever get a full sus you have to live with all manner of creaks from all the bloody bearings moving around :shock: .

andyturner28

I still havn't greased the chainring bolts yet as i was to preocupied with sorting the rear brake out last night, and went riding Dh with an old mate tonight, so still none the wiser :roll:
I think i can prety much guraentee it is coming from the chainset/BB area, as when i pull the rear brake and put pressure on the peddal, there is a distint click under pressure and also when i release the pressure, so it dose sound like it's the chainreing bolts. Can't be sure till i try though. I'll stip it all out again tomorrow and regrease everything. I have some copper grease i use when changing car brake pads. Is there any reason why i can't use that? I mean will it react with the ally at all.

Cheers,

Andy.

pittpony

I think most people would suggest you use something like a teflon Grease Andy

zaynan

list of possibles to illiminate (grease & ride between each one to test/illiminate)

Pedal bearings
pedal threads
crank bolts
crank interface with bb
chainring bolts
bottom bracket threads
cleats on your shoes
But consider other areas of the bikes - you'd be surprised how noises can fool you!

If all these fail you need a new bike - only joking!

andyturner28

Ok i am really confused now :? I have just stripped the chainset down again and absolutely smouthered everything in grease, including the chainring bolts, and it's still creaking! I think it is definately something in the chainset, as it happens when i grap the crank arms with my hands and put pressure on them. I noticed while doing this that the chain is stretched (after just over 3 1/2 months!) and when i take up tension the chain around the bottom of the chainring goes loose. Could this cause it?

Andy.