degree of difficulty: regreasing triad shock mounts on FSR

big_scot_nanny

Dear All,

A question for those of you with experience of a 2008 Stumpy FSR. I would someone to give advice on the level of complexity, and tools required, to regrease the shock mounts on a stumpy FSR comp. If it was possible to outline the key steps I should take, and the tools required, that would be totally tremendous. Had a look at park tools, but nothing specific, and the Fox/specialised sites just show a breakdown of the parts.

I am reasonbly competent with ususal drive train and brake work, even wheel truing I am OK at, but taking the shock out the frame fills me with fear that I will never get in back in again.

I have the apparently famous cracking/creaking noise from my bike under heavy load. Eliminated the drive train, pedals, saddle and seatpost (still happens with the seatpost reomved), bottom bracket, headset, and all answers seem to point to the shock mounts needed a good greasing.

Advice and help greatly appreicated.

Kev

big_scot_nanny

should add that living in Switzerland I am reluctant to use LBS. Even though they are plentiful, it is a total rip off, and as I bought my bike in the US, not from them, it makes them even less incliced to be supportive (certainly my local specialised dealer, the really good bike shop is a Trek dealer).

ta

Great Ayton

I could be wrong as I have never worked on the bike in question but I do not believe the bike in question uses grease per say. I believe its all sealed ball bearings and bushings. But as I say I don't know that bike all to well.

nicklouse

the shock mounts. allen key and grease.

undo bolts, remove .grease, fit, do up bolts.

stumpyjon

It's quite possible you'll have seized bearings as well. That's what was causing my 07 stumpy to creak like a galleon in full sail. So as well as undoing everything you may need to pop the covers off the cartridge bearings, flush them through and get them moving again. Best way to get the innards clean is to remove both covers but you do this unless you push the bearing out of the frame. Don't try removing the bearings above the rear axle, there's actually two bearings in there seperated by a ridge in the seat stay, b*gger to get out without specialist tools.

Stripprd my frame again this year and there has been no return of the phantom creaks that plagued me at the end of 2007.

One tip, if you do take everything apart make sure you know which way around all the bushings etc. go back in. Probably a full diagram with recommended torque settings in the manual, is for the 07 frmae.

timberjack

I had the same problem as you with my 07 bike. Have you tried taking the back wheel off and greasing the dropouts, grease lightly all the surfaces on either side and that may cure it, it did mine. Hope this helps as i know what your going through, ps shock is dead easy to take off on the 07 bike

timberjack

Stumpyjon, i second what you say about the bearings above the axle, i was braying mine with a hammer and socket, i made a holder out of a log with my chainsaw and it wasn't til the bearing flew to bits i realised there was a lip seperating the bearings

big_scot_nanny

nick, love the response. Clearly from someone who has 'the knack' like many of my engineer friends, but most unlime me. I can break anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmYDgncMhXw

stumpyjon: good to know you got it sorted. Found teh manual as you recommend with diagrams and torque settings etc. Thanks. I don't think (but prob wrong) the shock mounts are bearings on the 08 FSR, so I take it you mean the ones on the main pivot points on teh seat tube or behind the BB?

Timberjack, will check that out too, many thanks! Your attempts at maintenance sound a little like mine.

It's the damndest thing this creak. Stationary with me jumping up and down on the saddle to flex the sus, there are no noises, just nicely damped travel, with the brake on I rock the bike as hard as poss to check the headset. silence. Stationary, I put each pedal at the bottom of the rotation and put my weight on it to induce some flex.. silence. get on teh bike and pedal hard...?? ccrrrrkkkk... crrrkkkk

stumpyjon

Yes, sorry about that. It may not be the shock pivots that are the problem. It's often the bearings that have seized so they need freeing and greasing. If you think about it bearings are generally designed to rotate, on a full suss they just rock back and forward.

I know what you mean about the creaks though, common problem on a Stumpy, probably is on other full sussers as well. Best cure is a complete strip and rebuild, but it does take time and a bit of know how.

Timberjack, oops :oops: , I used a socket and a vice to try and push mine out, luckily I stopped before anything bent or exploded. Still haven't managed to get them out, I just remove the dust cover I can get at and fluch them out as best i can before regreasing.

timberjack

i had to get mine out as one was totally shot, did it with a screwdriver and a hammer in the end

stumpyjon

That's ok for getting them out if you're going to replace them, getting them back in should be easier.

Trouble is I'm tight / broke and won't buy new bearings, just want to get the old ones turning again.

timberjack

i can sympathise with you on being skint £40 for a set of bushes when i only needed one. I bled my own brakes yesterday and changed the dust seals and oil on my forks , a year ago i would of got someone else to do it

big_scot_nanny

big_scot_nanny wrote:

It's the damndest thing this creak. Stationary with me jumping up and down on the saddle to flex the sus, there are no noises, just nicely damped travel, with the brake on I rock the bike as hard as poss to check the headset. silence. Stationary, I put each pedal at the bottom of the rotation and put my weight on it to induce some flex.. silence. get on teh bike and pedal hard...?? ccrrrrkkkk... crrrkkkk

Short update: after greasing the shock mounts, noise was still there and getting worse. driving me potty. Bit the bullet and went to a good LBS (Danny's Import bikes in Oberwil, Basel, in case anyone pops by he is fab, and his range of Cube's are rather lovely. Esp the Sereo in Black. Ooyah!).

Key bit from my quote above: inducing flex by pushing on one pedal when off the bike. Went to Danny, explained problem. He rode the bike for 30 seconds, jumped off and pushed down a lot harder than me on both drive and non drive sides. Now, I don't know whether I had pushed hard enough, or just not done it on both sides, but there was cearly something way wrong with the non-drive side crank as it was celarly the one prodcuing the crrrkkkk noise.

Left it with him and apparently someone (surely not me? ha ha) had stripped one of the threads on the innermost crank allen bolt, thus it was not really doing anything. The BB and axle were fine, but the crank arm was shafted. Replaced with an SLX one and I know have beautiful silent running.

Thanks all for your help, I have a silent bike!

Now, if someone could help me ride uphills without expiring like a whale on a beach, everything will be perfect.

Kev