Truly odd rear wheel noise...

giffsa
giffsa Posts: 16
edited January 2011 in Workshop
I'd love to know if anyone can shed any light on this little situation:

The rear wheel on my old Merckx titanium bike has developed an odd, irregular clicking/creaking noise. It does it when i freewheel, when I pedal, even when i flip the bike upside down and spin the wheel (ie. no weight on the wheel at all). There's no regularity to it, and there's nothing making any contact with the wheel as it spins.

It's nothing to do with the drivetrain/BB, as it makes the noise without the cranks etc being engaged at all.

So I assumed it would be the hub, which I duly took apart and peered inside and cleaned... still the noise persists.

But the truly odd thing, which I only just noticed, is the noise goes away if I loosen the QR skewer holding the wheel in. If it's locked tight, it creaks and clicks, but if I loosen it as the wheel is spinning, the noise goes away. I changed skewers - no difference.

Does anyone have any thoughts, based on all this? It's really got me stumped. :?

Thanks in advance

Sam

Comments

  • rubbernekker
    rubbernekker Posts: 112
    Sam, that is a little odd, try this to isolate the problem further- You don't mention which hub it is

    Does the noise happen when you grip the wheel and pull it laterally in the bike- taking care to not rotate it?

    I will postulate that if it is no then it is likely to be your hub, not freehub bearings- why? because if it is happening when pedalling and freewheeling then these bearings are the ones that are moving in both situations.

    Second possibility- if the bike has cup and cone bearings look carefully at the cones too as these may have become warped or cracked- check the polished track of the bearings on the cone and see if it kinks or doglegs.

    Third- there may be a loose particle in the freehub mechanism- if it is serviceable you will have found it- if not replace freehub

    Fourth-If the answer to the 1st question is yes, look at frame and axle.

    If sealed bearings- replace em all- bet it goes away.

    Matt
  • kettrinboy
    kettrinboy Posts: 613
    Could be that the bearings are a bit tight, especially if they are cup and cone type with loose ballbearings, and the pressure of the skewer being done up makes them creak and tick.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    kettrinboy wrote:
    Could be that the bearings are a bit tight, especially if they are cup and cone type with loose ballbearings, and the pressure of the skewer being done up makes them creak and tick.

    +1 The trick of adjusting cup-and-cone hubs is to have a little play in the hub when the QR is loose, and no play when the QR is done up.
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