BB30 Creaking fix + removing FSA cranks

gimmiespacerock

Hi,

My Focus Cayo 3.0 is up to 3.5k miles on its original BB30 with no maintenance to this point. The only thing of note that happened was that after delivery I was getting a bit of a squeal from the BB which LBS sorted by spraying in some kind of oil.

After a very thorough wash at the weekend, the cranks have started creaking (despite avoiding spraying directly on BB seals) - see video here -> http://youtu.be/Vd4WTTOqP38

Am I correct in understanding that I need to grease the bearings to fix this?

To do so I need to remove the cranks (FSA Gossamer) which looks like a large hex on the non-drive side, then knock out the drive side. I found a video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoUNL8FDweQ) which shows this process on an alu frame bike. Is removal of the cranks broadly the same for my carbon frame? Will this allow me access to grease the bearings?

I don't have a torque wrench so I wonder if reassembling the crank is sensible without one?

I'd like to have a go at this DIY as I don't have a lot of money, however if I'm gonna have to buy much in the way of tools then it may be cheaper to take to my LBS.

Finally, is it OK to ride with it creaking like this?

Cheers

Mike

Salsa

You can follow those removal instructions then feel the bearings for ruffness once the cranks are out. If they feel ok then just clean the bearing inner race and the axle and coat both with a layer of grease then reinstall the crankset. Normally it sorts it the sound goes away. If it doesn't then you need new bearings. It's pretty easy to bang them out and install new ones, but it's up to yourself whether you feel confident to do this without the correct tools (I have before). It's worth going to a shop to tighten the crank to the correct torque afterwards though.

gimmiespacerock

Thanks for the reply. I've looked at the videos for bearing and crank fitting on the FSA website and it looks like the bearing rings are one piece. If I remove the crank, wavey washer and bearing covers exposing the bearing rings and apply grease to them, it doesn't look like I'm actually applying grease where it will matter - ie around the balls and ball runs. is this correct?

Thanks

Mike

mattv

Often creaks from bb30 are either a dry crank axle(grease it where it slides into the bearings) or movement between the bearings and the frame. This is harder to cure, sometimes it needs a specific threadlock type sealant into it.

Salsa

Often times it's just the dryness of the axle touching the bearing surface that produces the creak and doing what I said cures it. The bearings themselves are sealed and you can't get grease into them, maybe by pulling the cover off the bearing you could but personally I think that you won't get the cover back on correctly.
As Mattv said it's sometimes the bearing/frame movement.

Dave_P1

Those bearings sound shot as my mtb made the same noise when they were gone.
Remove the cranks and if the bearings are rough then time to replace. If not, remove bearings, clean and re-grease everything and it should be silent again.

paulmon

I had a similar problem http://youtu.be/AYCzIN4epwE I have since removed the bearings and re-greased at regular intervals. If you are trying apply grease with the bearing still in the frame you will need to get a pin to remove the grey/black dust cover. Once you remove that you will see the bearings. They are held in a cage so shouldn't fall out all over the floor. If they do they are shagged anyway and will need replacing.


WP_20140205_001 by m00nigan, on Flickr


WP_20140205_002 by m00nigan, on Flickr

As for tightening the crank without a torque wrench. Don't think you can get the correct torque by just using an allen key without any additional leverage. You wont.