Creaks near the BB

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Jon2

Senior Member
Should there be any play at all from the cranks? I have a hollowtech 2 BB. Noticed the creak after a particularly wet ride after deliberately riding through puddles (had to test my new mudguards...) Creak started off on the drive side, but now seems to be both sides, and i can feel some vibration coming through the pedals. Is this caused by the play in the BB, or is that normal, and it's my pedals that are the cause?
 

Pauluk

Senior Member
Location
Leicester
If you can feel any 'play' or movement when you grip the crank arms or pedals and pull them side to side then they need checking. Did you remove your wheels when you fitted your new mudguards?
 
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Jon2

Senior Member
I did, they're the raceblade longs that attach to the quick release skewers. When i hold the crank and pull side to side, there is movement, so i guess it's the BB. As it's hollowtech, that means it needs replaced? There's a label on it that says to not disassemble...
 

Pauluk

Senior Member
Location
Leicester
The only reason I ask is that other people on here have reported a sudden creaking as if from their BB only to find that they hadn't reseated their wheels properly or had overtightened the quick release. Both of these caused a creaking sound that seemed to emanate from the BB.

If you can feel play however I guess the BB needs attention.
 

sidevalve

Über Member
Don't discount the pedals. I changed the BB only to find it was the pedal bearings giving out. Curses !!!
 

Hawk

Veteran
I did, they're the raceblade longs that attach to the quick release skewers. When i hold the crank and pull side to side, there is movement, so i guess it's the BB. As it's hollowtech, that means it needs replaced? There's a label on it that says to not disassemble...

Are your mudguards clamped by your QR skewer? I don't think that sounds right...
 
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Jon2

Senior Member
http://www.sks-germany.com/?l=en&a=product&r=mudguards&i=11014&RACEBLADE LONG BLACK

There's a video on the right which shows how they're fitted. For bikes with not mudguard eyelets.
 

Pauluk

Senior Member
Location
Leicester
Wow, apologies Hawk, they are clamped under the QR. That does seem odd as my QR fit inside a recess in the front fork. If anything was mounted under the QR I don't see how the wheel would fit securely and safely. It may work on my back wheel as this is a flat surface where the QR clamps.

Oh well, they must have thought about it and overcome the problem.
 

Alun

Guru
Location
Liverpool
The BB/pedals will only creak when the pedals are turned. Noise from the wheels will be independent of this. I bet its the BB hollowtech 2 bearings, they don't last long. Don't bother replacing the individual bearings, it's not much more to replace the full unit. Get the park tools spanner, not the bit to go on a socket set as this can twist under pressure.
 
Take the cups out, it's easy enough, and see how the bearings feel. I've just replaced (at ~8k miles) some Tiagra cups after the BB started groaning like a good-un out of the saddle. You could feel a distinct roughness in the drive side bearing.
 
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