Hey guys, I need your help.
From last couple of rides I've been getting this cracking noise that is coming from shock area. I can't really locate the sound source, it seems like it's coming from the inside of the frame maybe? All the pivot and shock nuts are tightened as they should be. Noise is much more audible when the shock is in Firm mode, I'm guessing because there's not a lot of movement and the shock compresses much less. Frame and the shock are relatively new (1.5yr).
Has anyone experienced this kind of cracking noise and if you have any mechanical advice, I would really appreciate it!
https://reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/1k64udl/where_is_this_cracking_noise_coming_from_propain/
by baneya
10 Comments
I have never heard that noise come from a bike mate, sounds like its a cross breed with a ratchet.
When was the last time you greased or cleaned those pivots?
start with saddle and see if noise is still there not touching the saddle. then pedals. Headset would be a guess then pivot points which is harder to deal with. I start with the easiest and move to hardest fix.
If it’s relatively new and you bought it from a shop I would take it to them and see if they can grease the pivots on it a lot of times they won’t even charge you sometimes from the factory they aren’t greased very well. I had a similar issue on my Scott with the headset and a creaking noise.
Sounds like a fubar’d pivot bearing … can almost here the individual ball bearings rolling over a crack or dirt.
That’s your pivots. Time to clean and regrease. Might as well check the bearings too.
What are you pressing on in video to cycle the shock?
In general this sounds like something needs to be cleaned and greased. I would take the pivots and shock linkage apart, check all the bearings, clean, regrease, reassemble …
It sounds like there’s a little play somewhere. I would start by undoing, greasing, and re-torquing all pivot bolts and geo-adjustment chips. Try pushing from other spots on the bike since it could be the seat tube/post connection, saddle rail clamp or even the saddle rails themselves. Next pull the wheels and grease the axles as well as dropping the fork, adding a little grease to the bearings and reassembling.
Have you had the shock serviced ever? I usually have a shop do it annually. Creaks can be tough to pinpoint as sound travels through the frame.
Put your finger between each pivot point as you flex the linkage, you should be able to feel what’s happening
Push from the top tube and see if it still makes the noise (removes saddle or dropper from the scenario). Feel each pivot point and see if you can feel those pops anywhere in particular. Unbolt the shock and see if everything moves smoothly and quietly with no load. You just have to start isolating different parts of the bike to determine the source of that noise and then assess a fix from there.