PSA: Having problems with a creaking hub?

[rob.northcott]

Originally Posted by minimalist

The hub on my KH29 also creaks, at least I think it is the hub. It only seems to creak when I'm climbing hills.

Hmmm... thinking about it, I sometimes get a bit of a creak from my 29er on steep climbs - I thought it was from the adjustable seatpost but perhaps I'd better start suspecting the hub. If I can narrow it down to the hub I'll try some loctite on it before it gets too bad and see if it helps. (it's over a year old now so won't be under warranty).

Rob

[mbalmer]

Originally Posted by minimalist

The hub on my KH29 also creaks, at least I think it is the hub. It only seems to creak when I'm climbing hills. Since I bought it in January 2010 I guess my only recourse is to ride it until it goes bad and then rebuild it.

January 2010 was when I got mine and they replaced it end of April 2011. Can't hurt to ask. I called and talked to them. I wouldn't email. Mine only really creaked while climbing or accelerating. Flat or gentle slopes it was quiet. I hope the new ones are fixed. I'm hoping my rebuild is ready by this weekend for the holiday. If not, I will use the Schlumpf. It's fun and challenging, just not as relaxing for me.

[Monette]

My KH29 is only 5 months old. About a month ago it started making this noise. Occurs only when cranks are depressed. I can spin it freely without noise. Was told by store I purchased one month ago that they needed a double arm bearing puller and chain lube to repair. Growing more frustrated each day I phone and ask.
I had averaged maybe 4 hours of riding a week before this noise. I am 50 and haven't ridden since I was 12. Needless to say I am not a hard rider. Stopped riding cause I didn't want to cause more damage.
Tempted to take it to a bike repair shop and pay for them to try to handle this problem but worried cause they are not familiar with my problem.

[Nurse Ben]

Tempted to take it to a bike repair shop and pay for them to try to handle this problem but worried cause they are not familiar with my problem.

It's not something that can be fixed by a bike shop. Call the place where you purchased the uni, let them know it's creaking.

[Monette]

Thanks for the "do not take to bike shop" advice.
I have returned to store of original purchase. He pulled the cranks and then reinstalled them which did nothing. He researched the problem and found advice to use a bearing puller then chain lube to repair. Didn't have a bearing puller. Said he'd call when he did. That was more than a month ago. I have called since and told still no bearing puller.

[steveyo]

OK, I've begun to notice a very high-pitched squeak every pedal revolution, climbing, on flat, and downhill. It does not make this noise when I just spin the the unweighted wheel.

It does not sound like spokes creaking, but as high-pitched as a cricket chirp, or even higher pitch. Is this what you originally heard, Ben? Does this coincide with others' problems?

[Nurse Ben]

OK, I've begun to notice a very high-pitched squeak every pedal revolution, climbing, on flat, and downhill. It does not make this noise when I just spin the the unweighted wheel.

It does not sound like spokes creaking, but as high-pitched as a cricket chirp, or even higher pitch. Is this what you originally heard, Ben? Does this coincide with others' problems?

The 29er had a higher pitched squeak like you're describing, the Surly was a creaking like a hinge, which makes me think wheel size has something to do with sound transmission/pitch.

The Surly/KH hub creaking sounds a lot like a loose/worn crank, so I tried three different cranks that were all fresh, installed them with grease and the creaking remained unchanged. Same thing with the 29er, different cranks did not change the sound. I also played with the spoke tensions and looked for broken spokes, but to no avail.

The proof is in the pudding, as they say, since changing out hubs on my 29er and Surly, the creaking noise is completly gone.

[fireboy]

Mine started this creaking about two months after purchase. UDC replaced hub w/ no questions asked. My problem is that I have to disassemble and reassemble the wheel or pay someone else to. I think this should be covered as well. I bought the KH 24 with an assembled wheel and I wouldn't be disassembling the wheel if not for the problem. It only cost $650.00, this should not be happening!

[Nurse Ben]

I bought the KH 24 with an assembled wheel and I wouldn't be disassembling the wheel if not for the problem. It only cost $650.00, this should not be happening!

Try doing that three times!

[Nurse Ben]

Seems like we have three or four threads with "related" problems.

Bumping this thread.

[steveyo]

My hub started squeaking only 30-40 miles ago, and I plan on using this Saturday for the Whiteface climb. Would anyone here have a guess as to how many miles this thing has left on it before the performance begins to degrade? I'm hoping at least 8 more miles!