Soloutions for creaky cranks.

[mikesnowdon]

Hi all.

Running Middleburn RS7 XC Duo on Hope Ti BB, Crank bros egg beater pedals. Chainring bolts are alloy. Crank bolts are Middleburn self extracting type.

Got loads of creaking lateley. Tried tightening the crank bolts and there was a fair bit of room for tightening. It got less creaky but has now come back and is worse. In the past I would apply a small amouth of grease to the tapers before fitting the cranks and has no issues. I have read this is a bad idea though as it can cause the cranks to crack from being forced onto the BB spindle too far.

Is this true and if so what else can be done to cure the creaking?

 

[sancho]

Did you remove them and clean the tapers and axle before tightening them back down?

 

[mikesnowdon]

Did you remove them and clean the tapers and axle before tightening them back down?

No


:roll:






Will give it a bash

 

[pete_mcc]

Titanium BBs have a big habit for doing this. Rather than any grease use a little copper slip/Ti antiseize. This is about the only way I have found to reduce the creaking.
Often, though, I have found that cranks start to creak on the BB after the crank tapers have been stretched or have been run loose for a while - Ti BBs are lovely but often require a bit more maintenance and care than steel ones

 

[FluffyChicken]

I can back up pete, just taken my Ti bb out as it's creaking against a set of cranks, even using anti-sieze. Unfortunatly the crank arms where not brand new so had slight wear. The Ti axle couldn't cope with that, steel is fine though.

The Ti axle are not as smoorh as the steel ones, so seem to be tighter before the steel are tight on and also enable the grip to loosen them

 

[mikesnowdon]

Thank guys's. I think I'll just try the old greasing the tapers trick. I'll take care not to over tighten the cranks and just give them a little nip every ride untill there on nice an solid. I cant seeit doing ayn harm as its never been an issue for me in the past.

 

[paddlingpool]

Axle tapers should be bone dry. If you grease them your crank tapers will wear and become rounded.

I would try taking the BB out cleaning and regrease the threads there, refit and then clean the tapers on the BB and the crank arms, refit bone dry, then clean and regrease the pedal threads and refit.

 

[mikesnowdon]

Ok. Will do that first and see what happens.

Thanks to all for your advice.

 

[Rio]

If you did all of the above with no results, it might be your chainring bolts. I had the same problem, and finally refitted my alloy chainring bolts (after cleaning) with some copper slip -> problem solved!

 

[racer x]

Could be your large chainring if its got a little alloy noodle that sticks out just behind the back of the crank arm

Have a look to see if its touching the back of the crank arm if it has one if it has then it could be making a nose rubbing the back of you crank arm when your riding as them arms might flex when getting the power down

Some chainrings come wit out the noodles this mite help

If not its the tapers