Rear wheel creaks when being turned slowly……at first I thought it was the gears slightly touching (as they do), but it’s not them or the brake caliper…….. It’s only when I tighten the axle up properly…..when it’s loose on the axle it doesn’t do it…and only does it in certain positions..... a bit like the chain being too tight (I have tried it without the chain on the sprocket). It has new bearings and cush drive bushes in the wheel assembly so I can’t think what the hell it is………….wondering if it is the bearing spacer in the axle actually touching the axle rod itself………. ...........unless of course I am missing a spacer washer or something…..it didn’t do it when I first fitted the ally swingarm and it didn't do it when the same rear assembly was in the steel swingarm. Any thoughts on what it might be, please? Thanks AL
Bearings are being side loaded Al. You have answered your own question by relaxing the torque, no noise and ease to turn the wheel.
my 750SS used to creak also from back wheel and I only heard it by fluke as I would cut the engine and glide the last few yards before parking at home. It took me a while but it was a silentblock (or blocks) flexing slightly as it loaded/unloaded per revolution - creaking disappeared when chain removed.
Thanks both................I think I just came to the conclusion it is the bearings tightening up.............even with the chain on, I can spin the wheel freely, but give the axle nut half a turn and it slows to a halt almost immediately.... ....odd that it was fine in the steel swingarm but not in the aluminium one.....I hadn't even done anything to the wheel when swapping them over. The spacer inside the wheel hub must also be a bit on the long side......giving the outer races a tap, I found that the opposite bearing shifts out a tiny bit... ....But it doesn't make sense, because when the axle is tightened it will mean the centre races should pull up together nicely. For the side load effect, I would expect the spacer to be too short....so perhaps it is. I'll try another wheel, but use the same sprocket and carrier...........now that my hands are filthy again. Thanks again, AL
Well........that's flipping odd..........three years that rear wheel has been in the steel swingarm with no trouble..........even after I fitted new bearings about eighteen months ago......... .........so why are the bearings binding the moment I stick it into an ally swingarm? Spare wheel in with no problems at all (apart from very slight clonk from cush bushes and spare brake disc a bit scratchy)...... Methinks a close examination of why the main wheel bearings are getting tight is about to occur...... Thanks again..... AL
If there is something under one of the bearings preventing it seating properly it will be subject to an axial load when you tighten the spindle nuts. It wouldn't need much only a thou or 2.
Have you put the cone spacer on the right way round? Remember that it goes pointy side to the bearings...
I might be daft, but not that daft...... I have put both wheels in out several times on both swingarms...........It was OK about a week ago........ I'm wondering if one or both bearings have shifted in their seats and pulled out a bit, then when the axle has been tightened (after chain adjustment a couple of days ago) the outer race /s have grubbed up a bit of ally swarf from the seat and stopped the bearings from going back home against the shoulder........at least that might fit with what Derek mentioned above. I will have to pull them out and have a good look and check the length of the spacer. AL.
Update........ .....only a few light taps and one bearing almost fell out.....looks like it might have been turning in the housing......can't be sure about that though. It is evident the spacer end washers have been rubbing on the wheel hub inside........mainly at one end. Spacer appears to be a bit long by about 0.25mm..... ....but I think that would pull all the centre races up nice and tight, leaving one or both of the outer races to settle not quite on the shoulder.... There's no pressure on the outer races in that condition is there? So unless one of the bearings is on the p*ss when it settles, I'm puzzled. Looks like Bearing Fit is called for.......and a small reduction in the spacer length..... AL
Well, that's bizarre...................and it leaves me baffled. It seems there are two shoulders for the bearings to sit against.......either that, or the bearings have been turning in the housing and have created a second seat......... Difficult to explain, but it looks as though the bearings have previously seated against the 'first' shoulder (which is where the bearing edge chamfer is), but tightening the axle has pulled them in further to the 'second' shoulder; thus making the spacer too long. It seems as though the rounded chamfer of the bearing edge has pulled past the 'first' shoulder. .....at least that's the only explanation I can think of......
I think I have found the issue.........the bearing on one side at least had been turning in the hub.....it had cut itself another seat albeit not quite level........the bearing housing had also gone slightly oval....not much but it means that the spacer had grabbed the inside of the hub. Anyway, I have got the bearings back in with Bearing Fit and apart from the spacer touching the inside a bit, the bearings seem OK even though I have them under load through the centre races while the Bearing Fit goes off. (Loctite 638..........I pity the poor sod who has to get them out again - probably me) So this wheel looks as though it will be a spare now...........shame really, it has new cush drive bushes and I know that getting them out could wreck them if I want to fit them into the other wheel. Besides, it's not easy doing this with stitches in my left hand.
I've got a spare rear from my old dd bike if it's any use to you. It's dent free but could do with touching up after multiple tyre changes. You've been most helpful with advice on my rebuild so you can have it for nowt if it helps.
Update on the creaking wheel.......... One of the bearings had been turning in the housing..........the housing is now oval instead of round and it has also created a lopsided seat.....nearly 1.5mm on the skew!! Fitting the bearing after cleaning up the seat etc, with Loctite 638 and hoping to get the d*mn thing central and parallel to the opposite bearing proved to be impossible.............tried it by using the axle etc to get it all straight and square didn't work. I should have been wary of the wheel when I changed the cush bushes in 2011, when I found that the sockets for them had been well mullered about...........had to insert three of them with Loctite 638 as well!! .......Anyway, the cush bushes have been pulled out and saved........all in good condition, so that has saved me a few quid; and the bearings have also been removed.......they seem OK, but I won't use them unless its an emergency. I took the wheel to a local machinist but in cleaning up the housing and bearing seat, the bearing goes in too far and to tidy up the oval hole would mean a sleeve around the bearing........either that or ally welding and re-machining. So the wheel is now scrapped....... AL
Oh, thanks greatly a bundle........Hopefully I can get you rather a large drink if we can meet up...... AL
