likesbikes36

Hello,
I have a 2009 Haro F1. It is a single speed BMX bike. I have basic bicycle mechanics knowledge and have become familiar with BMX bicycles.

Well about a year ago or so a craking noise started to come from the bottom bracket. It usually only happened under alot of force(riding uphill) I took it into my LBS were the bicycle was bought because i did not know as much about maintaining my bicycle as i do now. They kept it for about a week because there BMX "expert" was on vacation, tightened some stuff and then when the expert returned he said it was normal for BMX bikes to have that noise after alot of riding done on them. Scince then the creaking noise has become more and more frequent.

now i have a bottom bracket that keeps loosening after i have tightened it several times and have had my LBS tighten it. My rear hub bearing cups also loosen fast. Yesterday i brought it in to the LBS to have them look at the bottom vracket and hub and all they said was needed was tightening. so they did it and i was on my way.

Today i rode around on it to see if anything was going on with it. I noticed the creaking noise was very frequent and at times creaked loudly with every revolution. I got home and noticed that the bottom bracken was begining to loosen and the rear hub was noticably loose.

My question is what could be cuasing these to loosen so quickly? i have expressed to my LBS that i believe it is a larger problem but they seem to think that tightening it correctly will fix it. Could it just be that it is not being tightened correctly or can it be more serious? I just want more opinions on this.

Any help will be much appreciated. TYIA

frankenmike 

What type of hub and BB? Could be lots of things- stripped threads, improper torque, shredded bearings or race, cracked frame, etc. More info. is needed.

Greyryder

On the hubs, I wonder what kind of shape the axle threads are in. Should be either the axle's threads are stripped, or one of the cone nuts is stripped.

Cranks are a little harder, without knowing the type of cranks. If they're a Profile style of crank, I've heard they sometimes pickup a clicking sound, when the spindle splines dig into sprocket/spider. The clicking is caused by a small amount of play letting the notches dug by the spindle slipping over the tops of the splines. Not sure why'd they suddenly be loosening up, unless the arms or spindle have gotten worn. But, those things will usually hold up to a lot of use and abuse.

This is what Profile cranks look like. Most three piece cranks in BMX are this style. They're either made by Profile ( sometimes with a different name on the side) or copycat designs that are compatible with Profile parts. Be warned, that in the 90s, there were some Profile style cranks out, that had a different number of splines, so the parts won't interchange.

canopus 

Creaking is not normal and any mechanic that says that is normal is lazy and should never get near a bike. Any type of creaking is usually metal to metal contact/movement. So either something is not tight, it is worn, or something is broken. I would pull the cranks out and check everything, check the paint for cracks or rust lines indicating a cracked frame check the bearings and spindle for the same. Replace any bad parts. When going back together make sure everything gets a thin finger applied coat of grease, threads, spindle, cups, etc. Pull the pedals and grease those threads also.

If things loosen up easily chances are good they aren't torqued sufficiently to keep them tight. So either they aren't torqued correctly to begin with or they can't be torqued correctly (dry threads). Most bearings should need adjustment shortly after newly ridden (1 to 3 weeks break in period), then only when overhauled. This does not include sealed bearings.

commo_soulja

Dude, that bike shop is absurd. Keep your bike for a week to wait for the bmx expert? GTFO! A bike is a bike is a bike. Only difference is how they're used.

Retro Grouch 

1. Clean your bike very carefully.
2. Now examine all of the welds in the bottom bracket area. If you see what looks like a black hair at the edge of the weld, you have a cracked frame.

Pritch4130

Sounds like a common noise in any bike. Especially new complete out of the box bikes. Pull BottomBracket Cups out, grease threads good. If it still continues to make noise. Pull bottombracket cups again and face and chase the Bottom Bracket.

likesbikes36

Here is everything on the bicycle that i know of. I believe it has 8 spline cranks. Also the rear hub has an oversized 14 mm axle.
https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...l=F1&Type=bike

I have replaced the bearings with new ones in the bottom bracket and adjusted the bottom bracked after the break in period. I just recently washed the bicycle and inspected the whole frame for such cracks and found none. I was surprised when they told me the creaking noise was normal because i thought it was serious any time there was one. I am stumped and will be mad if it turns out that creak that was "normal" ended up cuasing a major repair. It has been to long and they would probally say it was not there fualt or something.

I just want it fixed so i can ride on the road. We have been having alot of rain so the trails are not ridable for my Specialized.
If anything good comes from this it will be that i have learned more maintenance and can be less dependent on my LBS.

It isnt exactly "new out of the box" I have had it for a while and have already done all that you have suggested. well, not the facing and chasing, but would the LBS think to do that? thank you for your input.

canopus 

You shouldn't need a facing or chasing of anything for a creak. The only thing that does is make sure the faces are square and the threads are clean. Two things not highly important on that bike.

Can you duplicate the creak standing still? Or is only when you ride? Does it occur on the down stroke? Is it only one side or both? Have you greased the splines on the spindle?

Puget Pounder

I had this problem once. It was a cracked bottom bracket cup. It was on a sealed Shimano square taper BB with the plastic cup on the non-driveside. check it to see if it's cracked.

Kimmo 

Your LBS sucks... creaking isn't that unusual, but it's not something you should have to just tolerate. It's usually only serious if the cause is a crack, though.

Creaks can be bloody to chase down sometimes... from the sound of it, your BB seems suspect, so go over it with a fine-tooth comb - disassemble, examine it carefully for damage (WTF won't it stay tight? That's almost certainly related), and reassemble with grease on all metal-to-metal contact points.

likesbikes36

Hello im back!
It turns out the wobbley rear hub was crushed bearings. (all fixed)
also, the bottom bracket had one of its cones having a mushrooming effect. basically it was being crushed.
They replaced all of the cones and i think bottom bracket also. They charged me $36 for the whole thing(including new bearings in rear hub)

But that was last months problem with the bicycle.
Heres the new one: I was riding the haro for a while (this was like 2 weeks after it was fixed) and i noticed the crank arms were loose again. I was upset.
So, i called the shop and he suggested the possibility that the cranks and bottom bracket were not of a high enough quality for my size and weight. (5'11 1/2", 188 pounds) He suggested upgrading my crankset to a better quality one.

My main question is: could this be a possible cuase of the constant loosening? also, knowing that I bought it for $240 new, is it worth making such an upgrade?(the link to specs are in my previous posts on this thread)
I regret buying this bicycle, now knowing i could of gotten a better quality used one for the same price. I am just wondering what any of you guys would do if you were in my position.

You never know maybe i should take a brake from BMX and finally try out DJ

Thank you in advance for all your help with this little yellow demon

sathor

On a side note, put some WD40 into your pedals. I spent 3 days trying to figure out why there was a nasty creak after having my BB replaced which did nothing for the noise. (To be fair, the bushings were falling out and the crank arms had a lot of play in them) I was on my way to LBS#2 when I realised it was the new pedals I had installed. Specifically the Right one. Then again, I may not have noticed the problem with the BB as quickly if I hadn't been trying to find that sound, and saw stuff falling out of the BB. Sure, your BB may well be messed up, but it might be something else begging for mercy that you are hearing.

Puget Pounder

I wouldn't use WD40. It should really only be used as a cleaner/degreaser. Squirt grease in or use oil.

As for the loosening of the cranks... it seems like upgrading would be just throwing more money at the LBS. I wonder if it was just poor assembly..?

rydabent

There is a possibility that the BB is ovalized. Kinda like this 0. That allows the BB to move up and down and loosen. It happened several years ago to an expensive frame my son bought. The manuf replaced it. The manuf rep was amazed that I found the problem rather than the LBS mechanic that kept trying to tighten the hell our of it.

likesbikes36

How could you tell if the BB is ovalized?

Also, to puget pounder, the bottom bracket has been re assembled by me, and the LBS. I watched them do it and there did not seem as though there were any skipped steps. I just have no idea what else could be cuasing it.