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Clicks in my crankset/bottom bracket

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Clicks in my crankset/bottom bracket

Old 08-23-10, 08:03 PM
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Clicks in my crankset/bottom bracket

I have previously posted about this issue before... but this time things are different

I have consulted sheldon brown's page here on creaks/clicks/clunks
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html

It is a noise (about 1-3 quick clicks) that happens every crank revolution.. when i pedal really hard, it clicks more (3 clicks)... when i pedal slowly, it clicks 1-2 times... when i dont exert force and just let it coast downhill, sometimes it'll click once, sometimes not at all.

I have eliminated the possibility of it being wheel related because it definitely happens once per crank revolution...

Pedals are tight, greased, not loose at all.
The crank bolts are definitely properly tightened into the bottom bracket spindle.
chainring bolts are on tight and good...
bottom bracket cups are definitely tightened as they should be (pretty much how everyone recommended that I installed them, drive side tightened to about 25 foot pounds, non drive side just tightened in as far as you can with your hands, maybe an extra few twists... I even went as far as to replace my bottom bracket.. no improvement in the noise...
I doubt there are problems with all my pedals, I've dried some different pedals and the noise persists.
I don't think it's a saddle problem... I took off the seatpost and saddle and rode and the noise is still there. I don't think it's a handlebar problem either... I put 0 pressure on the handlebars (ride with no hands) and the noise still persists. I can feel a slight vibration in my crankset when it clicks, so I'm pretty sure it's coming from there.
I'm sure it's not something dumb like my shoelaces or something either... wear laceless shoes and still the same thing as well...

Now I'm thinking... is something wrong with my crank arms/chainring???

Thanks BF
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Old 08-23-10, 08:08 PM
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It could be a dirty chain, clean it and lube it to see if does anything.
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Old 08-23-10, 08:09 PM
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Have a shop tighten your bottom bracket, ride, and come back here to tell me I was right.
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Old 08-23-10, 08:11 PM
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If I've done all that my solution is to take it all apart, clean, regrease and put it all back on. If that doesn't work take it to a shop and see what they say.
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Old 08-23-10, 08:14 PM
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I tighten my drive side (right) cup to at least 40 ft-lbs and the non-drive (left) side to at least 30 ft-lbs. What torque did you use on your crank arm bolts? I use 400 in-lbs (33.3 ft-lbs). What brand / model of crank do you have? Is your frame steel or aluminum. Finally, is your chain too tight?
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Old 08-23-10, 09:19 PM
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@Vixtor my chain is definitely clean and nicely lubed.

@WoundedKnee I will try that tomorrow probably.. hopefully you are right man

@CharneK already been done... gonna go bring it to a shop I guess..

@TejanoTrackie I have just tried tightening it that tight to no avail... my drive side cup screws in all the way really easily... there are no more threads for me to even tighten it any further... non drive side to around 30 pounds... keep clicking crank arm bolts are 30 ft pounds... fsa vero crankset... reynolds steel frame... my chain is not too tight from my understanding, there is a good amount of slack (not too much) in my chain
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Old 08-23-10, 09:38 PM
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Originally Posted by JDMFanatic
I have just tried tightening it that tight to no avail... my drive side cup screws in all the way really easily... there are no more threads for me to even tighten it any further...
What kind of BB do you have? Doesn't the right cup have a flange that presses against the frame when you screw it in such that you can get a very high torque? It sounds like you may have some play between the cup threads and frame BB shell threads. This could lead to creaking and clicking.
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Old 08-23-10, 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Vixtor
It could be a dirty chain, clean it and lube it to see if does anything.
Maybe check the chain alignment and tension too. Reading what you've done so far with no success, maybe you need a sealed bearing system replacement this time ?

BTW, my Vilano had a similar problem, I kept on turning it over and readjusting the BB. Each time it screwed in a smidgeon more until I got it to a certain depth and now it doesn't make noises anymore. The lock ring on that I used a pretty good weighted hammer and screw driver to tighten that down too, just in case it was loosening up on me.

Last edited by fuji86; 08-23-10 at 09:43 PM.
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Old 08-23-10, 09:50 PM
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I had the same problem. My bottom bracket was installed improperly, so its at an angle. I had to get a new one, and lo and behold, the clicks went away. also, i tightened my cranks again
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Old 08-23-10, 10:04 PM
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Originally Posted by TejanoTrackie
What kind of BB do you have? Doesn't the right cup have a flange that presses against the frame when you screw it in such that you can get a very high torque? It sounds like you may have some play between the cup threads and frame BB shell threads. This could lead to creaking and clicking.
it's a tange sealed bearing internal bottom bracket.. 68x103mm... yeah theres the flange but I don't know how to get it to tighten any more... I've tried as hard as i could to get as much torque/leverage as I could but still nothing
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Old 08-23-10, 10:12 PM
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Originally Posted by JDMFanatic
it's a tange sealed bearing internal bottom bracket.. 68x103mm... yeah theres the flange but I don't know how to get it to tighten any more... I've tried as hard as i could to get as much torque/leverage as I could but still nothing
I think there's a communication gap here. Are you using a torque wrench? Is the torque wrench a click type and is it clicking at the preset torque? Or, are you saying the cup won't screw all the way in no matter how hard you try to tighten it?
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Old 08-23-10, 10:32 PM
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Got a cell phone camera, take pics and post them ?
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Old 08-23-10, 10:53 PM
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it's too dark for me to take any good pics but I'll try to show you what I'm talking about tomorrow TT. thanks for the suggestion fuji86. Yeah I'm using a torque wrench... but the thing is the cup wont screw in anymore... it's already all the way in..
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Old 08-23-10, 11:16 PM
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The cup I assume is the one on the non-chain side ? The chain side should be all the way in. I think you have this model ?

https://thebikesmiths.com/j/component...21506cb8f7.jpg

and would have a metal rather than plastic cup ?
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Old 08-23-10, 11:59 PM
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yes, it is a metal cup...

That is the part I'm talking about... that ridge on the chain side doesnt fit inside the bottom bracket shell so the bottom bracket just wont go any further than going all the way on that.....
the non chain side is fine and torqued correctly
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Old 08-24-10, 12:16 AM
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That part of the cup isn't supposed to go inside, it's supposed to fit flush with the frame bottom bracket shell and torqued tightly to whatever the spec is. The side that's supposed to be adjustable is the non chain side. How far does that protrude or does it torque to be flush with the frame bottom bracket shell ?

Last edited by fuji86; 08-24-10 at 12:33 AM.
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Old 08-24-10, 12:29 AM
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i had this problem once. try taking off your pedals, cranks and bottom bracket all off.

wipe clean and make sure your threads in your bottom bracket chamber is all good

then reinstall everything

i did this and the clicks went away. i think the problem w/ mine had to do w/ the bottom bracket and the crank arms.

good luck
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Old 08-24-10, 12:38 AM
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Originally Posted by TeddyVarious
i had this problem once. try taking off your pedals, cranks and bottom bracket all off.

wipe clean and make sure your threads in your bottom bracket chamber is all good

then reinstall everything

i did this and the clicks went away. i think the problem w/ mine had to do w/ the bottom bracket and the crank arms.

good luck
did that first... didn't work.. everything is fine down there..
it's flush with the frame's bottom bracket shell, no protrusion at all... can't make it any tighter than it is
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Old 08-24-10, 12:41 AM
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Hmm...
I noticed you said it also happen when you coast down hill...so I assume you are on the freewheel side?

It just could be a crappy freewheel if you are on the freewheel side.
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Old 08-24-10, 12:43 AM
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Really startin to sound like a problem for a seasoned mechanic to figure out
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Old 08-24-10, 01:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Vixtor
Hmm...
I noticed you said it also happen when you coast down hill...so I assume you are on the freewheel side?

It just could be a crappy freewheel if you are on the freewheel side.
That makes sense too. If JDM could also take pics of the chain, normal orientation & pulled on @ the bottom & center, between the rear cog and crank gear so we can see the chain tension that might help in a diagnosis here ?

JDM, What brand or model freewheel is it ? Also just out of curiousity here, what brand bike and model ?
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Old 08-24-10, 01:22 AM
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It might not be a freewheel...I just remember that he was looking for a track cog and lockring for his SST AL.

It could be the chain was too tight at one spot and it clicks, so many possibilities.
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Old 08-24-10, 01:35 AM
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by coasting I just meant like rolling down the hill without using any force on the pedals... letting my legs go with the cranks.. it is a fixed cog... sorry for the confusion there... good memory vixtor!
and this is a windsor the hour from bikesdirect...

but the thing is the clicking is timed to the rotation of the cranks, not timed to the rotation of the chain.. could it still be the chain?

I'm thinking it may be better for me to take it to the LBS, but me being the stubborn dude I am.. I want to fix this myself.. guess I have to take defeat this time
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Old 08-24-10, 01:43 AM
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What I meant is the chainring is slightly warped and it affects how tight the chain is everytime it passes the warped spot.

You could try loosening the chain tension slightly to help with the tight spot.
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Old 08-24-10, 01:49 AM
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And not being the original bottom bracket (?), is the chain line slightly off line and it's not meshing properly, just enough to be noisy or clunky after a brief break in period of riding ?

Edit: Well release some pressure off the chain at the point where you know the noise is being made and the pedal position.

Last edited by fuji86; 08-24-10 at 01:53 AM.
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