Bottom bracket noise
 

Bike is a surly Ghost Grappler.
Specs are a samox BSA bottom bracket, with a samox BSA 2 piece boost.

I have narrowed it down to the bottom bracket. Nothing is loose to the touch, but I noticed the noise when I stood out of the saddle. I can replicate the noise when I am off the bike by grabbing both crank arms and putting lots of torque (I suppose it could be crank arm but not likely?)

I am planning on taking left crank arm off and seeing what's up. Is this from a lack of grease?
I also do not have a bottom bracket tool except some old Shimano tools from Nashbar from 20 years ago.

Ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Direct mount chainring isn't it? I don't know how they hold that on, but maybe it's loose. You'll have to take the crank out to tell anyhow. It is the 2 piece crank isn't it? Or do you have a older model with something else?

Make sure you know how to properly put that crank arm back on. Some people can't seem to put the Shimano two piece crank arm on correctly and they fall off later. But only a very few. Most get it correct.

If the BB is toast, then it's probably either just a cheap bb with poor quality control during manufacturing. Or you use it in harsh conditions, point a pressure washer too long and too close to the BB. Or just ride way more miles than I ever have in the time I keep a bike.

But be forewarned. Both I and others that have sworn a noise was coming from the BB eventually found the noise to be elsewhere.

That's one of the easier BB types to replace. Get the wrench. Get a torque wrench, too. Don't guess on that one.

Yeah, been looking online. What tool do I need? Only a million different ones to chose from.

Looks like I need one of the spanner wrenches....

Thanks

I don't think those tools are hard to come by. You can approach a bike shop and ask to buy a tool, they'll order it, charge you full retail though.

It's a standard Shimano Hollowtech II wrench like the Park BBT-9 or equal. I saw one on Amazon for $10.

I saw park tool had a BB search ..what I don't know, and should be easy to figure out, is the number of notches on the BB. Unless there is more of a universal tool.

Thanks

FME when the noise came from the BB, it was toast.