Hey guys.

I had started a thread a while back about a bad rattle that I have in the rear of my '05 Big Hit. I thought it was tolerance problems with the eyelets on the rear shock, but after checking all tolerances and having the LBS check the frame, nothing is wrong with any of that. However, the rattle remains.

Here is what I know:
The rattle sounds like it is a cable hitting the frame, but that has also been eliminated. I electrical taped every single cable tight down and no change at all in the rattle.
When I add a slight bit of weight on the saddle, there is a small click that can be felt and it seems a quiet version of the rattling noise can be heard. After feeling around, I am 99% sure it is coming from the Vanilla R rear shock.

Is this rattle common? Is there something that could be wrong inside the shock?

Any suggestions you guys have would be appreciated, because I don't know what to do outside of getting a new shock, but I am not sure if it is worth it.

Thanks.

Also, how do you remove the bushings to remove the spring?

Thanks.

I get the same thing on my Fox float/FSRXC. I've removed the shock to clean and grease the pivot points, and investigate the knocking. As far as I can tell, the source of my noise is that the bolt that secures the shock, which is also the pivot bolt, is just a slightly smaller diameter than the mounting hole on the shock arm(actually the metal bushing that resides in the mounting hole). This difference in size allows the shock to move around on the bolt causing the knocking sound. This is confirmed when I put my hand on the shock pivot point, lift up on the saddle, and feel the shock arm move(not pivot) and "knock" on it's pivot bolt. Either the bolt diameter is too small, or the pivot bushing inner diameter is too large.

Short of finding a slightly larger diameter bolt, or a bushing with a slightly smaller inner diameter, I can't think of anything else that would get rid of the knocking. If the bolt is the part out of spec, then replacing the shock wouldn't do any good, and I'm not willing to buy a new shock to see if the new bushing fits better(only to find out it's the bolt's fault after all).

Sucks...

Well, I just read your other thread, and it sounds like you're getting the same thing I'm getting. I'm %100 positive it's a mismatch between the bolt and the eyelet bushing. The only good thing(if there is such a thing) is that, as Rev.Chuck mentioned in your other thread, the play is only evident when the saddle(and thus the pivot joint) is unloaded. I ride mainly XC so I rarely notice it when I'm riding...it's only when I'm loading it onto the car that it bugs me. If your Big Hit gets a lot of air, I can see where the knocking might be a bit more evident.

Another clue for mine is that it's only a recent(just this season) issue. I've ridden the bike(bought new) for 2 seasons prior with no issues.

Just ran across this. Still looking for somewhere to get actual bushing kits, but this is what's going on with mine.

https://www.bikemagic.com/news/articl...N/3211/v/4/sp/

My Cannondale had a loose feeling and knocking noise at the bushing mount. It turned out that the bolt and nut stripped, not allowing proper torque on the bolt. replacing the bolt cured that.
My Santa Cruz's Fox DHX 5.0 recently had a loose knocking sound on the lower mount end. It turned out to be the bushing/reducers were worn out.The bolt is supposed to be slightly smaller than the bushing hole. After ordering them from the LBS and replacing them(had to press them in), I don't get any more play, and it's solid now. Maybe this might be your problem