My poor Oz won't shut up

[firsttimeflexer]

AAAAAAHHHH!  My bike won't shut up!!! Yesterday I took a huge unexpected drop on my My beloved oz and now it creaks like hec!  It is not the pivot, I dont think that it is the crank either because it is a xtr '04 unit and my Lbs says it is not but where limited to that info becuase they have not seen a bike like this ever( they had the nerve to joke and ask me if i stole this bike from the Smithsonian,......fools!) I am thinking that the noise is comming from the sleeve that attaches the bottom bracket to the carbon frame is it possible to be so?  Can it be fixed? Or do i face up to the fact that my 5500 which i Love like a family member is on its way out??!!  [smiley=doh.gif]Please fellow flexers help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[4500_rider]

Check the rear dropouts.  If you landed hard check the area around the rear shock - specifically the carbon fibre plates under the seatpost where the shock bolts to - I have had hassles with these before.

[Old Proflexer]

i've had creaks come from every possible place, from the handlebars to a slightly loose bolt at the shock to well, every place else.

i'll strip the bike to the bone and rebuild it but havent' had a squeek in quite a while.  but first, tighten down your three crossbolts on the bike - upper rear shock, lower rear shock and the main crossbolt at the pivot.  

on the main - old specs called for 175 inch pounds. get it to 200 or so, once i did - never have heard another peep from there.

OP

[Carbon_Angus]

i'd check for something.....broken or cracked   maybe not that bad....I hope

shock mount areas, top and bottom,

drop outs and

boy i hope it ain't your bb shell and

the post that the front der hangs on. that post will move a litte anyway, but it will not be loose or floppy

but the BB shell is tender so I just hope it ain't that..... [smiley=worry.gif]

[smiley=beer.gif]

[Simon]

Check your seat post insert,they come loose and creak like mad,check by trying to twist your saddle around with the seat post still clamped,it will twist if its come loose (may require a bit of effort),if this is the case remove and re-secure with loctite 648.
Simon.

[firsttimeflexer]

Oh my god I just took the the swing arm off in attempt to solve creaking and all hell broke loose!!!  There were all types of steel fragments so I cleaned everthing and relubed and reassembled. I now have a bike with like a Quater inch almost of play at the main pivot AAAHHHHH......I think this is some sort of preveiw to the demise of my Oz NOOO! PLease Help!

[Simon]

Sounds to me that instead of the s/arm bushes travelling around the tophat bearings that maybe the bushes have picked up on the bearings and instead of travelling around them the whole unit has pivoted within the frame insert causing the bearings to wear away the frame insert and the bearings,this would cause the noise and excessive wear,
alternatively the inserts have been known to break,the insert consists of an inner sleeve and a threaded cap either end,I think to replace this would require a trip to a machine shop to get the parts made.

Simon

Ps just check that the play isn't coming from the  front s/arm dropouts coming loose.

[firsttimeflexer]

Is it possible that you know the specs for these parts because i think that is the problem(the inner sleeves and thraded caps)

[Simon]

I don't know if these parts are available,try contacting K2 direct apparently they are being quite helpfull resently,
failing that don't give up on your bike,get the parts out as best you can,take to a local machine shop and see if they can replicate them (obviously as they would of been when new),
they are to good a bike to let die.
Simon.

[Terry Terzian]

WOW, what a horror story.











Simon, do you know how these inserts are set? And how often have you heard that these come loose? If creaking in this area is a warning of loose inserts, I may have to look at mine too.











Do you recommend loctite?











Terry

[Simon]

I've only heard about this via this forum,there is a resent posting with a picture of the damage that can occur,
as I understand it the sleeve is bonded in,
I'll try and get hold of Dominic as he's split in half a couple of these frames for repair and made a mould so can and has reproduced a carbon copy,I'll find out what loctite or resin he used,
I think the trick to ensure that this doesn't happen is to regularly check that the main pivot bolt is tight and that the bushes a well lubricated and the pinch bolts are correctly set (not to tight) other than that its hope for the best,I've had no trouble in the 5yrs I've had my bike even with my pivot mod.
Simon.