Creaking and clicking hollow tech BB

[Justinslow]

My Ultegra hollow tech BB and Ultegra crankset is creaking and clicking under load every revolution. Any fixes?
Going to strip down it down tomorrow morning and copperslip all the threads and the shaft.
It wasn't over tightened when it was installed, just "nipped up" when pulling in the non drive crank arm.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Pinch bolts?

 

[berty bassett]

i had the same problem with a creak under pressure every revolution , i took it to 2 shops with no luck so i had a go myself - stripped it all to pieces and took the cups out what seemed to have been put in with some sort of yellow stuff that had set to crystal like bits ( sorry for using techically terms !) i cleaned it all off and put a little copper grease on then greased everything that went back on and it runs a dream now . guessing i have done something really wrong by cleaning the super duper yellow fixalot wonderstuff off but i am sure it was that what causing it by being a hard substance instead of a slippy stuff - good luck - and dont blame me if you do the same then someone comes on and tells us we have both melted out bbs !

 

[Smokin Joe]

Creaks aren't faults, they're features.

 

[bpsmith]

Creaks aren't faults, they're features.

I do love a good feature creak.

 

[cyberknight]

I had the same on mine last week , i just took the crank out and greased everything and put it back in , all sorted

 

[Globalti]

Oh dear.

The yellow stuff was bearing fit compound, which sets quite hard and fills microscopic gaps. Grease will work for a while but will eventually squeeze out, going black with metal wear and the creaking will start again.

The noise is either the bearings fretting in the alloy sleeves or the crankset axle bending microscopically and fretting inside the bearing inner races.

Take it apart, clean up and reassemble with bearing fit compound, which you can probably get from Halfrauds.

 

[berty bassett]

OOPS but in my defense - if its done up why should there be enough movement to turn stuff black ? surely it will be everything else that should move and not the cups - but i am not in a position to argue not knowing much about bbs - although i am silent running at the minute

 

[Sbudge]

Are you certain it's the Crank/BB? I had exactly that sound on mine (Ultegra in a Ti frame) and I was certain it was a BB issue. Turned out, after much fettling, to be a rear QR issue. The creaking came back a few weeks later after I'd changed a cassette but quick loosen/reseat fixed it in seconds.

 

[Justinslow]

Well I took it all apart and re greased all the threads, put it back and no creaking, but I still get a click under load every pedal revolution. Have loosened the qr and re tightened, tightened seatpost clamp, will keep looking.
It's hard to pinpoint as it's only under load and doesn't do it on a stand.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

IME Hollowtechs are fine until they start grumbling - once you become aware of their existence they quickly become troublesome.
I have tried minor pre load adjustments, removing and regreasing etc. - but invariably within a few weeks the problem which I thought I had solved reoccurs.

 

[Cubist]

Well I took it all apart and re greased all the threads, put it back and no creaking, but I still get a click under load every pedal revolution. Have loosened the qr and re tightened, tightened seatpost clamp, will keep looking.
It's hard to pinpoint as it's only under load and doesn't do it on a stand.

Some obvious ones to check are the tail of the mech cable... Is it hitting the crank? and of course the chainring bolts. Also, the outer cage of my Ultegra mech misses the crank arm by less than a millimeter. Is it properly aligned and trimmed? It might be fine on a stand but the flex enough to whisker on the crank arm when you power down. Or is it the mech cable hitting your shoe? Cleat bolts all tightened properly? Pedal bearings all good?

 

[Justinslow]

Nothing immediately obvious, but I will look at the bolts on the crank ring. Just had a new chain and rear mech fitted and it clicked before this too, so discounting anything in that department.

 

[huwsparky]

I had same issue. Tightened the 2 non drive side crank bolts(not that they were loose) and sprayed everything including cleats and pedals with GT85. Appears to have solved the problem but no doubt will be back soon enough!

 

[Gravity Aided]

I still have to agree with @huwsparky , as in previous, check those crankbolts. They have a tendency to strip and fail. Replace with a better bolt(one not made of rich, creamery butter), all should be well