BB30 Creaking - My success story.

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LeDuke
Posts: 2021
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 2:39 am
Location: Front Range, CO

by LeDuke

Try out an angular contact BB.

I bought the Enduro kit, and it solved all of my problems.

superdx
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by superdx

Question for those that have used Loctite 609, is there any curing time? Or just apply it and then reinstall and go ride?

Aside from the bearing surface, where else should the Loctite be applied?

My BB30 has a slight tick that just gets louder the more power I put down. It's driving me nuts!

by Weenie


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jwfinesse
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Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2012 4:51 am
Location: NY

by jwfinesse

superdx wrote:Question for those that have used Loctite 609, is there any curing time? Or just apply it and then reinstall and go ride?

Aside from the bearing surface, where else should the Loctite be applied?

My BB30 has a slight tick that just gets louder the more power I put down. It's driving me nuts!


Oh there is a required curing time alright. Recommended 24 hours, less if used with primer.

Some people install their cranks right after applying loctite to give proper 'preload' to the system while loctite is curing.

superdx
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by superdx

Cool, so basically reinstall everything and don't touch it for 24 hours. Will give it a try.

audiophilitis
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by audiophilitis

Correct -- the bearing preload has to be set while the agent is curing.

goodboyr
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Location: Canada

by goodboyr

If you use the activator before applying the loctite it cures quickly.

TheDarkInstall
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by TheDarkInstall

Time to say it again.

Stop messing around with Loctite, and semi-bonding the BB into the frame.

Use Wakos Brake Protector.

superdx
Posts: 524
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:27 pm

by superdx

I can't tell if that's a serious post or not. The Cannondale SISL instructions, as well as Praxis instructions for their cranks say you should use Loctite on the bearings.

TheDarkInstall
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by TheDarkInstall

I am serious.

Wakos Brake Protector is the only thing that fixes creaking issues every single time. Loctiting in a BB is silly. You are basically gluing the thing in, and making it hard to get out when you need to replace it, which is a relatively regular requirement. Using Wakos Brake Protector is perfect, and means the BB can be tapped out extremely easy.

Odd that me, just a guy on the internet is claiming the manufacturers are wrong here, but yes, they are.

goodboyr
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by goodboyr

Image

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Rick
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by Rick

TheDarkInstall wrote:Odd that me, just a guy on the internet is claiming the manufacturers are wrong here, but yes, they are.

I was apparently an unwitting "early adopter" of BB30. So when I started doing research on my problems I remember quite clearly that the manufacturers (or at least MOST manufacturers) were saying DON'T use loctite. It does seem a bit extreme to need loctite to hold bicycle bearings in place. Does the headset, or any other place on the bike., need loctite to hold the bearings ?

Then, the tune seemed to change as there were so many creaking BBs, and they started saying DO use loctite. But I think that is only because there were definite problems, and loctite definitely helps.

I can imagine that there is probably a spectrum of interference-fits between frames and bearings, so that grease works fine on some, loctite is necessary on some, and some other weird goo will work just fine on others. :beerchug:

Has anyone tried Elmer's ?

TheDarkInstall
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Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:44 am

by TheDarkInstall

goodboyr wrote:Image


Yeah, whatever mate. I don't care if yo consider what I have said to be wrong. Wakos Brake Protector is standard BB30 install round these parts, and noone ever has creaking issues. Cannondale do seminars here for dealer mechanics, and they suggest the use of this stuff.

None of you have to believe me; no bother to me at all. Just enjoy gluing in your BBs with Loctite, then having to hit them for hours with a heavy hammer to get them out again, while we enjoy silent BBs, and instant, smooth BB removal.

superdx
Posts: 524
Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:27 pm

by superdx

TheDarkInstall wrote:I am serious.

Wakos Brake Protector is the only thing that fixes creaking issues every single time. Loctiting in a BB is silly. You are basically gluing the thing in, and making it hard to get out when you need to replace it, which is a relatively regular requirement. Using Wakos Brake Protector is perfect, and means the BB can be tapped out extremely easy.

Odd that me, just a guy on the internet is claiming the manufacturers are wrong here, but yes, they are.


I'm not doubting you but would like a few examples/cases where this has been proven to work. I don't want to take my BB apart ever again nor wait for it to cure with Loctite so if your solution is the magic bullet, I'll bite. But hope you understand I don't want to be a guinea pig for "guy on internet" :wink:

sungod
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Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:37 pm

by sungod

TheDarkInstall wrote:Yeah, whatever mate. I don't care if yo consider what I have said to be wrong. Wakos Brake Protector is standard BB30 install round these parts, and noone ever has creaking issues. Cannondale do seminars here for dealer mechanics, and they suggest the use of this stuff.

None of you have to believe me; no bother to me at all. Just enjoy gluing in your BBs with Loctite, then having to hit them for hours with a heavy hammer to get them out again, while we enjoy silent BBs, and instant, smooth BB removal.


looks like it's a heavy silicone grease, may well be effective in some cases, as with any grease if it gets flushed out the creaking would return

but loctite bearing retention compound of the type used for bb30 is not for "gluing in" the bearings, the purpose of it is to fill in the tiny gaps between bearing and shell that are likely to cause creaking, especially if they get dirty, so in cases where poor tolerance is the cause it'll be effective, in cases where the shell is distorting a heavy grease might work better

my shiny bike is bb30, i just use a bit of grease, no creaks :)

by Weenie


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TheDarkInstall
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Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:44 am

by TheDarkInstall

superdx wrote:
TheDarkInstall wrote:I am serious.

Wakos Brake Protector is the only thing that fixes creaking issues every single time. Loctiting in a BB is silly. You are basically gluing the thing in, and making it hard to get out when you need to replace it, which is a relatively regular requirement. Using Wakos Brake Protector is perfect, and means the BB can be tapped out extremely easy.

Odd that me, just a guy on the internet is claiming the manufacturers are wrong here, but yes, they are.


I'm not doubting you but would like a few examples/cases where this has been proven to work. I don't want to take my BB apart ever again nor wait for it to cure with Loctite so if your solution is the magic bullet, I'll bite. But hope you understand I don't want to be a guinea pig for "guy on internet" :wink:


Never take it apart again? They don't last forever... I go through a BB every year, so need to change it about 3 times per frame life... I realise other people might be different of course.

Cases where it has proven to work..

1. Me.
2. Every bike I have built for my friends, and acquaintances; around 30 bikes, with BB30. I build a LOT of bikes for people and do all other servicing, fixing, wheel building etc. I am in a bit of a unique position, as I am in Japan, but English is my first language, and the shops here often suck when it comes to servicing, so I have become something of the go-to-guy for a lot of people. You just have my word for this, of course!
3. SEO Cycles, which is a large chain in Japan, send their mechanics to seminars from each maker they stock (if seminars are offered). Cannondale Japan specifically instructed people to assemble with Wakos Brake Protector, in a seminar about creaking BBs. Since this was done, and the knowledge spread, I have never ever heard a creaking BB coming out of SEO Cycles workshop, nor have any of the bikes I have built ever creaked, nor has my own.

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