Trek Domane SLR headset / front IsoSpeed decoupler creaking

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Fisherfreerider
Posts: 269
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 1:19 am

by Fisherfreerider

The spacers were installed in the correct place. It may not take all four though. Most bikes can be resolved with 2-3. Make sure the compression plug is torqued to 10nm and the heaset top cap to 4nm.

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sennder
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:13 pm

by sennder

Fisherfreerider wrote:
Wed Jul 11, 2018 2:25 pm
The spacers were installed in the correct place. It may not take all four though. Most bikes can be resolved with 2-3. Make sure the compression plug is torqued to 10nm and the heaset top cap to 4nm.
Thanks for your response!

The gap is noticeably wide with just 2 spacers/washers installed. I have the torques at those exact specs.

So the washers do come with the bike? Or are they installed as a fix for the creaking?

--Sennder

Fisherfreerider
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Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 1:19 am

by Fisherfreerider

They come with 2 installed. Not necessarily a creak fix. It was to get proper compression on the headset to fix a knock that would feel loose. I persoanlly run mine with no spacers.

sennder
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:13 pm

by sennder

Fisherfreerider wrote:
Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:00 pm
They come with 2 installed. Not necessarily a creak fix. It was to get proper compression on the headset to fix a knock that would feel loose. I persoanlly run mine with no spacers.
Thanks for the info. I suppose it was the fault of my frameset supplier then. I took it to the shop today and the mechanic removed three of the washers, leaving just one. There's still a slight bit of a gap but it doesn't seem any more than normal. For now, there's no creaking either, though I am left with a very greased up bike with a headset that has been opened up a couple of dozen times already.

The mechanic also gave some very discouraging remarks about warranty on Trek frames maintained by the owner rather than by a certified Trek retailer. He went so far as to say that Trek framesets should not be available for direct purchase online. After this experience, I don't think I'm ever going to purchase a Trek bike again, regardless of how good their warranty is in general.

Thank you for your help, forum. I'll keep updating this thread if I face any further issues (hopefully that'll help someone else with similar issues).

--Sennder

SilentDrone
Posts: 254
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:55 pm

by SilentDrone

Fisherfreerider wrote:The spacers were installed in the correct place. It may not take all four though. Most bikes can be resolved with 2-3. Make sure the compression plug is torqued to 10nm and the heaset top cap to 4nm.
When I torqued my top cap to 4nm after adding some spacers the headset creaked but only when riding it, where it previously had been silent. I backed off that torque a little and it’s back to silent again. I think 4 nm is too much pressure on the headset for this system. I have a 2018 Domane SLR.


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sennder
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:13 pm

by sennder

I built the bike back up and went on a quick ~40km ride to test everything out. No more creaking whatsoever. As disgruntled as I am over so much time wasted, the bike is in ship shape now and it's hard to complain.

Fisherfreerider
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by Fisherfreerider

Glad you got it sorted.

JeanMarc
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Joined: Sat Jul 28, 2018 12:34 pm
Location: Montbrison, France

by JeanMarc

Hi there, had the same pb when with my 2018 Domane : a botheration to me ! I was fortunate because I addressed the issue simply by paying a lot of attention in aligning the oval of the nuts with the style line of the head tube after having put a dab of grease on it. Good luck.

DocAdams
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by DocAdams

IMG_0594.JPG
I just bought a 2019 Domane SLR a couple weeks ago and after about 20 miles into a 69 miler last weekend the headset started creaking and drove me about nuts!!! When I got home I loosened and retorqued the stem screws and top screw to spec, didn't help at all. Yesterday, I took it to the LBS and all they did is the same thing I did a couple days before and said "it should be good". It sounds more like a "quack" now. Since I'm a fairly decent bike mechanic and have all the necessary tools I downloaded the Domane manual, pulled the fork out, and dissassemblied the Isospeed mechanism. I immediately noticed delaminating of the top carbon layer, underneath the bottom right of the right hand decoupler hole. Refer to the attached photo as you can see the lines. Each one of those striations can be peeled back but I was careful not to tear any off.

So I take it back to the LBS (why do we have to bother with those anymore?) and all I got was a lecture about how I shouldn't have torn it apart!! I pointed out the delaminations and pretty much got a deer in headlights look. They are checking with Trek on next steps. I took the pedals off and told them to send it back for a refund. Problem is, their 30 day return is for "unused" hardware only. My gut tells me this newer 600 series carbon isn't like the good ole' Wisconsin grade....

Hawkwood
Posts: 334
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 4:27 pm

by Hawkwood

Well this hasn't instilled me with much confidence! I bought a new 2018 Domane frameset about six months ago. When I checked the gear hanger alignment it was extremely twisted, not something I would have expected in a quality frame.

sennder
Posts: 170
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 12:13 pm

by sennder

DocAdams wrote:
Wed Sep 19, 2018 9:12 pm
So I take it back to the LBS (why do we have to bother with those anymore?) and all I got was a lecture about how I shouldn't have torn it apart!! I pointed out the delaminations and pretty much got a deer in headlights look. They are checking with Trek on next steps. I took the pedals off and told them to send it back for a refund. Problem is, their 30 day return is for "unused" hardware only. My gut tells me this newer 600 series carbon isn't like the good ole' Wisconsin grade....

That looks like an obvious manufacturing defect. I hope that you get it sorted out. At least a full replacement if not a refund.

Out of curiosity, did your headset assembly have a bunch of thin spacers between the preload spacers and the top headset bearing?

--Sennder

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Calnago
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by Calnago

In my limited experience with Trek, they are really good about warranty issues. The attitude your LBS gave you, on the other hand...
I broke the DuoTrap speed sensor, don’t know if it was while I tried to remove it to replace a battery or if it had broken some other way, but i didn’t notice it until I had to replace a battery. Anyway, took it to a Trek Concept store fully expecting to just buy a new one, and to my surprise they just gave me a brand new one, about a $70 item. It was a nice experience.
Last edited by Calnago on Wed Sep 19, 2018 10:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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wheelbuilder
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by wheelbuilder

I unfortunately wrench at a Trek owned shop. If there is anything they are good at, it's taking care of frame defects. You are not going to get your money back, but you will get a new frame. They may initially take a stance of "no recourse" because you dis-assembled the front end, but if your Trek dealer is on top of things even a little bit, they will disregard that particular detail. They should do right by you.
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TheRich
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by TheRich

SilentDrone wrote:
Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:59 pm
When I torqued my top cap to 4nm after adding some spacers the headset creaked but only when riding it, where it previously had been silent. I backed off that torque a little and it’s back to silent again. I think 4 nm is too much pressure on the headset for this system. I have a 2018 Domane SLR.


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I just built up a new Boone frame, this was the case for me as well.

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kgt
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Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

DocAdams wrote:
Wed Sep 19, 2018 9:12 pm
IMG_0594.JPG

I immediately noticed delaminating of the top carbon layer, underneath the bottom right of the right hand decoupler hole [...] My gut tells me this newer 600 series carbon isn't like the good ole' Wisconsin grade....
The funny thing is that made in China Treks are not less expensive than older, made in Wisconsin frames. Of course they can now offer free replacements and make someone happy with a $70 'gift'. The fact is that he had payed for this already. Only that he does not know it.

by Weenie


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