Wheels MFG BB creaking

[fastezzie]

Hi
Just installed a new Wheels thread-together style PF30 > GXP bb in my bike, with a SRAM carbon GXP crank. Followed directions and greased where appropriate. Everything looks perfect and the cups and crank bolt is tight. First ride today and it creaks with every pedal stroke. Aluminum Specialized frame FWIW.

Has anyone had similar experience with this BB and been able to resolve it? If not, can you recommend a replacement that would work? Thank you!

[alexmcm09]

Hi
Just installed a new Wheels thread-together style PF30 > GXP bb in my bike, with a SRAM carbon GXP crank. Followed directions and greased where appropriate. Everything looks perfect and the cups and crank bolt is tight. First ride today and it creaks with every pedal stroke. Aluminum Specialized frame FWIW.

Has anyone had similar experience with this BB and been able to resolve it? If not, can you recommend a replacement that would work? Thank you!

I've had one of these in my gravel bike for the last 3 years. It's been great, although did require retightening after a few thousand KM (the whole BB was shifting in the frame)

I would recommend taking it back out and pressing it in again very carefully - if the first side wasn't pressed in straight the entire BB won't be sitting properly and it will creak. Then just make sure it's properly torqued up and it should be fine. Lots of anti seize will help quiet down any residual creaks too. Unfortunately if your frame BB hole is way out of spec this style of BB won't fix that.

[fastezzie]

Thank you. I will try re installing with anti sieze. No problem with the bike AFAIK as it was quiet with my previous crank and pressfit (non threaded) bottom bracket.

[tomato]

Every time I've had a creak that I thought was due to the bottom bracket, it turned out to be the seat post and/or saddle.

[Mr.Gib]

I use a Wheels Mfg thread together bb and I have found that a few rides after initial installation it needs to be re-tightened. Re-installing with anti-seize is a good idea. Pay attention to recommended torque - IIRC it is 35 to 50 nm which is really tight. As noted the noise could come from elsewhere, I recommend to eliminate quick release and headset as a source of noise before messing with your bb.

[fastezzie]

Removed the BB and cleaned everything up. The cups slide into the frame very easily by hand and there's a small but significant amount of wiggle room when installed (before threading together obviously). What's the next step? Loctite? Praxis BB?

[HappyGuy]

https://www.parktool.com/product/adhesive-primer-ap-1
https://www.amazon.com/LOCTITE-Retainin ... 1CLZ&psc=1

Clean the bb shell surfaces well. Apply the Park primer onto the surface of the bb shell and on the cups. Then apply Loctite on top of the primer of both. Insert while still wet. Tighten cups to lightly snug. Do not overtighten. This may have been what caused the creaking in the first place. Somewhere around 20Nm should be adequate. This may eliminate the creak if not greatly diminish it.

[Mr.Gib]

Wheels Mfg instructs not to use loctite or any retaining compound. In fact they explicitly state that use of retaining compound will void any warranty. Retaining compound may solve the problem but the unit does not have an interior lip and as such is not designed to be tapped out. Getting it out may be a pia.

Praxis is a different system and may work where Wheels Mfg does not. Worth a try.

[Dannnnn]

My wheelsmfg BB30 Hollowtech BB also creak when going up hill in the small ring.

I've not checked it since installation, so glad I found this thread.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[fastezzie]

Is the solution.. a brand new bike? Don't make me do it!

[fastezzie]

Wheels Mfg instructs not to use loctite or any retaining compound. In fact they explicitly state that use of retaining compound will void any warranty. Retaining compound may solve the problem but the unit does not have an interior lip and as such is not designed to be tapped out. Getting it out may be a pia.

Praxis is a different system and may work where Wheels Mfg does not. Worth a try.

No concern about voiding a warranty or even removing the cups from the bike in the future. Bearings can be knocked out and replaced from the cups if needed. It's a cheap 2nd hand bike that I just want to shut up and let me cycle in peace!