Friday, September 2, 2011

Squeak

Ugh, this squeaking thing is killing me. Ever since my ride with Paul a couple weeks ago, there's been a constant squeaking noise coming from the right wheel. After all this time, I'm starting to hear it in the left wheel as well. It's definitely getting irritating and even moreso is that I've tried pretty much everything I can think of to fix it w/o luck.

WHAT HAVE I TRIED?
- Removing the rim tape, cleaning the holes/screws and retaping.
- Tightening these screws.
- Removing the king pin, cleaning the top and bottom sealed bearings, regreasing it, reinstalling.
- Removing the brake pads. The sound still occurs with the pads removed.
- Removing and cleaning the tie bar from the steering mechanism. Lube and cleaned.
- Tried the pencil thing. Tried tapping on all the spokes and they sound fine. Squeezed it and they're tight.
- Applied red Loctite to the outer race of the bearings.
- Tightened the rotors. 
- Put graphite powder btw the nipples and rim. 
- Put lube in the same place.

I even brought the trike to a new friend of mine, Tom who tried a few things at his house this afternoon in the list above and no luck. I dropped by 3 bike shops and all told me they were either too busy or didn't know what to do. 

One bike shop owner I came across accidentally while visiting another shop said he was in the business for over 40 years as a bike mechanic. He had a difficult personality, but sometimes these are the guys that you can really learn from if you can get over their big heads. I stuck with him and listened to what he had to say and he thought it was the drivetrain - something to do with the derailleur on the back wheel. Front wheel noise is coming from the back wheel? Uh, I highly doubt that but this guy's got 40 years experience. He looked at least 60 and I can't really argue with that. I'll try some adjustments tomorrow, but I'm not hopeful.

1 comment:

  1. I didn't do it!

    Remember I noticed that your chain was rubbing on itself in certain gears (your derailleur was taking up too much slack beyond its limits), so I wouldn't COMPLETELY dismiss what that guy was saying (but I have doubts that's what it is as well)...

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