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Clicky/creaky front end

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
Took the DH bike out for the first time in a while the other day, and noticed a click coming from the front end when it's cycled fore/aft. It really only happens when there's lots of weight on the fork and the brakes are on. It hadn't happened before that day. I can replicate it in my garage by locking the brake and rocking the bike back and forth.

I haven't done the full rundown on tightening everything, I will try that this evening. The sound seems to be coming from the upper headset area. I don't see nor feel any movement when I hear the sound. I initially thought it was the lowers, as they're a bit loose. Almost forgot, it seems to go away when the fork is rotated 90* and rocked back and forth.

The fork is an 08 66 RC3, with replaced lowers from 09, I believe. The headset is a Chris King, and it looks to be a couple years old by the faded anodization.

Any suggestions on where it might be coming from, and any suggested solutions?
 

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
Does the CK headset have one of those plastic crush type washers on it? My wife's DH bike headset creaked also (CK) until I installed what I initially thought was a silly piece of plastic.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
Dunno on the washer. The plan is to disassemble/reassemble this evening and see if it's internal to the headset or fork. Or maybe (I hope) even the brake and I'm just turbo dense.

It doesn't matter if the fork is compressed or extended when it clicks, so I don't necessarily think it's the spring. It's also an 08, not 06.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
I guess I was unclear? Weight on the front but not necessarily compressed. Weight behind the front? Pushing forwards?

Grab brakes push forward click, rock back click. Compress fork, grab brakes, push forward, click, rock back click. Turn sideways push forward click, rock back click. Use less force? push forward, no click.
 

JustMtnB44

Monkey
Sep 13, 2006
840
113
Pittsburgh, PA
Does your fork have a 1.5" or 1.125" steerer tube? I have a similar clicky noise on my '08 66 RC3 with 1.5" steerer and I believe it comes from the steerer to crown interface. I sent the fork to Marzocchi last year and they replaced basically everything but the damper and spring under warranty, which made it go away for a while but it came back eventually.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
It's the 1.125" steerer.

I took it apart, and sure enough it's the CK headset. There's no O ring, and no compression setup. I'll email them and see what I need. At least I can stop having seizures about my fork!