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Creaky Clutch

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Hi sports fans
My M8000 XT 11 speed derailleur has a lot of stiction with the clutch on...it even makes some noise. I'm wondering if this may be a source of the creaking I'm getting under pedaling load. Anyways, I took the thing apart and lubed the clutch as the internet has told me to do. It was dry when I took it apart, and I used slick honey based on a few recommendations. Unfortunately, it didn't improve things much. I've tried cranking the thing several times to work the grease around the entire surface, and even took it apart a second time to re-lube. Still sticky. When I turn the clutch off, the stickiness seems to go away. I seem to have arrived at a setting that minimizes the stiction, but I'm not convinced that it's fixed. Is there something I'm missing? My SRAM force doesn't have the same stickiness on forward motion, but I can't remember feeling this derailleur when it was new so I don't have much to compare it to.

I've heard a few posts mention lubing the brass bushing behind the clutch, but since the stickiness disappears with turning the clutch off and a drizzle of triflow didn't help, I'm guessing it's not that...
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
other possible culprits - check the cassette, freehub, chainring interface (bolts or direct mount, whichever you have)
yes yes yes

I adjusted the tension, loosening it as much as I could tolerate (I still want some effect...). CR bolts are tight, took off the rear wheel and everything seems tight- the axle may have even been a bit loose. Suspension pivots were lubed and adjusted to required torque.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Does the bike creak under load when you disengage the clutch?
no creaks while standing but not pedaling. I didn't think to disengage the clutch last time I was out...the bike seems to really only do it under considerable pedaling force which is difficult to achieve in the driveway...
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Thankfully I figured this out. Slick honey was too light. Removing it and adding pink flavor Mobil 1 grease largely resolved the issue. No more stiction. I may try and grab some proper grease if this doesn't work, but it seems so much better already.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
Thankfully I figured this out. Slick honey was too light. Removing it and adding pink flavor Mobil 1 grease largely resolved the issue. No more stiction. I may try and grab some proper grease if this doesn't work, but it seems so much better already.
You've greased the clutch to be less ... clutchy?