[SirChomps-a-Lot]

I've got a creak coming from the front end of my AS-X. I'm running a fox vanilla 125 rlc, king headset, truvativ stem and bars.

I'm 99% sure the creak is either in the fork or the headset. The creak only happens when I slam the fork into a square-edged hit without pulling up. Like hitting a deep or a curb or sometimes when I nose-case. I don't even have to slam it. I can just push the bike into a curb while not even riding it and it sometimes makes the creak. This is why I am convinced it is a front-end creak and not something else echoing through the frame. It never creaks when landing a jump or drop. It is a "sudden" sounding creak, like almost a "pop" sort of creak.

Interestingly enough, I get a similar problem with my BMX, which also has a king HS, so I think it is more than likely the headset, but I don't want to lose my teeth if I'm wrong.

The fork and headset are both around 3 years old. One thing it could be is I am not running the nylon washer between the headset topcap and the stem that the king comes with on either bike on the advice of my mechanic. Would an LBS have these on hand? I have never done any maintenance on either king HS. Is there anything that needs to be done?

On another issue entirely, the R in my rlc works great, but the L and the C have both stopped working. What can cause this? Low oil? I changed the oil and the seals 8 months ago, but I have only ridden the bike for the last month and it sat in my house for 7 months.

 

[speedster]

My Fox, Talas, creaks like a mofo. I know a lot of people that have fox forks that creak as well. At first I was curious and tore everything apart and put it back together again...still creaking. I live with it now but I would be interested if there were some underlying stress problems. Btw, I have a king too.

 

[Nately27]

My headset makes the exact same noise. Ive switched forks even and the noise persists. One of these days ill swap headsets to see if its the bearings in the cup, or the cup in the frame. But for now I've just learned to live with it. Let us know if you're able to fix it somehow. the forks were a super t and a 888.

 

[punkassean]

Fox forks and King headsets are known to creak. THe forks do it as they get older since the tolerance between the stanchion and the crown loosens up a tiny bit from repeated stress. Fox will warranty this within 1-year of purchase but after that it's up to you. I used to flip the bike upside down and squeeze a few drops of Tri flow down in the crack of the crown and that would take care of it temporarily.

If it's the headset, try pulling everything apart and cleaning, lightly greasing and reassembling. Make sure the headset is snug and if you have it use the teflon washer under the stem or on top of the top race.

good luck!

 

[SirChomps-a-Lot]

yeah, the fork is 3 years old.

If the creaking is indeed in the stanchion/crown interface, does this indicate that the fork is becoming a safety hazard or is it fine to ride on?

 

[punkassean]

on some level it is less safe than it used to be but I have never heard of one coming apart while riding.

 

[dhmtbj]

ya my buddy's king makes similar noises as well...

 

[Discostu]

I had the same thing on my Yeti AS-X w/shiver sc and blackspire headset. I thought it was a fork problem since I tend to destroy single crowns, so I used it as an excuse to get a new fork. I got the new fork and I had the same noise. I pulled out the headset cups, threw a little grease on there, and its been creak free ever since.

 

[SirChomps-a-Lot]

everyone who has a king that makes the creak or knows someone with a king:

find out if the creaky king has the plastic washer between the bearing cap and the stem and post back here.

 

[Transcend]

If its a first gen fox fork, it is the culprit. They used the wrong type of loctite on press fit, and it creaks like a mofo. They changed midway through the first run and it stopped altogether.

 

[SBDHrida]

Yeah, I have a king with a fox 40 (both are actually quite new), and it make a lot of noise. Its more like a really loud cracking than a creak. I had always thought it was the monocoque, but i guess i have my answere.

 

[SirChomps-a-Lot]

If its a first gen fox fork, it is the culprit. They used the wrong type of loctite on press fit, and it creaks like a mofo. They changed midway through the first run and it stopped altogether.

I don't _think_ it's a first gen. I try not to buy anything first gen.

on further thought, it is def. not a first gen.

I'm pretty sure it's the headset, which is good because I don't have to buy a 36. It is also bad because I don't get to buy a 36.

 

[punkassean]

My TALAS was NOT a 1st gen and it creaked like crazy for sure FWIW.

 

[dump]

My fox forx vanilla wasn't first gen either & it creaked like crazy too... I didn't like the flex & since I felt I was giving it way more than it was designed for, I switched to a burlier fork (sherman)

 

[dhkid]

got the same problem with my 40/king (3 years old) set up too. the first time the creaking was really really bad, that was coz my head set was all out off gease, bone dry... greased it up, and the head tube, spacers ect, the creaking went away for a while, came back in about 2 months and decided to regrese the headset again with better grease.. now its back again, so its defenately in need of the washer thingy.

 

[SinatorJ]

Sure way to get it fixed... Remove both headset cups. Have a shop, or if you are capable use the facing tool at your local shop, hopefully if it is a good shop they will have one. Face both the top and bottom of your head tube, these can be deformed from DHing and other rough activities. Make sure you have a flush surface. Clean all surfaces and using grey never sieze put headset cups back in. Clean all bolts and re-torque. Problem solved.

 

[tmoney]

I had the same creaking problem with a King also. The headset is about 2.5 years old and was originally installed in a Bullit. I then sold the bullit and reinstalled the headset in my new Demo 9. I soon developed creaking in the headset. The fork i am using is a shiver DC. After many hours of diagnosis, i found that the lower cup of the King was rocking slightly in the headtube. I measured the headtube diam. and it was within spec of what king recomends. This leads me to believe that the King cups need to be replaced. Call king and make sure your frame and cups are within specs.

tmoney

 

[Metal]

Me have 36 and want talas...
Also, you bitch like a 13 y/o canadian.

All we need is Abe and we can have a little Cal reunion.

 

[kidwoo]

It's the fork. I had an 03 talas and an 05 vanilla do it. It's the crown/stanchion interface and fox replaced mine but they were both within a year of new.

 

[FarkinRyan]

I've got an '04 Vanilla 125RL and it has the creak, as several people have already said, it may be the stanchion / crown interface and I'm gonna throw the steerer / crown interface into the ring as well.

I've owned Manitou and Marz forks that both developed similar creaks and in both cases it was the cryofitted steerer / crown interface becoming un-cryofitted. An easy way to tell if it's this interface is to draw a mark across the crown / steerer with white-out or something similar, if the two marks don't line up after a week or so of riding, your steerer is coming loose and is becoming a safety hazard.