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Tight shock bushings

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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My bike is creaking under applied power, and I think it’s due to new shock bushings I installed when I replaced the shock. They are super tight and are difficult to twist even with pliers. I lived the pin with slick honey but it’s still sticky.

Is there anything to do aside from just ride it until they break in?
 

carlos1

Chimp
Nov 14, 2011
55
59
Czech Republic
Oops, these are fox five piece bushings btw
Hi, I think, that you do not need to grease the 5 pcs fox bushings, they are fairly tight, but there is nothing that could creak. Check, the pedals, eventually rear axle or seat post, hell even the bars some times creak in the stem.
 

Andeh

Customer Title
Mar 3, 2020
996
973
Fox makes a couple different sizes of the little brown DU pieces to account for tolerances. You can buy them separately. I believe that the bushing kits come with the middle size pieces.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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Hi, I think, that you do not need to grease the 5 pcs fox bushings, they are fairly tight, but there is nothing that could creak. Check, the pedals, eventually rear axle or seat post, hell even the bars some times creak in the stem.
whelp, you were right, at least partly. Some of the suspension pivot bolts had come loose. Tightening them reduced the creaking, but didn't eliminate it.
Did you accidentally squeeze one of the tiny orings into them with the pin?
I can double check, but I don't think so. I disassembled the whole thing on my bench and it was nearly impossible to rotate the pin in the bushing without vise grips. I think it's what @Andeh is mentioning and my bushings are simply too tight. I just don't know if leaving them and riding will loosen them up or if I should gently sand or something.
 

jonKranked

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Nov 10, 2005
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whelp, you were right, at least partly. Some of the suspension pivot bolts had come loose. Tightening them reduced the creaking, but didn't eliminate it.
I'd also suggest checking to make sure the pivot bearings are still good, and maybe regrease them?
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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I'd also suggest checking to make sure the pivot bearings are still good, and maybe regrease them?
considering how few miles are really on the frame, I'm willing to bet they are OK. In fact the suspension is working better than ever. I think I do need to add fresh loctite to the bolts though. The frame is pretty sensitive to pivot tightness so I have to adjust them carefully. I have a torque wrench on the way which will help. I still think the upper pivot is occasionally making noise but I need to keep working at it.
 

jonKranked

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Nov 10, 2005
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considering how few miles are really on the frame, I'm willing to bet they are OK. In fact the suspension is working better than ever. I think I do need to add fresh loctite to the bolts though. The frame is pretty sensitive to pivot tightness so I have to adjust them carefully. I have a torque wrench on the way which will help. I still think the upper pivot is occasionally making noise but I need to keep working at it.
Gotcha. Wasn't sure how old the frame was. The BMC right?

My scott developed a creak last time I rode it, so I have to chase that down now. My first guess is the BB (also press fit), which was used when I got it and have since put a bunch of year round miles on. I already have new cranks and bb that I was planning on putting on. Up until now I wasn't in any sort of hurry to swap them. Currently a lower end shimano, have xtr to put on. If it toasts another bb I'll probably pony up for one of those thread together pressfit bbs from wheels mnfg.

This is all assuming it is in fact the bb.
 
Last edited:

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
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May 23, 2002
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borcester rhymes
Gotcha. Wasn't sure how old the frame was. The BMC right?

My scott developed a creak last time I rode it, so I have to chase that down now. My first guess is the BB (also press fit), which was used when I got it and have since put a bunch of year round miles on. I already have new cranks and bb that I was planning on putting on. Up until now I wasn't in any sort of hurry to swap them. Currently a lower end shimano, have xtr to put on. If it toasts another bb I'll probably pony up for one of those thread together pressfit bbs from wheels mnfg.

This is all assuming it is in fact the bb.
yup, the BMC. Think Sunday level complexity without the careful engineering and years-long refinements.

I have had surprisingly few issues with press-fit BBs, as long as they are designed correctly. The shimano "Bearings in a plastic shell" work really well in a bb92, and FSA "Bearings in a plastic shell" likewise in BB386.

The hard part here is that my weird fork is also making some noise, so after quenching the pivot noise other things become more apparent.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
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yup, the BMC. Think Sunday level complexity without the careful engineering and years-long refinements.

I have had surprisingly few issues with press-fit BBs, as long as they are designed correctly. The shimano "Bearings in a plastic shell" work really well in a bb92, and FSA "Bearings in a plastic shell" likewise in BB386.

The hard part here is that my weird fork is also making some noise, so after quenching the pivot noise other things become more apparent.
Yea, so far the pressfit has been problem free. And I'm not even sure that's the cause. I'll cleay bike and give it a once over if I decide I'm gonna ride tomorrow. Wasn't planning on it this weekend because covid vaccine #2 was yesterday morning. Also priority is getting the dh bike running for the bike park to open next weekend.