Creaking bottom bracket, HELP

SCR (OCR) 3 is an entry level comfort bike, and not designed for Hollow Tech 2 cranksets. :eek:

For what you are doing buy a TCR, they are designed for it. 😉

A.J.T.73 said:

I have a giant scr 3.0 and i have replaced the original bottom bracket and cranks for hollow tech. The bottom bracket used to creak but it has started doing it with the new bottom bracket when ever i put some power down.

Can anyone please help me out on this as it is driving me crazy?

Remove & reinstall the BB cups using TEFLON plumbing tape ...

And, lube the crank's BB spindle.

A.J.T.73 said:

I have a giant scr 3.0 and i have replaced the original bottom bracket and cranks for hollow tech. The bottom bracket used to creak but it has started doing it with the new bottom bracket when ever i put some power down.

Can anyone please help me out on this as it is driving me crazy?
thanks
Alex

Grease into the BB shell, cups tight, grease onto the BB spindle, all attached tight as well. Also look at the pedals, the source of a lot of drivetrain noise.

gclark8 said:

SCR (OCR) 3 is an entry level comfort bike, and not designed for Hollow Tech 2 cranksets. :eek:

For what you are doing buy a TCR, they are designed for it. 😉

FWIW. While I have some qualms about putting nicer BBs (e.g., Campagnolo RECORD or CHORUS) in some older-frames-of-dubious-value that I have (hey, if that's what fits the crank, there aren't too many other options), I don't see any particular reason (other than disparity when compared with the other components which may be on the bike) why a HollowTech 2 crankset can't be installed in almost any bike (okay, there are no FRENCH threaded HollowTech 2 cups that I know of BUT there are adapters for Ashtabula BBs which can then use an English threaded BB ... so, most installation options are covered).

alfeng said:

FWIW. While I have some qualms about putting nicer BBs (e.g., Campagnolo RECORD or CHORUS) in some older-frames-of-dubious-value that I have (hey, if that's what fits the crank, there aren't too many other options), I don't see any particular reason (other than disparity when compared with the other components which may be on the bike) why a HollowTech 2 crankset can't be installed in almost any bike (okay, there are no FRENCH threaded HollowTech 2 cups that I know of BUT there are adapters for Ashtabula BBs which can then use an English threaded BB ... so, most installation options are covered).

Agree. Some local bike shops here in the republic will look at a customer and with a straight face tell them that their road bike with a double crank CANNOT be fitted with a triple crank. Doubt the clone even knows about derailleur requirements, but if the bike has an english or italian threaded BB, it can use any modern road of MTB crank, depending on use.

Peter@vecchios said:

Agree. Some local bike shops here in the republic will look at a customer and with a straight face tell them that their road bike with a double crank CANNOT be fitted with a triple crank. Doubt the clone even knows about derailleur requirements, but if the bike has an english or italian threaded BB, it can use any modern road of MTB crank, depending on use.

Like Peter said. Creaks are an installation issue, not a compatibility issue. Make sure everything is lubes/taped, and tight.

A.J.T.73 said:

I have a giant scr 3.0 and i have replaced the original bottom bracket and cranks for hollow tech. The bottom bracket used to creak but it has started doing it with the new bottom bracket when ever i put some power down.

Can anyone please help me out on this as it is driving me crazy?
thanks
Alex

Is it hollowtech 1 or 2? if its a new type with external bearings you may have to have the bottom bracket shell 'faced' by ur lbs so that the shaft sits perfectly straight. Also try to remove all oil and grease from all the surfaces that meet between the crank and bb even the bolts ideally. this will reduce creaking when tightened up. You will see many newer cranks come with thread lock on the bolts to hold them tight.

Are you sure you know where the creak is coming from? I had a creak on my bike that sounded like it was coming from the bottom bracket, but it when away when I replaced the clipless pedal.

Yojimbo_ said:

Are you sure you know where the creak is coming from? I had a creak on my bike that sounded like it was coming from the bottom bracket, but it when away when I replaced the clipless pedal.

For me, when I hear the words bottom bracket and creak in the same sentence I think "torque wrench" and agree with the teflon tape(or locktite) and grease. It is amazing how well the directions work on the torque specs if you follow them. I also think about the chainring bolts and as mentioned the pedals. I once had a loose rear spoke that sounded like it came from the BB as well - I know that doesn't help much but it helps to notice the cadence of the creak and how it relates to the cadence of the moving parts 🙂

Geo

Fignon le Grand said:

Also try to remove all oil and grease from all the surfaces that meet between the crank and bb even the bolts ideally. this will reduce creaking when tightened up.

I disagree completely. In general, lubrication is good for allowing the adequate tightening of fasteners and the prevention of creaks. Not only that, but the manufacturers recommend that the BB axle be lubricated before the crank is slid on, for all but certain square taper systems.

gclark8 said:

SCR (OCR) 3 is an entry level comfort bike, and not designed for Hollow Tech 2 cranksets. :eek:

For what you are doing buy a TCR, they are designed for it. 😉

I disagree with that.

I have put hollowtech II cranksets on 1980s bikes, current day bikes ... I just dont see how a BB is bike specific.

I have also been having some creaking issues with a MTB HTII crankset. Only happens after I ride it in the rain. Creaks for a few days ... and then dissapears. I thot the HTII bearings were sealed?

Fignon le Grand said:

Is it hollowtech 1 or 2? if its a new type with external bearings you may have to have the bottom bracket shell 'faced' by ur lbs so that the shaft sits perfectly straight. Also try to remove all oil and grease from all the surfaces that meet between the crank and bb even the bolts ideally. this will reduce creaking when tightened up. You will see many newer cranks come with thread lock on the bolts to hold them tight.

Don't agree on this one. Liberal grease onto the spindle, between the spindle and BB on the external BB design is essential for no creaks. Agree that facing the BB shell is essential.

lol in Europe we dont grease between the axel and the crank arm. but to be honest if you have a persistant creak, id try it with, without and any other combo. Im not sure why but the more modern designs of BBs and chainsets seems to have dramatically increased creakiness in general!

Fignon le Grand said:

lol in Europe we dont grease between the axel and the crank arm. but to be honest if you have a persistant creak, id try it with, without and any other combo. Im not sure why but the more modern designs of BBs and chainsets seems to have dramatically increased creakiness in general!

I've found that creaking starts in my FSA crank arms once a season (~4000 miles). The fix is to pull the arms, reapply grease evenly to the ISIS splines, and retorque to spec. The bike was first builtup by the framebuilder, who used that sticky ti antiseize compound which may last a bit longer than grease.

I'd guess the reason that newer stuff creaks more because it's designed lighter and thinner, with the result being lower "clamping forces" even when everything is torqued to spec.

thanks for all the help.
Will give it a go.

I had a similar problem with my Scott Speedster S20 with Hollowtech (105) chainset & BB. I had the BB replaced under warranty & the creak appeared again after 100 miles or so. I cured the problem by removing the left hand crank arm bolts (opposing bolts), applying anti-seize copper grease & reassembling to the correct torque settings. Behold.......no more creaks!! 🙂 Hope this helps.

We once had a guy ask the same question here on the forum, after getting him to try greasing and re tightening just about everything on the bike, he realised that the noise was his knee clicking. The moral is that human bieings cannot pin point a falt by the noise alone, and sometimes you just have to disassemble everything, clean it all and reassemble with grease.