BBS02 creaking

[KirstinS]

Like the title says it started creaking when pedals given a good bit of pressure such as standing on pedals in a tad too high a gear

Now it creaks like crazy every time pedals have any pressure put on them

This includes no pedalling . Hit the throttle gently in a low gear. Massive creak

People hear me coming down the road and it's nothing to do with the motor ! It's loud!

I've tried the obvious , removed cranks and tightened the large BB nuts that secure the main unit to ensure no play . Then I removed it totally and put back on. There is zero play for sure but the sound, if anything, got worse

It's a titanium frame, is the flexing maybe caused tiny frame cracks ? There is nothing I can see visually and I checked carefully

Any ideas ? I am really stuck and my research and experience doesn't indictae bearing issues

Kit has done 2500miles since March perfectly (i under use its capability as rarly hit 500w)






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[jwm]

does it creek under throttle with no chain on?


John

 

[KirstinS]

does it creek under throttle with no chain on?


John

Good question John, I'll check in my lunch break and report back


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[BG bicycle]

I had a similar issue a crank on my DD, started to creak. The original bicycle components was already ten plus years and in a few months covered more than 2500km.

The final result was that the crank of was aluminium had wore, or stretched around the axle and the stress added by each turn to the point that it slipped constantly and I couldn’t pedal.

Were a 100km+ away from home that day within a mountain range. Thankful total failure happened just after the 23km climb to a peak within Stara Planina.

 

[Fordulike]

I've tried the obvious , removed cranks and tightened the large BB nuts that secure the main unit to ensure no play . Then I removed it totally and put back on. There is zero play for sure but the sound, if anything, got worse

I know you say there is zero play in the mounting plate, but shaking the motor by hand to test, is not a reliable way to check it's tight. These motor units love to twist themselves loose, just by the shear amount of torque they produce.

The two nuts, especially the inner one, need to be torqued right down using the specific BBS tool. Mine still loosens slightly after hundreds of miles, and I tighten those buggers with all my might.

Worth checking you've got the mounting plate on the right way too. One side has raised bits which bite into the face of the bottom bracket housing.

I'm not trying to teach you to suck eggs, so please don't take any of my comments to heart.

 

[KirstinS]

It's a fair point and no offence taken

I have also wondered whether changing crank arms to those which have significantly greater q factor might be placing additional leverage/twisting forces which were not there before


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[KirstinS]

I know you say there is zero play in the mounting plate, but shaking the motor by hand to test, is not a reliable way to check it's tight. These motor units love to twist themselves loose, just by the shear amount of torque they produce.

The two nuts, especially the inner one, need to be torqued right down using the specific BBS tool. Mine still loosens slightly after hundreds of miles, and I tighten those buggers with all my might.

Worth checking you've got the mounting plate on the right way too. One side has raised bits which bite into the face of the bottom bracket housing.

I'm not trying to teach you to suck eggs, so please don't take any of my comments to heart.

Hi

So I took that damn thing apart again . The mounting was on wrong. I thought the raised bit was to bite against the corresponding notches in the B.B. nut rather than the B.B. housing itself.

I have a proper bbs tool /spanner btw to match the two B.B. nuts (and an extra length of metal for leverage )

I also degreased the crank arms and bolts and refitted dry (I read about this cause in an old thread)

And the creak is gone....for now

None the wiser to cause tbh





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[Kinninvie]

I nhad the same problem a couple of years ago and after 3 weeks of trying everything it turned out to be the Suntour suspension seatpost needed the pins greasing!!!

 

[KirstinS]

I nhad the same problem a couple of years ago and after 3 weeks of trying everything it turned out to be the Suntour suspension seatpost needed the pins greasing!!!

Hah ! [emoji1]

This was absolutely BB /crank related but glad we both got it sorted . Honestly the noise was unreal. Like someone was playing the BBC stock radio sound bank for "creaky gate" at 100db

On repeat


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[Fordulike]

Hi
So I took that damn thing apart again . The mounting was on wrong. I thought the raised bit was to bite against the corresponding notches in the B.B. nut rather than the B.B. housing itself.

Whoopsie

Glad you got it sorted. I'd be a rich man if I had a pound for every simple mistake I've made with electric bikes. It's all good fun though

 

[KirstinS]

So it came back after a week and nice just been living with it. The unit is on very tight indeed and it isn't that

What was really odd is that a 7 mile commute through a torrential monsoon has fixed it. After a few days it's still gone

If I wasn't already bald I'd have torn my hair out by now


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[Fordulike]

So it came back after a week and nice just been living with it. The unit is on very tight indeed and it isn't that

What was really odd is that a 7 mile commute through a torrential monsoon has fixed it. After a few days it's still gone

If I wasn't already bald I'd have torn my hair out by now


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You sure it's not yer knees

 

[KirstinS]

You sure it's not yer knees

[emoji23] but yes, fairly sure ! It must be something to do with titanium frame being so flexi against the steel of the bbsxx. And water being a lubricatant between the two metals (please contain your inner schoolboy at this point !)

That's my theory anyway




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[KirstinS]

So after days of dry weather and an overnight stay in the kitchen (ie rather warmer than the shed )

The creak is back again, so so loud folk are turning round many yards ahead

The only plan I can think is to drip a little oil wherever there is a join /screw/fitting etc

If I Do this methodically over time then the answer will come.

I hope,. so strange


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[peter.c]

Could the problem be solved with a tie bar bracket fixed to the frame ?
the California ebike bracket might be the way to go the fs version is neater when fitted

 

[KirstinS]

Could the problem be solved with a tie bar bracket fixed to the frame ?
the California ebike bracket might be the way to go the fs version is neater when fitted

Not really sure what the bar is Peter

I'll look up the California


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[peter.c]

It is a bracket that holds the motor to the frame it is secured to the two bolts on the bbs it is pictured on my charge build tange steel frame which had the same problem as yours then a bit of wd 40 solved the problem https://california-ebike.com/shop/bsbf-1-bafang-stabilizer-bar-full-suspension-bike-bbs0102-bbshd/

 

[KirstinS]

It is a bracket that holds the motor to the frame it is secured to the two bolts on the bbs it is pictured on my charge build tange steel frame which had the same problem as yours then a bit of wd 40 solved the problem https://california-ebike.com/shop/bsbf-1-bafang-stabilizer-bar-full-suspension-bike-bbs0102-bbshd/

Thanks Peter . Out of interest. Where did you apply the wd40 ? Thanks


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[peter.c]

I know this will sound odd on the bb face between the bracket and the 32mm nut , and tighten with the spanner then a gentle tap with the mallet. The California bracket is also thinner than the original bafang and allowed the lock nut to grip more, the added bonus is the whole motor has an anti rotation and the strain is removed from the bb mount
[the cartridge bb on the charge groaned even when the bike was new and unconverted] hope this helps

 

[KirstinS]

I know this will sound odd on the bb face between the bracket and the 32mm nut , and tighten with the spanner then a gentle tap with the mallet. The California bracket is also thinner than the original bafang and allowed the lock nut to grip more, the added bonus is the whole motor has an anti rotation and the strain is removed from the bb mount
[the cartridge bb on the charge groaned even when the bike was new and unconverted] hope this helps

Thanks Peter

As it happens it's been raining a lot again in Sussex coast.....so the issue has vanished again. But will try this when it reappear


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