Maintenance - Noisy Drivetrain

[Exie]

Hi Burners,

I've noticed my drive train seems to be getting noisier, not sure if I should replace the chain, cassette, derailleur ?

Perhaps its just an alignment problem ?

Perhaps its just normal ?

What do you you all think
https://youtu.be/VP6k1yVdggE

 

[moorey]

How much do you know about maintenance/how much have you done?

 

[Exie]

How much do you know about maintenance/how much have you done?

Basic stuff I can handle, I can replace stuff and clean stuff. Prefer to take it to the shop for alignment things.

Having said that, every time I take it to the shop I loose the bike for 2 weeks, so I prefer not to take there unless I have to.

 

[moorey]

Basic stuff I can handle, I can replace stuff and clean stuff. Prefer to take it to the shop for alignment things.

Having said that, every time I take it to the shop I loose the bike for 2 weeks, so I prefer not to take there unless I have to.

It's hard to tell, but could simply be a tune needed...but could be a worn chain and/or cassette or numerous other things. Have you tweaked barrel adjuster at least?

 

[bear the bear]

is it in every gear?
How old is the chain and cassette?
Have you used and abused it?

From the sounds of the video, it's chain and jockey wheels or a chain and cassette issue. Chain doesn't sound as though it's skipping due to tuning.

 

[nakedape]

Shimano chain? Is it on backwards?

Sent from two tin cans joined by string

 

[moorey]

Shimano chain? Is it on backwards?

Sent from two tin cans joined by string

All that allegedly does is slightly impact on upshifts of front rings. I've deliberately tried the backwards on 1x and found no change I could detect.

 

[nakedape]

You may be correct moorey but I recall one making all sorts of noises when I accidentally installed it backwards (shifted horribly too) - not hard to check and very cheap to fix

Sent from two tin cans joined by string

 

[Exie]

is it in every gear?
How old is the chain and cassette?
Have you used and abused it?

From the sounds of the video, it's chain and jockey wheels or a chain and cassette issue. Chain doesn't sound as though it's skipping due to tuning.

Thanks for the ideas, I have tried the barrel adjusters, but to no avail.

It does happen in every gear (the noise).
It does not seem to skip or anything.

The whole drivetrain was replaced in July, so not that old.

It's actually not a shimano chain, it's a KMC X10SL, looks bling and I haven't had one rust up like the Shimano's do.

The direction is a good point, I'll double check this, I'm not sure what the "right" way is, but I did mark one side of one link so that I could be consistent with it.

 

[moorey]

If your Shimano chains rusted, you skimped. SLX discolour slightly, XT stays shiny for life.
One really dirty ride can ruin a train. Are you sure chainring isn't worn?
Read this?
http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/sho...e-coming-from-drive-train&highlight=Nautonier

 

[pink poodle]

Shimano chain? Is it on backwards?

Sent from two tin cans joined by string

All that allegedly does is slightly impact on upshifts of front rings. I've deliberately tried the backwards on 1x and found no change I could detect.

That's a thing?

 

[The Duckmeister]

Shimano chain? Is it on backwards?

Sent from two tin cans joined by string

All that allegedly does is slightly impact on upshifts of front rings. I've deliberately tried the backwards on 1x and found no change I could detect.

That's a thing?

What rock have you been living under? Shimano 10 & 11-sp. chains have been directional for about eight years now....

Being on backwards doesn't generate any more noise than being around the right way on normal running, but does affect shifting at both ends of the drivetrain.

 

[moorey]

What rock have you been living under? Shimano 10 & 11-sp. chains have been directional for about eight years now....

Being on backwards doesn't generate any more noise than being around the right way on normal running, but does affect shifting at both ends of the drivetrain.

I know it's meant to. I just didn't experience that.

 

[redbruce]

Its actually not a shimano chain, it's a KCNC X10SL, looks bling and I haven't had one rust up like the Shimano's do.

The direction is a good point, I'll double check this, I'm not sure what the "right" way is, but I did mark one side of one link so that I could be consistent with it.

That KMC chain is not directional.

If that's your bike in the vid, the top jockey wheel is a long way below the sprocket it feeds the chain to.

It should be closer and further forward (in that gear it should be well forward of the axle of the wheel and the chain between sprocket and jockey wheel closer to horizontal).

Check B screw adjustment in large sprocket.

 

[pink poodle]

What rock have you been living under? Shimano 10 & 11-sp. chains have been directional for about eight years now....

Being on backwards doesn't generate any more noise than being around the right way on normal running, but does affect shifting at both ends of the drivetrain.

A big rock called sram...or kmc. I haven't used a shimano chain in many long times. Also only started 10 speed set up last year. Breathes sigh of relief.

 

[Flow-Rider]

You are always going to get a bit of buzz noise on a well worn drive chain, it's hard to tell the extremity of the noise without hearing it in real life. I would check the chain stretch with a good quality ruler and not by those chain checking tools as they can be all over the place. I found a heavy application of a good lube quiets it down some what and those gold KMC chains can make a loud dry chain noise. Also check your jockey wheel bearings for roughness and that the clutch on the derailleur is working fine (not seized or overly tight). Other than that if it shifts well and no slippage on the chain just keep riding it.

 

[Flow-Rider]

I know it's meant to. I just didn't experience that.

I found the same, maybe it depends on what level groupset you have.

 

[pharmaboy]

Could the noise be coming from the front chain ring?

Have seen a bike where owner had been playing with everything in the rear, and it sounded to me like the front ring was worn - swapped front ring, and noise went away. Don't assume the source of the noise is exactly where it seems to be coming from

 

[Exie]

That KMC chain is not directional.

If that's your bike in the vid, the top jockey wheel is a long way below the sprocket it feeds the chain to.

It should be closer and further forward (in that gear it should be well forward of the axle of the wheel and the chain between sprocket and jockey wheel closer to horizontal).

Check B screw adjustment in large sprocket.

Thats very interesting, I just went out to the shed and had a play with the B screw, if I went too far it didnt shift nicely into the 36t, so I backed it out until it still sifted up nicely, its now much further forward and closer through the rest of the casette.

This made it slightly quieter, but it still sounded noisy.

So whilst I was there, I pulled the cage off and took the jockey wheels out, I had spares to put in, so thought why not, and I popped the rubber seal off. Needless to say it was dryer than a monk on sunday! So I packed them with grease and put the seals back and re-assembled it all.

It's now ~70% quieter. So I think this was the root cause. Obviously the drive train makes some noise, and the chain is probably a bit worn, but I'm now happy with it.

Thanks for all for the suggestions!