[eri]

That is something I have yet to see. Already emailed them and they haven't got back to me yet.
I just want to ride man that's why I do this DIY stuff to avoid downtime. Good for you guys that they can easily reach you. As for me, RMA might take more than 2 weeks.
Also, I'm posting in this thread because more than 2 people have the same problem. There's even a video posted on the previous replies. Feel free to read them up.

For sure. Ive always called them on the phone.

Sending stuff in is expensive and time consuming. When i sent my hub in i instead had a friend drop the wheel off when he drove through portland.

is absurd that you arent perfectly happy with a 3 month old hub. Id be upset too.

 

[junior77]

For sure. Ive always called them on the phone.

Sending stuff in is expensive and time consuming. When i sent my hub in i instead had a friend drop the wheel off when he drove through portland.

is absurd that you arent perfectly happy with a 3 month old hub. Id be upset too.

Hmm….

Time consuming, yes. Without wheelset, yes.

But, at least in the USA, Chris King would cover the shipping costs under warranty.


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[RG5000]

Just thought I’d add another case to this thread. Brand new boost hub, gold, microspline driver. Crazy loud creaking noise like everyone else. Actually sent my wheels back to NOBL in Canada (where I bought them online) because I thought it was the spokes or some issue with the carbon hoop. Honestly couldn’t fathom something being wrong with a Chris king component.

Of course, they couldn’t find anything wrong with their build… By that point I was out a hundred bucks for shipping alone and I just opted to return the whole wheelset and cut my losses. NOBL was asking me to send my wheels to CK in Portland, and by this point I was just riding my stock wheels wondering why I had ever bothered trying to upgrade.

Glad some of you have gotten things fixed. As for me, I’m just relieved to never have to look at those goddamn hubs again lol.

Funny thing is, NOBL probably just turned around and sold those hubs to some sorry chump because they never admitted anything was wrong with my wheelset….

 

[junior77]

Just thought I’d add another case to this thread. Brand new boost hub, gold, microspline driver. Crazy loud creaking noise like everyone else. Actually sent my wheels back to NOBL in Canada (where I bought them online) because I thought it was the spokes or some issue with the carbon hoop. Honestly couldn’t fathom something being wrong with a Chris king component.

Of course, they couldn’t find anything wrong with their build… By that point I was out a hundred bucks for shipping alone and I just opted to return the whole wheelset and cut my losses. NOBL was asking me to send my wheels to CK in Portland, and by this point I was just riding my stock wheels wondering why I had ever bothered trying to upgrade.

Glad some of you have gotten things fixed. As for me, I’m just relieved to never have to look at those goddamn hubs again lol.

Funny thing is, NOBL probably just turned around and sold those hubs to some sorry chump because they never admitted anything was wrong with my wheelset….

Well that’s a bummer…interesting to see Nobl didn’t find anything wrong with the wheelset, makes you wonder what they did to conclude the build and rims were fine. And they completely wash their hands from the hubs. Understandable, but disappointing. Ideally, they would have rebuilt the wheels with a new hub and comped you for the shipping costs. Instead, they pointed the blame to CK and wanted you to take care of it.

Just to confirm you had CK gold hubs?
Not the two-tone CK matte black with gold lettering?


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[RG5000]

Well that’s a bummer…interesting to see Nobl didn’t find anything wrong with the wheelset, makes you wonder what they did to conclude the build and rims were fine. And they completely wash their hands from the hubs. Understandable, but disappointing. Ideally, they would have rebuilt the wheels with a new hub and comped you for the shipping costs. Instead, they pointed the blame to CK and wanted you to take care of it.

Just to confirm you had CK gold hubs?
Not the two-tone CK matte black with gold lettering?


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Yes, just the plain solid gold color.

Regarding why NOBL didn’t swap the hub out, apparently they didn’t hear anything when they mounted the rear wheel and hub on one of their bikes. Kept saying it had to be an issue with my set up (cassette, rotors, etc). All I had was a video that I sent them, but they blamed the creak on my bike basically. However, having read this forum, I think I understand why they didn’t hear anything. I had disassembled the hub and regreased it with the CK ring drive lube before sending it back (at their request to take a picture of the internals). Pretty sure that solved the problem briefly.

So they sent the wheel back to me (at my expense) and within 10 miles of riding I had that loud creaking sound while under load again.

Honestly, I don’t want to **** on NOBL because they were pretty good about it all (very responsive, doing their best I’m sure). But when the creaking came back and I sent another video they basically just said it had to be my bike/cassette because the wheel was fine (even though my stock wheels with everything else made zero creaking). This was back in May, and I actually sent them the OP’s YouTube video and that’s when they started asking me to go directly to CK. After about 5000 emails, threatening to leave a negative review, they eventually agreed to a refund (minus some 15% restocking fee). It was pretty frustrating working with such a faraway small company on an issue like this. Next time, I’m just gonna buy from a local bike shop.

 

[junior77]

Yes, just the plain solid gold color.

Regarding why NOBL didn’t swap the hub out, apparently they didn’t hear anything when they mounted the rear wheel and hub on one of their bikes. Kept saying it had to be an issue with my set up (cassette, rotors, etc). All I had was a video that I sent them, but they blamed the creak on my bike basically. However, having read this forum, I think I understand why they didn’t hear anything. I had disassembled the hub and regreased it with the CK ring drive lube before sending it back (at their request to take a picture of the internals). Pretty sure that solved the problem briefly.

So they sent the wheel back to me (at my expense) and within 10 miles of riding I had that loud creaking sound while under load again.

Honestly, I don’t want to **** on NOBL because they were pretty good about it all (very responsive, doing their best I’m sure). But when the creaking came back and I sent another video they basically just said it had to be my bike/cassette because the wheel was fine (even though my stock wheels with everything else made zero creaking). This was back in May, and I actually sent them the OP’s YouTube video and that’s when they started asking me to go directly to CK. After about 5000 emails, threatening to leave a negative review, they eventually agreed to a refund (minus some 15% restocking fee). It was pretty frustrating working with such a faraway small company on an issue like this. Next time, I’m just gonna buy from a local bike shop.

Ah…ok…that makes a bit more sense. I wonder what the root cause is for these hubs. As it seems like re-greasing them temporarily corrects the issue. I haven’t been able to put any miles on my wheelset after regreasing, but I’m now expecting the creaking to come back. At least I still have a free shipper to CK to diagnose if it comes back.

I had built the wheels myself and had eliminated all but the rim/spokes/nipple washers. Only after greasing the hub axles was it determined to be the hub internals.


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[BrianU]

Wow, I sure hope CK looks into and addresses this issue. Unlike their early days, there is plenty of stiff competition these days for "Made in the USA" quality hubs. They have always had a reputation for building bulletproof hubs, but even the best hubs with a great track record can stumble, i.e. DT Swiss 240 hubs. I know based on personal experience with my own CKs, I initially put blame on the owner for not properly adjusting preload and considering NOBL's response, they were more than likely of similar mindset.

It does seem CK is good about warranty issues, but what a hassle. Around here it easy to lose site of the fact that for many of us, the cost of having even an aluminum wheel built up with a CK hub is a significant expenditure. And then to be let down and have to deal with the BS....it is not just a matter of getting the issue fixed, the disappointment and experience can tend to leave a bad taste. I completely understand and sympathize with RG5000 returning the wheel and just wanting a refund.

 

[Rick Draper]

Its the bearing that is just a push fit by hand that cause the issue I believe. The one in the free hub.

 

[rscecil007]

I recently purchased a matte slate 32 hole CL rear hub off a guy, brand new unridden, had just been built and laced up for some reason. I called King to see if I gave them the serial number, if they could tell me if there were any issues associated with it. Figured it's easier/cheaper to ship a hub to them for a fix than a fully built wheel.

The King guy on the phone was really helpful, he said they knew about this issue, but so far it'd been very few instances that they had at least known about (or been notified about). He didn't give me specifics and was a bit vague, but said it was a combination of things causing the problem. I asked if it was certain color/driveshells configurations built during a certain time, etc; he said they were still narrowing that down.

At any rate, they have a service kit for this, they can sent you, your King dealer, or you can send it back to them. It does take the more pricey King hub overhaul tools, so not everyone will be able to do it. And he also didn't specifiy what the service kit entailed part wise, or the steps (if it's the freehub bearing Rick mentions above, etc.)

Important part, he said the noise will not harm the hub and it may be annoying as hell you but you can ride it without worry, and even if you aren't the original owner, they will still take care of you and sort the hub out. (asked b/c of my situation)

I will not have these hubs built up until late Sept, so prob early October before I can ride them and see if mine has the issue.

Bottom line, if you have an issue, call King.

 

[junior77]

Its the bearing that is just a push fit by hand that cause the issue I believe. The one in the free hub.

#16 or #22 bearing?

And what makes you think that is the issue?


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[thebenskiii]

I recently purchased a matte slate 32 hole CL rear hub off a guy, brand new unridden, had just been built and laced up for some reason. I called King to see if I gave them the serial number, if they could tell me if there were any issues associated with it. Figured it's easier/cheaper to ship a hub to them for a fix than a fully built wheel.

The King guy on the phone was really helpful, he said they knew about this issue, but so far it'd been very few instances that they had at least known about (or been notified about). He didn't give me specifics and was a bit vague, but said it was a combination of things causing the problem. I asked if it was certain color/driveshells configurations built during a certain time, etc; he said they were still narrowing that down.

At any rate, they have a service kit for this, they can sent you, your King dealer, or you can send it back to them. It does take the more pricey King hub overhaul tools, so not everyone will be able to do it. And he also didn't specifiy what the service kit entailed part wise, or the steps (if it's the freehub bearing Rick mentions above, etc.)

Important part, he said the noise will not harm the hub and it may be annoying as hell you but you can ride it without worry, and even if you aren't the original owner, they will still take care of you and sort the hub out. (asked b/c of my situation)

So mine is back creaking again. It definitely goes away with some fresh grease on either that 16 or 22 bearing. I cant be doing that every hundred miles though!
I am going to have a good chat with my rep again tomorrow and get the wheel to them. For ref,RScecil, do you have a name of the King guy who knows about this? a service kit would be ideal, and a reference to this so they can work it out would be amazing!

 

[rscecil007]

Sorry I didn't get a name...

 

[junior77]

So mine is back creaking again. It definitely goes away with some fresh grease on either that 16 or 22 bearing. I cant be doing that every hundred miles though!
I am going to have a good chat with my rep again tomorrow and get the wheel to them. For ref,RScecil, do you have a name of the King guy who knows about this? a service kit would be ideal, and a reference to this so they can work it out would be amazing!

Supposedly, you would still need the universal tool to remove the bearing ($200), so I think that means it’s the one on the freehub or one of the larger hub bearings.


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[Rick Draper]

#16 or #22 bearing?

And what makes you think that is the issue?


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IIRC its bearing 22. It is because its not properly retained, it is only a light push fit its able to move in the free hub body. Any bearing thats not retained and able to move like that will make a racket.

 

[springs]

#16 or #22 bearing?

And what makes you think that is the issue?


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I sent my Chris King hub in with a pedal under load creaking issue and the shop reckoned there was an assembly error with the microspline driver with an oring (I'm guessing was #18) that had been squished and out of place. I'll update the post when the wheel is rebuilt if it has fixed the issue.

 

[junior77]

IIRC its bearing 22. It is because its not properly retained, it is only a light push fit its able to move in the free hub body. Any bearing thats not retained and able to move like that will make a racket.

It’s retained by the split wedge ring in the inner-race. Not sure what else they could do to fix that in a service kit.


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[Rick Draper]

It’s retained by the split wedge ring in the inner-race. Not sure what else they could do to fix that in a service kit.


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The outer race is not retained though and can move. In the past all CK bearings have been press fit.

 

[rscecil007]

Another thing I forgot to mention, and not sure if it plays into this; I asked the rep when I spoke to him if this issue had anything to do with the fact they use bearings in the driveshell now instead of the tried and trusted needle bearing setup they've used for years. Apparently the flipped when they sent soley to centerlock hubs.

Hey told me no it should affect anything, b/c the R45 hubs have always had the bearing set up, and didn't ever utilize the needle bearing version. And they felt the bearing setup was just as durable as the needle bearing one.

Hey told me the main reason they swtiched was it just made production way easier for them. I've not looked at the diagrams to compare the Boost hubs and R45s, but I can't imagine they'd be all that different...?

 

[Jayem]

It’s retained by the split wedge ring in the inner-race. Not sure what else they could do to fix that in a service kit.


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Seems like they were trying to secure it like a headset bearing, not the traditional way that hub bearings are retained. I know for my hope bearings (which I get good replacements from NSK and SKF from qualitybearingsonline) I have to knock them out with a punch and then install with a press. Using a split race for a hub bearing seems suspect.

 

[junior77]

Seems like they were trying to secure it like a headset bearing, not the traditional way that hub bearings are retained. I know for my hope bearings (which I get good replacements from NSK and SKF from qualitybearingsonline) I have to knock them out with a punch and then install with a press. Using a split race for a hub bearing seems suspect.

Maybe, but either way it is supported (whether inner or outer race.). You can only fix one (pressfit or wedge) while the other is free/slip fit.

Are these simple radial bearings??

Regardless, my point was a simple repair kit could not fix bearing retaining issues.


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