[upontwo]

Please, someone help! OK, well it's not life or death but this sound is driving me crazy. I have this play in the suspension that is very small but the sound of it resonates though the frame and amplifies this nuisance. I have replaced the DU bushings but to no avail. Do you think it's time to replace the cartridge bearings or what? I really didn't feel any play when the DU bushings were replaced, so I'm at a lost on this one. Any help would be appreciated.

Rob

 

[AZmtncycler]

How about the aluminum bushings?

When you changed the DU bushings, did you also change out the aluminum bushings as well? That's another source of slop.

 

[upontwo]

When you changed the DU bushings, did you also change out the aluminum bushings as well? That's another source of slop.

The only bushings I have are at the top of the shock on the RP3. I assume these are the ones we are talking about, but when I had everything apart I could feel no place at all near the top of the shock.

 

[idiot]

Pardon me if it's a obvious question - but are you sure play is the cause of the noise?

I had play issues with the plastic bushes in my 5th E - which I corrected - but I don't remember them being a source of noise.

Have you checked that you haven't got a cable tap-tap-tappin' away on that honkin' big down tube? Find a condition where you can hear the knocking and safely remove one hand from your bars. Hold your various cables against the frame and see if it shuts up.

I hate noise - and have found sound is a funny thing.

I used to have this *very* irritating intermittant tinkle on one of my bikes - I could never find the bugger! Turns out that it was the zip of a certain jersey hitting my Camelbak buckle - but only when I wore that jersey and only when the zip was half open.... and strangely only on one bike, which was I guess a combination of position on the bike and fashion choice.

That drove me insane for about 2 years!!

 

[upontwo]

Pardon me if it's a obvious question - but are you sure play is the cause of the noise?

I had play issues with the plastic bushes in my 5th E - which I corrected - but I don't remember them being a source of noise.

Have you checked that you haven't got a cable tap-tap-tappin' away on that honkin' big down tube? Find a condition where you can hear the knocking and safely remove one hand from your bars. Hold your various cables against the frame and see if it shuts up.

I hate noise - and have found sound is a funny thing.

I used to have this *very* irritating intermittant tinkle on one of my bikes - I could never find the bugger! Turns out that it was the zip of a certain jersey hitting my Camelbak buckle - but only when I wore that jersey and only when the zip was half open.... and strangely only on one bike, which was I guess a combination of position on the bike and fashion choice.

That drove me insane for about 2 years!!

Yeah man, I've checked all the obvious sources of noise. I can push down on the top tube with my hand around the shock linkage and I can feel a slight play, now it's not much but the sound of this thing drives me nuts. As mentioned before by a previous poster, I think the last resort is replacing the aluminum bushings at the top of the RP3 shock. The thing is I can feel no play at all when things are apart. Anyway, I may try to replace the aluminum inserts at the top of the shock and see if that solves the problem.

Keep the insights and comments coming for I learn as I go.

Rob

 

[AZmtncycler]

try this to help isolate it.

Rob, instead of pushing on the top tube, try picking up/setting down the backend of the bike with the seat post while using the other hand to feel for the play. You should be able to locate where the play is. Good luck!

 

[mtnbiketodd]

When I'm riding and have a noise that I think is in the linkages I will stop and put some water on a joint (i.e. like at the top of the shock or the bottom of the shock) and then see if the noise goes away. If you put some water on the top of the RP3 and the noise goes away then you should replace the bushings and AL reducers at the same time.

 

[bonkey]

Are your parts clean? I regularly pull the bolts and clean with White Lightning Clean Streak and then spray a little t9 or a little finishline teflon grease on pivot points and anywhere two points meet (cables to zip ties; DU bushings to bolt interfaces, etc.). I find a little grease on reducers will help them last longer too (as long as you don't let'm get dirty).

 

[penske1]

Rear derailleur?

I was experiencing exactly the same knocking noise on my 575. It was driving me nuts. It was highly intermittant (or so it seemed) and I would've sworn it was coming from the rear shock. However, I noticed on a ride this weekend when I shifted from my middle ring to the big ring the knocking stopped. As it turns out, the knocking only occured when the rear derailleur was in the smallest three cogs, especially when in the middle chainring (least chain tension.)
So, upon further investigation, I noticed the rear derailleur jockey wheel cage would slap the chainstay when in the smaller cogs, especially on washboards and stutter bumps. I added a little tension to the pivot spring screw on the rear derailleur pivot. It helped, but I think I still might need to put some sort of cushion on the chainstay where the derailleur hits.
By the way, I'm running an XT rear derailleur (NON rapid rise.) This may just what I needed to make the switch to SRAM. Definitely not a fan of dual control/low normal!
Anyone else seeing this?

 

[Yet]

By the way, I'm running an XT rear derailleur (NON rapid rise.) This may just what I needed to make the switch to SRAM. Definitely not a fan of dual control/low normal!
Anyone else seeing this?

I am running XO rear D, and have an old inner tube wrapped around the chain and seat stays. I don't hear much of anyting back there.

 

[upontwo]

I was experiencing exactly the same knocking noise on my 575. It was driving me nuts. It was highly intermittant (or so it seemed) and I would've sworn it was coming from the rear shock. However, I noticed on a ride this weekend when I shifted from my middle ring to the big ring the knocking stopped. As it turns out, the knocking only occured when the rear derailleur was in the smallest three cogs, especially when in the middle chainring (least chain tension.)
So, upon further investigation, I noticed the rear derailleur jockey wheel cage would slap the chainstay when in the smaller cogs, especially on washboards and stutter bumps. I added a little tension to the pivot spring screw on the rear derailleur pivot. It helped, but I think I still might need to put some sort of cushion on the chainstay where the derailleur hits.
By the way, I'm running an XT rear derailleur (NON rapid rise.) This may just what I needed to make the switch to SRAM. Definitely not a fan of dual control/low normal!
Anyone else seeing this?

My noise is still there but not as much now. I honestly think it is the RP3 shock itself. Anyway here is what I did to try and correct the problem so far.
1. Replaced both DU bushings
2. Replaced the two aluminum reducer bushings at the to of the shock
3. Replaced the chain
4. Installed new pedals
5. Removed and cleaned/ lubed the crank and bottom bracket( XT )
6. Removed cassette...cleaned and lubed
7. lubed seat post, seat rails
8. Lubed headset, top cap
9. cables adjusted, etc.

Man, you get the picture, I left nothing undone except replacing the cartridge bearings.
The only thing I can think off is I removed the large chain ring to install a RaceFace bash ring but, everything is tight. Like I said it has quieted down a bit but, I still can notice the knocking sound.

Any thoughts?

 

[AZmtncycler]

try servicing the air sleeve

I had a little slop on my shock ( I thought it was the linkage or bushings going south). Completed an air sleeve service on the RP3 and post reassemble.... no slop. Hmmmmm... was it the shock or tearing all the linkage down and reassembling it; not sure but it's good to go and has been now for over a month. Maybe give this a shot

 

[desmo]

Lower pivot

My noise is still there but not as much now. I honestly think it is the RP3 shock itself. Anyway here is what I did to try and correct the problem so far.
1. Replaced both DU bushings
2. Replaced the two aluminum reducer bushings at the to of the shock
3. Replaced the chain
4. Installed new pedals
5. Removed and cleaned/ lubed the crank and bottom bracket( XT )
6. Removed cassette...cleaned and lubed
7. lubed seat post, seat rails
8. Lubed headset, top cap
9. cables adjusted, etc.

Man, you get the picture, I left nothing undone except replacing the cartridge bearings.
The only thing I can think off is I removed the large chain ring to install a RaceFace bash ring but, everything is tight. Like I said it has quieted down a bit but, I still can notice the knocking sound.

Any thoughts?

Check the lower pivot bolt. If the bolt is the slightless bit loose it will cause a knock.

 

[upontwo]

Check the lower pivot bolt. If the bolt is the slightless bit loose it will cause a knock.

Yeah, that was the first thing I did when I noticed the problem from the beginning. It did help the first time I tightened the shock pivot bolts, but that lasted only a couple of months. It's been a real brain teaser but at least it's been rideable. I'm riding tomorrow and I'll just have to ignore any sounds my bike makes... mmmm maybe an Ipod will help!