[fellsbiker]

My Hightower LT is about a year old. Great bike. I started getting the common headset creak very early on. But now, pretty much EVERYTHING is creaking. The headset, the BB, something out back. It screams in pain with each bit of abuse I dole out.

What is the best way to deal with this? Typically, I'd just take parts apart, clean, degrease, alcohol, then re-grease the threads and reassemble. And for head sets, I grease the contact where the bearing cartridge sits in the frame.

Is there something different or better to do with this bike? It is my first carbon.

 

[acer66]

My Heckler also developed a creak in the back,
interestingly enough it goes away well into a ride but otherwise you are on it.
Clean, repack with grease etc., easy stuff first as you did.
Not sure if the are carbon frame specific lubes out there
and you might want to talk to the shop you got it from since is pretty new.
Spokes might need some attention too.

 

[sooner518]

best thing i ever did to stop creaks on my Nomad was to take Loctite all the axle threads. take them out, inspect the bearings and replace any if necessary. or just do all of them. and then, re-install and put LocTite (the blue kind) on the threads of the axles. i chased creaks for years on my old Blue LTc before i put Loctite on the axle threads. my bike barely makes a peep anymore

 

[westeast]

I've partly stayed with carbon Santa Cruz VPP bikes because they tend not to creek. That said, I did experience a little headset creaking with my used HT. Grease and getting the headset compression just right has taken care of that. If you're bb is creaking then it's time for a repacking or a new bb. Beyond that it sounds like your bike is due for a tear down and rebuild including the linkage bolts.

 

[wytemike21]

Correct torque settings are key, most times I've ran into people creaking with santa Cruz they've tightened by feel and tend to over torque. I also second liberal grease on axles and cups with loctite on threads.

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[fellsbiker]

What kind of grease do you guys use? I've always been told "thick marine grease" for parts not meant to move like threads, seat posts etc.

 

[Gman086]

https://forums.mtbr.com/santa-cruz/...ur-creaking-issues;-scs-vpp-bikes-904449.html

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[wytemike21]

I use parktool poly lube and philwood for most places. Lower pivot I use marine because it's the easiest to find a tube of for my grease gun that has a zirk fitting.

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[no one in particular]

I got my 5010CC frame built up in early February this year. Not that old, no, but it will pass 2200 miles by the end of this week, so it has seen it's fair amount to use. About 3 weeks ago I started noticing a small but sharp headset creak (CC 110). So I took everything apart, checked the bearings, regressed and re-torqued. It didn't really help, and the creak keeps getting louder--I keep checking for cracks. I maybe have the headset slightly overtorqued...I need to double check that.

 

[matadorCE]

My v3 Nomad was creaking bad; replaced the links and put plenty of grease on the hardware and no more creak.

 

[chadbrochills]

My '19 5010C is pretty quiet (hope I didn't just screw myself lol) but I've had a weird sound, almost like a sharp "click" for the lack of a better word, coming from the headset area I believe. It's hard to duplicate and happens sporadically. I've been meaning to remove the headset and re-grease it. Might try that tonight.

 

[VTSession]

Twice a season I break down my Hightower and clean, grease/loctite, re-assemble and torque to proper spec everything. Never had problem with any creaks or squeaks in the 3000 miles I've ridden it.

 

[voghan]

So I was having a horrible time isolating a creek on my 5010. I thought it was the headset, cranks, seat post but it ended up being the VPP. I've done bolt checks before but I didn't realize the VPP has a cone washer bolt that covers the main pivot bolts. One of those pivot bolts was loose and that fixed the problem. There are two on the lower link and one on the upper link.

 

[wytemike21]

Twice a season I break down my Hightower and clean, grease/loctite, re-assemble and torque to proper spec everything. Never had problem with any creaks or squeaks in the 3000 miles I've ridden it.

I also follow this schedule and have no issues...also if I ride a really bad ride in Pisgah where there is a lot of extremely fine dirt and lots of rainy rides I will do a quick break down and rebuild.

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[SDMTB'er]

Pro-tip - Definitely don't over tighten the cone washers - they are a PIA to remove when you have to clean the lower linkage later.

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[410sprint]

My Hightower LT is about a year old. Great bike. I started getting the common headset creak very early on. But now, pretty much EVERYTHING is creaking. The headset, the BB, something out back. It screams in pain with each bit of abuse I dole out.

What is the best way to deal with this? Typically, I'd just take parts apart, clean, degrease, alcohol, then re-grease the threads and reassemble. And for head sets, I grease the contact where the bearing cartridge sits in the frame.

Is there something different or better to do with this bike? It is my first carbon.

Santa Cruz recommends servicing the suspension every 50-100 hours of riding. The process is outlined in the tech sheets by model on the SC site. Basically you are removing, cleaning, and greasing/locktite the bolts, wedges, collet axles and seals that cover the bearings. This is also when you should use a grease gun to lubricate the lower link.

Tools needed are a torque wrench with a hex socket set, grease gun and some grease. Using a torque wrench is critical. Overtightened bolts will ruin the suspension performance. Overall its a very easy job.

 

[jeremy3220]

My Megatower is creaking like crazy. I cleaned and greased all the pivots and zero fitting in the lower link but I think I'm going to have to actually take the lower link out of the bike.

 

[Egrabow]

Bike Guru Popping Fix

This trick works on the VPP bikes. Try taking the lower link out and clean the black cap washers with alcohol. Apply gorilla tape over the washers and trim around with scissors or exacto knife. Reinstall and that popping, creaking noise will be gone. Bike Guru on another thread figured this out a while ago and it definitely works. The tape takes up any free play and insulates the rubbing between the aluminum washer cap and carbon frame.

 

[jeremy3220]

My Megatower is creaking like crazy. I cleaned and greased all the pivots and zero fitting in the lower link but I think I'm going to have to actually take the lower link out of the bike.

Btw, this turned out to be the stupid Fox roller bearing.

 

[gd3fit]

So I was having a horrible time isolating a creek on my 5010. I thought it was the headset, cranks, seat post but it ended up being the VPP. I've done bolt checks before but I didn't realize the VPP has a cone washer bolt that covers the main pivot bolts. One of those pivot bolts was loose and that fixed the problem. There are two on the lower link and one on the upper link.

Thanks my 5010 v4 is creaking and I just took about the bb and it still creaks. I’m certain it’s the vpp now because if I just grab a crank by hand standing over the bike and pull I hear the creak. I think I did something when I tried to flip chip the bike and that was a PITA so I started removing some linkage bolts but decided not too go all the way. Might need to loctite and torque to spec.