[SirSlow]

My bike started to make a funny sound during my last ride. Got it home and traced it to the rear wheel. With every revolution it was making a click clack sound. I removed it from the bike and was able to replacate the sound just by shaking the wheel side to side. So I took off the tire and shook it some more and the sound went away! Put the tire back on and inflated and the sound is back. Tire off no sound. My best guess is that a joint brace has broken loose and the inflating of the tire is just enough to break it loose. I'm also guessing that my only recourse is to send it back for replacement. Any other thoughts?

 

[shupack]

brand/model? photos? may be a broken rim seam, without the tire it doesn't grind against the other 1/2.

could even be a bearing, the reduced weight of no tire could make it disappear.

 

[AndrwSwitch]

Weld slag.

 

[SirSlow]

Its a Pacenti 27.5 wheel. A picture would show nothing as the wheel looks completely normal from the outside. The rattle is inside the wheel at the seam area and only makes noise when a tire is placed on the wheel and inflated.

 

[MrPretty]

I had this problem with my Pacenti rims. It was the insert they use to line up the rim to join it together. It wouldn't make a noise without the tire but once the tire was on it would compress the rim enough to let the insert move freely.

I was able to solve it by dropping some super glue in the rim and onto the insert and letting it dry.

 

[gmats]

This can happen with rims that use this little piece of metal to help join the seam of the rim.

Three options I've used over the years to fix this (not in order of preference):

Remove the tire and rim strip from the wheel. All of the work will be done from inside the rim.

1) Get some expanding insulation foam and squirt just a little in the spoke nipple hole toward the seam. It should expand and hold the piece of metal in place. (Quite wasteful if you're not going to use the rest of the can somewhere though it works great).

2) Get a tube of silicon sealant. Use the pointed applicator and put a clear tube over the pointed end. Squeeze the silicon out of the tube and into the spoke nipple hole until it holds the metal piece in place.

3) Find out exactly where the loose piece is. Get a pointed center punch and a decent hammer. You want to dimple the inside of the rim in just the right place to keep the piece of metal from moving around. It's a trial and error process. Remember, when you put the tire on and air it up, it will cause the rim to flex a little and could cause the piece of metal to become loose again.

Good luck with that. I know it can be irritating.

 

[SirSlow]

Thanks for all the tips! I got some superglue to try first. Luckly I have a backup set of wheels and a Home Depot nearby!

 

[Bald_Ben]

3) Find out exactly where the loose piece is. Get a pointed center punch and a decent hammer. You want to dimple the inside of the rim in just the right place to keep the piece of metal from moving around. It's a trial and error process. Remember, when you put the tire on and air it up, it will cause the rim to flex a little and could cause the piece of metal to become loose again.

I've also had good luck with that method.