Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

forum
road.cc bike forum

Chain noise help needed..!

by danjthomas
Thu, Jun 22, 2017 21:15
17

my rear 105 11speed derailleur has been bad shifting lately and it's not been staying tuned.. I've replaced the mech hanger and cable and it's now shifting nice and smooth, however, what hasn't changed is a horrible noise from my chain when riding.  It's like a dirty diesel noise!

the chain sounds like it's randomly rubbing against the next ring but I can't stop it. Sometimes it's bearable and sometime it very annoying.

- derailleur  hanger and derailleur is straight and the derailleur looks to be the same.

- shifting is light and smooth 

- cassette and chain are only only about 750 miles old and measure up ok 

- bit of wobble in my derailleur but I think its normal.

any thoughts? Bad tuning? Derailleur wobble? Limit screw not set up well and the shifting is not central on every gear? Bad chain, laterally worn!! 

 

 

 

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

17 comments

Avatar
madcarew | 7 years ago
0 likes

So long as it actually shifts properly, it sounds like the 'B screw' (derailleur angle adjustment screw) is too far out, allowing the jockey wheel to rub on the underside of teh chain where it moves onto the sprockets. Screwing it in several turns should solve it.

Avatar
kevvjj | 7 years ago
0 likes

Did it ever sound fine? Just wondering of the chain is the right one... I've seen people put 9 speed chains on 11 speed gear and the noise is quite disturbing. Also, is the chain directional and installed the right way around? Have you tried a different chain?

Avatar
danjthomas | 7 years ago
0 likes

Not chain rub on front.

b screw makes little difference

its worse following shimanos PDF 

chain length is fine

yes only occurs when I pedal.  Force on pedals makes no difference.  It seems worse in the bigger cogs.

 

im thinking its bad tuning, chain is toast (even though it measures fine), my derailleur has too much play or the new hanger needs aligning to the frame

Avatar
pablo | 7 years ago
0 likes

Does it only happen when you pedal then?

Have you followed the Shimano manual while tunning? Lots of people think they know how to setup a derailleur but don't.

Chain too long and rubbing on itself in lower gears?

B-screw adjusted correctly?

Are you sure it's not chain rub on the front derailleur?

So frustrating when you can't identify an issue I feel your pain!

Avatar
StraelGuy | 7 years ago
0 likes

It happens more or less straight away. The chain itself is pretty much silent other than you can faintly hear the rollers engaging the chain rings. I've only got a few hundred miles (3 waxings so far, at about 100 miles each) on it and I'm very impressed. No black gunge and a chain I can grab without getting my hands dirty.

 

It's the future (and the past) I tells yer!

Avatar
danjthomas | 7 years ago
2 likes

I'm a lube man.  I don't like the gunky build up you get with wax. 

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to danjthomas | 7 years ago
1 like

danjthomas wrote:

I'm a lube man.  I don't like the gunky build up you get with wax. 

You shouldn't get a gunky build up with wax - the best thing about using wax is how clean it all stays. It sounds to me like you've tried wax and lube at the same time which is a mistake. If you use wax, you need to start with a brand new chain, degrease it completely and then wax it. Dirt won't stick to the wax, but will stick to any grease/lube.

The main detriment to using wax is that you need to re-treat your chain more often. I use a graphite/paraffin wax mix, so I remove the chain when it becomes noisier and heat it up to reflow the wax. (Well, actually I pre-treat a spare chain so that I can swap the noisy chain with the spare)

Avatar
sergius replied to hawkinspeter | 7 years ago
0 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

danjthomas wrote:

I'm a lube man.  I don't like the gunky build up you get with wax. 

You shouldn't get a gunky build up with wax - the best thing about using wax is how clean it all stays. It sounds to me like you've tried wax and lube at the same time which is a mistake. If you use wax, you need to start with a brand new chain, degrease it completely and then wax it. Dirt won't stick to the wax, but will stick to any grease/lube.

The main detriment to using wax is that you need to re-treat your chain more often. I use a graphite/paraffin wax mix, so I remove the chain when it becomes noisier and heat it up to reflow the wax. (Well, actually I pre-treat a spare chain so that I can swap the noisy chain with the spare)

 

I use the out-of-the-bottle wax (squirt is the best one I've found).  Obviously you need to thoroughly degrease a new chain before waxing; but after that I just clean it with a dry rag once a week to remove any build-up (roughly 100 miles) and re-wax it by putting a drop on the inside of each link - then giving it a quick spin and leave to dry overnight.

 

Avatar
treetard | 7 years ago
4 likes

In my experience you could spend hours on this only to discover it comes from something completely random.  I would check, probably in this order.

  • Wheel is fully in dropouts and QR is tight
  • Masterlink is fully engaged (if present)
  • Chain is lubed
  • Worn chain (measure it's length / use a gauge) 
  • Worn cassette
  • Stiff links in chain (do the jockey wheels jump around whilst pedalling with no load)
  • Gears are indexed correctly and not out by whole sprocket
  • Front derraileur height / twist
  • Hanger alignment (you say you've replaced, but have you checked with an alignment gauge?, twisted hangers are almost impossible to see by eye)
  • B-Screw is causing jockey wheels to contact cassette under load
  • Too much play in bottom bracket causing chainline issues
  • Loose chainring bolts
  • Cassette lockring not torqued
  • Not enough / too many spacers on rear hub
  • Jockey wheels are shagged
  • Bent / worn / missing chainring teeth
  • Rear wheel bearings worn
  • Bent rear derraileur cage
  • Bent front derraileur cage
  • Dropouts are missaligned (unlikely save for old steel frame / crash damage / chinese carbon copy)

Or try looking in somewhere else, if you're only hearing these noises on the bike, they have a great way of throwing their voice. So check pedal axles, brake rub, front wheel bearings, seat clamp.

 If that doesn't solve it, throw the bike away...

 

Avatar
StraelGuy | 7 years ago
1 like

Do you use chainlube or are you a waxer? I converted to wax a few hundred miles ago and one thing I've noticed is that you can hear the chain riding onto the front ring as you ride.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to StraelGuy | 7 years ago
0 likes

guyrwood wrote:

Do you use chainlube or are you a waxer? I converted to wax a few hundred miles ago and one thing I've noticed is that you can hear the chain riding onto the front ring as you ride.

Sounds like you need to re-wax or re-flow the wax if you've done a few hundred miles. I've found the chain needs a bit or treatment every 100 miles or so to keep it silent.

Avatar
danjthomas | 7 years ago
0 likes

I can honestly say it's not that.. I've done it before too and won't do it again.  It seems too be coming from the chain interface with the cogs..

is this my H screw do you think?

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 7 years ago
1 like

I've threaded a chain like that, but not ridden on it. As soon as I'd joined the chain and spun it round, I thought "that doesn't sound right". I'd bet 50p that's the problem.

Avatar
gmac101 | 7 years ago
2 likes

Fourthed - no excuses.  I've actually done it twice - but not for awhile 

 

Avatar
StraelGuy | 7 years ago
2 likes

*Ahem* thirded. Got 200 yards into a ride and thought 'Hmmm, something definitely doesn't sound quite right'.

Avatar
dottigirl | 7 years ago
3 likes

That sounds like a familiar noise. Check the chain hasn't been looped over the metal tab between the two jockey wheels instead of under it. I've done this a couple of times by mistake. cheeky It only adds a little resistance when pedalling - I did about annoying 50 miles before discovering it. 

(Had put the chain back on with the bike upside down, in which position it's easy to do this.)

 

Avatar
brooksby replied to dottigirl | 7 years ago
2 likes

dottigirl wrote:

That sounds like a familiar noise. Check the chain hasn't been looped over the metal tab between the two jockey wheels instead of under it. I've done this a couple of times by mistake. cheeky It only adds a little resistance when pedalling - I did about annoying 50 miles before discovering it. 

(Had put the chain back on with the bike upside down, in which position it's easy to do this.)

 

Seconded. I did that myself once (my defence is that I got distracted by having to break up a fight between my kids)

Latest Comments