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09 xam, just built- creaking

2K views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  wolfman00 
#1 ·
so it got it all built, and for some reason...i got a creak somewhere in the suspension. first places I checked was the bb and headset (usual culprits), greased the hell out of them and reinstalled. next up is the suspension. it only does it under heavy load (big ring, smaller teeth on cassette and standing up mashing) that is why i though BB at first, but thats not it.

its annoying the **** out of me, just got the damn thing all ready to go and it does that.

so, help me out if you could. I would really appreciate some ideas.

pics to come in the "xam thread"
 
#4 ·
I also had a pedal creak as water got in it, then sand and you know the rest. The only other thing I can think of is to throw some light oil on the pivot bearings if your convince it is from there. I know that sounds odd, but I had to do this on my KHS XCT 525. I was wondering what the noise was and read the MBAction review of the sister bike, the XCT555 and they had the same issue, a little light oil and it went away. Interestingly, it never came back.
 
#5 ·
I was thinking about that myself earlier. I am going to check the pivots tonight, it def feels like its in the linkage, like a froze bearing maybe. I am also going to pop off the pedals and regrease those to eliminate that possibilite.

I hate creaks...I can figure most other stuff out, but chasing a random creak with an aluminum frame is such a headache haha.
 
#9 ·
at the time is really pissed me off, now...it is pretty funny.

before I tear it down and ship it out, I am going to get my buddy to check it out and see if he can figure it out. hes been wrenching on bikes for 20 years, im hoping he might know.
if that doesnt work, im ordering a covert.
 
#11 ·
buddy of mine has the 2010 Bam, with the same issue. we took all the suspension and pivots apart and lubed everything, and reinstalled. still creaked.

removed all pivots again (as well as the rear swingarm) and found one of the swingarm ball bearings would not turn smooth....very chunky.
after lubing this bearing a bit (and rotating it 180 degrees...these bearings only move 90 degrees or less under normal use) and then reassembling it all, now the creak is gone.

what i'm getting at is, check the ball bearings in the swingarm, the big ones up by the BB.
 
#12 ·
buddy of mine has the 2010 Bam, with the same issue. we took all the suspension and pivots apart and lubed everything, and reinstalled. still creaked.

removed all pivots again (as well as the rear swingarm) and found one of the swingarm ball bearings would not turn smooth....very chunky.
after lubing this bearing a bit (and rotating it 180 degrees...these bearings only move 90 degrees or less under normal use) and then reassembling it all, now the creak is gone.

what i'm getting at is, check the ball bearings in the swingarm, the big ones up by the BB.
you know what, i checked that about 10 minutes ago and i found a very tight, notchy bearing on the drive side swing arm. the other side is smooth. I am pretty positive thats it.

Thanks for the help everyone, I will lube this up and i think that will fix it.
 
#13 ·
Jamis is going to send a new chainstay with the bearings already pressed it. Found it was just easier to send a new arm than go through pressing bearings. Badass. Also, the stay might be a 2010...

On another note, i have been riding it. Love it. Pedals amazingly well. I have not put it fully through its paces, but so far, I really love how it feels. it weights 34.15 with the 160 domain uturn and ks i950. with a normal post and fox 36 i would be looking at 31lbs.
I also noticed that since it pedals so much better than the parker up hill, I have not used the f. derailler yet. I might goahead and order a mrp mini g2 sl and just run a single ring.
 
#18 ·
Chainring bolts

I was chasing a creak on my XCR (out of the saddle pedaling and climbing)......
re-installed the whole bike......still there.....

Driving me crazy.....

Not sure why, but i checked the chainring bolts and they were not tight.....

Creak Gone!!!

Nice to know it was not Jamis's fault.
 
#19 ·
Na, not jamis fault at all, just one of those things that happens from time to time.

I get people asking me why I keep getting jamis bikes, and they say something about them breaking. (I have had 4 jamis's) Simple reason- the warranty and customer service.
 
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