Fix my squeak for me

[devinjc]

Ok, so I've noticed this squeak coming from the front when rolling.

This squeak stops if I a) use front brake (so obviously it's the brakes) or b) turn the wheel... wait... what the hell?

One day this weekend I'm going to see if I can't solve the problem, but I wanted to give y'all a chance to solve it for me.

It seems to go away at higher speeds, but I may just not be able to hear it over the speed noise.

But it's gotta be fixed, I can't be riding around looking all rockstar badass while people snicker at my squeaky nerd bike!

[kkim]

as a test, spray some wd-40 where the axle passes through the front wheel. There have been cases where the front bearing seal will squeal. If the wd-40 stops it, try re greasing the front bearing area and when putting the axle nut back on, make sure you don't over tighten it. Some front axle nuts came too tight from the factory.

people aren't snickering at the bike.

[devinjc]

Wait, are you saying they are laughing at me? Inconceivable! I'll have you know my yellow helmet matches my yellow jacket perfectly! I am fashion icon!

HA!

Thanks for the tip, I may just start with that one, instead of WD-40ing the rotor.

[kkim]

gotta ask, but are you sure it's not the infamous gas cap whistle? If you're sure it's not, it's most likely that bearing seal. Some have loosened the axle nut almost completely to better get into that area with the wd-40. I'd just start by spraying it as is and see if it helps.

yeah, stay away from brake parts.

[devinjc]

Yeah, definitely not the gas cap, mine's never done that. Ok, I guess it could have started but it does completely stop with brake application or wheel turn. And it's only while rolling.


Heh, "stay away from brake parts"... that's all I get after saying I was gonna WD-40 the rotor?

Guess I should have went with removing the rotor for weight loss or something.

[Viper-Byte]

I have also noticed this on mine too. From what I can tell, it is coming from the front axle as I lubricated the axle, and the squeak went away

[GreezMunky]

Oooo, I love it when I read these forums and see people having the same problem I do and find a way to fix it!

[NJD022588]

I also had this squeak, or at least very similar. I lubricated around the speedo sensor on the front axle and the squeak went away.

[islanderman7]

Had this same problem. Just loosened the front axle nut, sprayed wd-40, and hand torqued it. Haven't heard it since.

[travis5018]

I used some lubricant on my axel and It went away for about two weeks, but it came back . I dont believe I trust myself to loosen, lubricate, and tighten again, and when I tried to ask my dealer about it the service manager said it was normal.

[islanderman7]

Originally Posted by travis5018

I dont believe I trust myself to loosen, lubricate, and tighten again, and when I tried to ask my dealer about it the service manager said it was normal.

Use a torque wrench if you have one and replace the cotter pin with a new one.

Yea its normal, but its annoying.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by travis5018

I used some lubricant on my axel and It went away for about two weeks, but it came back . I dont believe I trust myself to loosen, lubricate, and tighten again, and when I tried to ask my dealer about it the service manager said it was normal.

this DIY has some info on how to get loosen up and tighten the front wheel if you are interested.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10296

[devinjc]

Wd-40 and poof no squeak. I'll probably do it proper sometime soon. Thanks Kkim

[ninjabrewer]

Instead of starting another thread for the same problem, kkim sent m this for "the squeak". This bike has had the problem before, the previous owner had it back at the dealership a few times before I bought it, at 1200 miles. They had already ordered a new speedo gear, when it came in, I took the bike down on a Sat, and then they found the front wheel bearings were shot from being too tight from the factory, and unsafe to ride. (hopefully that will be the only time I have to ride b***h on a HD) So they replaced the wheel bearings and everything was golden, until last weekend, when I started hearing the squeak again, at just over 3K miles. So, recap, on my bike the front wheel bearings and the speedo gear has been replaced. I am going to try the WD-40 on the bearing seals tomorrow and see if that helps.

Has anybody else had any more problems with the front end squeaking?

nb

[kkim]

click me

[ninjabrewer]

That is a lot of people with the same problem and I know mine isn't the gas tank, it changes with speed and it sounds like a wheel squeak. Oh, an one of the guys on there, acftgrunt, is the one I got the bike from, known him for about 7 yrs now.

thanks

nb

[kkim]

I wondered what happened to him. Now I know.

edit- what were the symptoms of bad wheel bearings that you could notice before you took it in?

[ninjabrewer]

Yeah, he now has a HD, I just don't remember which model, right now he is in VA at school. Should be back in a few weeks.

nb

[noche_caliente]

down at langley? not too far from me right in the backyard of where I grew up!

[ninjabrewer]

Originally Posted by noche_caliente

down at langley? not too far from me right in the backyard of where I grew up!

Eustis.

[00v_Lucky]

i thought my squeak came from dust in the brake pads just like my car. Temp solution that worked for me, go in reverse as fast as your feet can take you and hit the brakes hard but watch out for the tire locking up and skidding (precious tread will go to waste!)

[Sound Wave]

Originally Posted by 00v_Lucky

Temp solution that worked for me, go in reverse as fast as your feet can take you and hit the brakes hard but watch out for the tire locking up and skidding (precious tread will go to waste!)

i never tried this method, but instead of trying to run backwards on the bike, wouldn't it be easier if you went down a slight slope backwards? i always try to figure the lazy way out of things, which explains why i am so out of shape.

[ninjabrewer]

Originally Posted by kkim

edit- what were the symptoms of bad wheel bearings that you could notice before you took it in?

I didn't notice anything wrong with it, but I had it for only a short time and part of that, I had to get the required paperwork, ie registration, ins, etc. so I had ridden it only a couple of times when I took it cycle city. So how ever it felt, I would thought it to be normal.

nb

[kkim]

ah... so you didn't notice something really abnormal? I'm trying to track down my wobble problem and I was thinking maybe bad front wheel bearings as one cause.

thanks

[ninjabrewer]

Originally Posted by kkim

ah... so you didn't notice something really abnormal? I'm trying to track down my wobble problem and I was thinking maybe bad front wheel bearings as one cause.

thanks

That might be a possibility. Have you checked them. I was looking over my unread posts when I found your edit. I am not, by a long shot, a m'cycle mechanic, but when I used to work on bicycles, a wobble, usually, meant something was out of true or balance.

nb

[GreezMunky]

*sighs* Anyone have a permanent fix for this? They lubed up the speedo bearing seal on my bike twice and replaced the tach something and the sound has only gotten worse. It's driving me crazy along with a new fast speed chattering sound that I can't seem to find the source of.

[kkim]

try spraying some wd40 on the right side of the wheel where the axle passes through the wheel and see if it makes your noise go away.

[GreezMunky]

Originally Posted by kkim

try spraying some wd40 on the right side of the wheel where the axle passes through the wheel and see if it makes your noise go away.

*sighs* Thanks for the advice Kkim, but that was the first thing I tried before complaining to the dealership. Nothing is fixing this ridiculous squeaking sound and it's driving me crazy!

[kkim]

try wd40 again on both sides of the axle and see if it helps. it's not a permanent fix and is more a troubleshooting tool to find out where the noise is coming from.

[executor]

i haven't read anyone reference this but for me the squeek is only apparent during warm days, 20 degrees celcius +. on cold days there is no noise. on warm/ hot days the noise from the front wheel is directly associated with speed. it's extremely annoying and no matter what i do i cannot fix it.

[ScorpionNinja]

Originally Posted by executor

i haven't read anyone reference this but for me the squeek is only apparent during warm days, 20 degrees celcius +. on cold days there is no noise. on warm/ hot days the noise from the front wheel is directly associated with speed. it's extremely annoying and no matter what i do i cannot fix it.

Have you taken it to the dealer, had them look at it? If not.. do so (unless you got Tools and are good as a mechanic) Have them check the TORQUE on the Front wheel Axle Nut... some bikes (like mine) came WAAAY OVER TIGHTENED from the factory! (they just use a Impact gun on them) If it doesnt stop it, yes WD-40 will help out, and only lasts 100 miles or so. But like you said... in 1 type of Weather climiate (warm or cold) i forget which it did to me... does make the Noise more often or only! I used WD-40 2x over 200 miles... that was weeks ago, and since then ive put like 1000 miles on my bike this month and havent heard it anymore! (i think it happens more often during the Colder temps, or in morning to work) The Rubber outter front wheel bearing SEAL... will shrink in colder temps, and cause that annoying SQEEEEEK! the same could be said for Hotter temps, with HIGH humid %.... like in the summer your House DOOR 'STICKS' when you try and open/close it? the Humid weather might Warp the SEAL just enuff to cause the SQEEEEEK! just use WD-40 on it... and after after times and 200+Miles.... (after your front axle nut is tightened to CORRECT SPEC) it should be gone for good! Unless it sounds more like METAL to METAL grinding/SQEEEKing... in that case, ill bet your front wheel axle BEARINGs themselves are Toasted and need to be replaced!

hope this helps

[executor]

i have this infamous squealing coming from the front axle. i had to use a breaker bar to get the nut loosened; it was torqued insanely tight. sprayed some wd-40 and retorqued to 65 ft-lbs. i'll go for a test drive later and hopefully it's fixed.

seems i would only get the squeal on hot and humid days.

[bob706]

I put a few drops of clean motor oil on both sides of the axel and have not heard that horrible noise for more than 6000 miles.

[Sailariel]

Originally Posted by bob706

I put a few drops of clean motor oil on both sides of the axel and have not heard that horrible noise for more than 6000 miles.

I think that WD-40 is good stuff, but too weak for this application. I loosened up the axle and moved it a quarter inch out. I then applied Maxxima Chain lube to both sides. Got some into the void by the speedo drive as well. Retorqued the axle at 55 foot pounds. Problem solved.

[demp]

Hmmm, I changed my brake pads out at the end of last season, and after a little while I got a squeak from squeezing the brakes, could this potentially be the cause?

[Racer x]

The front wheel squeak is from the lip of the seal for the speedometer drive. It is very easy to get it folded under when putting on the wheel.It happen at the factory or the dealership during assembly.
You need to take off the speedo drive and smooth it out and put a little grease on it.
Then carefully put it back on .Being careful not to fold it again when you slide it on the wheel spacer.

[cuong-nutz]

I noticed that I have been having a front squeaking as well. Bumping this thread for others out there.

[kevheads]

just dropped my bike off at the dealership last night for this problem, my 2011 just started doing this at about 1400 miles.Mine seem to only do it when I first started riding,after a couple of miles it would go away.

[Alex]

We have a wiki article up for it:

http://www.ninjette.org/wiki/My_Bike...ont_Tire/wheel

If it turns out to be something other than the speedo drive, or an overly tightened front wheel, post up here so the new cause can be added.

[Brittas]

I had the annoying squeak from new. Seemed to come and go.Didn't seem brake related.
Here are the steps I took.
1: Loosen front wheel spray WD on as much of the wheel axel as I could(had no bike stand). Re tighten .
This did nothing.
2:Undo speedo cable from the bottom pull out cable. Spray lithium grease on cable and down into speedo hub. This did nothing.
3: Took front wheel off of bike. Sprayed WD40 into speedo hub. Greased wheel axle with copper slip (anti seize compound) Which is all I could find at work .
I have done a few hundred miles now and it seems fine.
The stripping down and greasing did the trick. No squeak and one happy chappy.