After a few weeks of trial and error, I think I've figured out the reason for my excessive BB creaking to be the tension bolt on the non-drive side crank arm on my Apex crankset. I have to torque it down past the recommended spec, but it quiets down when I do. Then I'll ride for a while and it'll get bad again. Rinse and repeat.
So, first, I'm curious to see if anyone else has had similar problems on SRAM cranks. I've put thousands of miles on a Rival crankset with no problem. Do I maybe have a lemon?
Second, I probably can't do this for long before I damage something. It doesn't seem like the bolt is loosening all that much when I ride, but I am having to apply increasing amounts of torque to get it to quiet down. Should I clean the threads and apply some blue locktite and see if that works? Also, visually, I don't see any evidence of galling on the bolt threads, but I can smell that metallic scent I've come to associate with galled threads (please don't ask me how I've learned that smell).
Third, is there any chance I'm treating a symptom and missing the real problem? I've uninstalled the BB (GXP), cleaned all threads, regreased and installed; checked pedals; checked chainring bolts; checked rear wheel QR and feel confident that I've eliminated those as a source of the noise. When I do the above, it'll be quite for a ride, then start creaking like before about halfway through the next ride. That's when I discovered that putting more torque on the NDS bolt worked.
All installations have been per SRAM specs, using a beam torque wrench.
Thanks.
So, first, I'm curious to see if anyone else has had similar problems on SRAM cranks. I've put thousands of miles on a Rival crankset with no problem. Do I maybe have a lemon?
Second, I probably can't do this for long before I damage something. It doesn't seem like the bolt is loosening all that much when I ride, but I am having to apply increasing amounts of torque to get it to quiet down. Should I clean the threads and apply some blue locktite and see if that works? Also, visually, I don't see any evidence of galling on the bolt threads, but I can smell that metallic scent I've come to associate with galled threads (please don't ask me how I've learned that smell).
Third, is there any chance I'm treating a symptom and missing the real problem? I've uninstalled the BB (GXP), cleaned all threads, regreased and installed; checked pedals; checked chainring bolts; checked rear wheel QR and feel confident that I've eliminated those as a source of the noise. When I do the above, it'll be quite for a ride, then start creaking like before about halfway through the next ride. That's when I discovered that putting more torque on the NDS bolt worked.
All installations have been per SRAM specs, using a beam torque wrench.
Thanks.