Squeak from the back end?

[brian4309]

New to the forum here, but hoping I could get a little help.

I get a very loud squeak from what seems to be the back end of the bike under power. I don't notice it in first gear, but 2nd and up I hear the squeak that is very loud. It is not a constant squeak but a jumpy one that seems to match the engine vibrations (as in it seems to squeak every time a cylinder fires) but only under power.

I just put on new rubber on the back end last night and I left every guard off and it didn't change assuming that I have guards rubbing and squeaking but apparently not the case.

Now, what I find to be very interesting, is that it is not always there. Case in point: Almost a month ago, I got caught in a pretty good rain storm. It didn't squeak again until I washed it. After I washed the bike, it never really went away until I ride for a while. Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention that the squeaking never really stays for a whole ride, just the start of it (10-20 minutes?)

Is this a symptom of the wheel bearings going or do I have a problem with my belt drive? The bike is a 2003 XB9R and I know that there have been problems with the belt on some (not being strong enough) but from what I can tell, the belt looks imaculate for being 5 years old.

Any ideas before I start throwing money at it until it gets figured out?

 

[LeFox]

1. the belt will not squeak, so it's not that.
2. this is hard to figure out online...
3. is it while riding constant or during normal/hard acceleration?

 

[ophawk]

This could also be the rear wheel bearings

 

[brian4309]

3. is it while riding constant or during normal/hard acceleration?

It seems to be only under acceleration except for a few rare occasions when I start out and hold speed it will squeak for a while.

Yes, I agree that it is hard to figure out online but I was hoping this may ring a bell for others who have had the same issue.

Thanks!

 

[firechickenXB9R]

Is it high pitch, low pitch, loud, real loud?

 

[LeFox]

It seems to be only under acceleration except for a few rare occasions when I start out and hold speed it will squeak for a while.

Yes, I agree that it is hard to figure out online but I was hoping this may ring a bell for others who have had the same issue.

Thanks!

i too have a little squeak/whistle, but that's the injectors.
can be compared to a small compressor whistle, i like that sound so i leave it

try getting the rear wheel on a stand and see if it's getting the same sound while lifted.
you can then also turn the wheel and hear if it's comming from the wheelbearings

 

[brian4309]

Well, I replaced the wheel bearings and that got me nothing. Still squeaks. I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this, but the bearings that came out of the wheel were relatively hard to turn and the new ones are not much easier. I can turn them by hand, but it doesn't seem that they are very free?

Anyways...

It is a high pitch squeak that seems to happen from the power stroke only but comes from the back end.

When I put the bike on the rear stand, I get nothing. It seems that it's coming from the torque load on the compression stroke but normally goes away after I ride it for a bit.

I had a local racer tell me to check the swingarm pivot and/or shock mount too. How would I go about checking these easily?

Any other ideas?
[confused]

 

[Fock347]

i had the same thing happen to me , it kinda sounds like rubber squeak right. i found out that my rear sprocket bolts were loose. i just put some red loctite and torqed them down to specs.

 

[Stevenc150]

If it's not what Fock347 said, have you tried bouncing on the bike to see if it's your shocks? My Wolverine's shocks made all kinds of sounds, but it stayed in the mud and such all the time. A long shot I know, but it would be an easy check.