Strange noise in wheel

[p3eps]

I’ve notice a strange noise in my wheel when I spin it.
I thought there were maybe big lumps of sealant in the tyre, so I’ve taken it off to find it’s still liquid.

When I rotate the wheel back and forth, it sounds like there is something rolling about inside the wheel. It’s definitely in the rim, and not in the hub.

What can it be, and how do I fix it (other than taking it to lbs?!)

 

[steve_sordy]

it will be one of these (the starfish, not the 50p)

Formed from the sealant as it dries out. It made a rumbling noise in my tyre. I believe it is what happens when you keep topping up sealant instead of cleaning out the old crap from time to time.

 

[p3eps]

Ride faster so you don’t hear silly shit to overthink about.

I don’t hear it when I’m riding. Is only when I’m cleaning the chain etc.
Sound like there are little balls inside the rim!

 

[p3eps]

it will be one of these (the starfish, not the 50p)

View attachment 71397

Formed from the sealant as it dries out. It made a rumbling noise in my tyre. I believe it is what happens when you keep topping up sealant instead of cleaning out the old crap from time to time.

It’s inside the rim though… not in the tyre!
Can that get into the wheel?
I always tip my sealant out and start again - can’t top up Stans Racing through the valve, so have to half remove the tyre anyway.

 

[steve_sordy]

It’s inside the rim though… not in the tyre!
Can that get into the wheel?
I always tip my sealant out and start again - can’t top up Stans Racing through the valve, so have to half remove the tyre anyway.

Hmm. Although sealant can leak into the rim, I very much doubt that you will have a starfish rumbling about, although it is possible I suppose. What noise does it make? If it is a rumbling noise it will not be metallic. A tinkling noise will be metallic or hard plastic. Are all your spokes tight? Could something have come loose there?

I suspect that to find it you are going to have to remove the tyre, strip off the rim tape and move the bare wheel about until you find it.

 

[RustyIron]

When I rotate the wheel back and forth, it sounds like there is something rolling about inside the wheel. It’s definitely in the rim, and not in the hub.

Aluminum rim? On many rims, there is a little puck used to align the ends before they're welded. Theoretically, the the ends are welded, and the the puck will stay in place as a result of good luck. But it doesn't always. Sometimes it rattles around at slow speeds. Rotate the wheel slowly, and see if the noise is dependent on the change in orientation of the weld.

The generally accepted method of securing the puck is, from the inside of the rim, use a center punch to add a couple divots adjacent to the weld. I think a better method is to drill two holes, about 3/16", about 3/8" from the weld, on either side. squirt in a little Gorilla Glue. If the brand isn't available where you are, it's' the kind of glue that requires moisture from the air to harden, and foams up as it sets. It will secure the puck into place. Keep in mind that you don't want the glue getting near your spoke holes.

 

[p3eps]

Aluminum rim? On many rims, there is a little puck used to align the ends before they're welded. Theoretically, the the ends are welded, and the the puck will stay in place as a result of good luck. But it doesn't always. Sometimes it rattles around at slow speeds. Rotate the wheel slowly, and see if the noise is dependent on the change in orientation of the weld.

The generally accepted method of securing the puck is, from the inside of the rim, use a center punch to add a couple divots adjacent to the weld. I think a better method is to drill two holes, about 3/16", about 3/8" from the weld, on either side. squirt in a little Gorilla Glue. If the brand isn't available where you are, it's' the kind of glue that requires moisture from the air to harden, and foams up as it sets. It will secure the puck into place. Keep in mind that you don't want the glue getting near your spoke holes.

Carbon rim. It sounds like there are a few ‘bits’ rolling around!

 

[p3eps]

Hmm. Although sealant can leak into the rim, I very much doubt that you will have a starfish rumbling about, although it is possible I suppose. What noise does it make? If it is a rumbling noise it will not be metallic. A tinkling noise will be metallic or hard plastic. Are all your spokes tight? Could something have come loose there?

I suspect that to find it you are going to have to remove the tyre, strip off the rim tape and move the bare wheel about until you find it.

The tyre is already off. All spokes feel tight, and the rim is true. Sounds like there are multiple ball bearings rolling about inside!

 

[steve_sordy]

I'm out of ideas. But @RustyIron 's suggestion sounds very feasible.

 

[p3eps]

I'm out of ideas. But @RustyIron 's suggestion sounds very feasible.

I’ll drop it in last my LBS on my way home from work tomorrow and see what they say. I read that Specialized carbon wheels have a lifetime warranty, so hopefully if somethings broken it’ll be covered.

 

[Ted]

I bet it is a spoke nipple. Test your spokes by tapping each one gently with a screwdriver. They should all make a ringing sound. If one sounds different the nipple may have come off and is inside the rim.

 

[apac]

Loose spoke

 

[KennyB]

I bet it is a spoke nipple. Test your spokes by tapping each one gently with a screwdriver. They should all make a ringing sound. If one sounds different the nipple may have come off and is inside the rim.

Spoke nipple is my bet. Might have been dropped on during the building. Why worry?

 

[p3eps]

It’s not that I’m worried… more curious!
It doesn’t seem to be doing any harm, and I only hear it when the bike is in the stand. No lose spokes.

Anyway, just back from the LBS, so I can tell you all the actual answer if you’re interested!

I spoke with 3 different people, who were all perplexed. They had 1 roll of rim tape left, and it was 35mm… so we decided to peel mine off and have a look since we could re-tape it again.

Whilst removing the valve, the stores wheel builder came over and said not to remove the tape - just to shake anything out through the valve hole. He shook and shook, and what looked like a 4mm ball bearing dropped out. Then another, and another… until there were about 10 of these on the counter.

What were they? Perfectly round clumps of mud! Somehow dirt has made its way in through the tiny gaps in the spokes, and over the last 18 months has formed into larger lumps - perfectly round from rolling round and round!
The techs were all as surprised as I was!

They’re all out now, and I’ve got the wheel home to refit the tyre / valve.

 

[Shjay]

If a DT Swiss wheel could be a washer have struggled to get them out myself ?

 

[p3eps]

Went to put the tyre back on and heard another one. Shook this one out, and then there was one more. It was too big to fit out the hole… so I ended up squishing it a bit with an Allen key, and a large chunk came out followed by a load of smaller bits!

Tyre back on now - a right PITA to go on… but at least the wheel doesn’t rattle anymore!!

 

[steve_sordy]

Success!

 

[Jos]

Same here!
After some thorough shaking… and the air compressor this all came out I thought is was sealant, do you think it’s mud?

 

[p3eps]

Same here!
After some thorough shaking… and the air compressor this all came out I thought is was sealant, do you think it’s mud?
View attachment 71812

Mine was brown and gritty when squashed! If it was sealant, I imagine it’d have a gummy type feel to it?
The guys in the shop said that spokes aren’t perfectly fitting to the rim, so there’s small gaps and that it’s possible for dirt to get past them.

In all honesty, I don’t know what it was - but it felt like mud balls to me! Either way, they’re out now - and if they come back I’ll know how to get rid of them!

 

[p3eps]

Broken spoke, it's the nipple.

Clearly you didn’t read the answer ?