05 CRF250R Loud Click Sound (from rear)

60029 Donovan759 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/60029/avatar/c50_motocross_bike_1508252675.jpg?1508252397 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Donovan759,60029/all 10/12/17 1 15 2046 33 1

Posts: 2061

Joined: 10/12/2017

Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA

5/22/2018 8:12 AM

HISTORY:
I have owned the bike since new. I have always taken very good care of it & maintain it regularly. I don't beat on it but I ride tracks occasionally and race it occasionally. I avoid mud when possible (unlike quad riders who seek it out). I thoroughly clean & go over the bike after every ride.

PROBLEM:
Sometimes (not all the time) when I compress & decompress the rear shock there is a loud click from the general area below the air box. I haven't pin pointed it yet but I wasn't sure if anyone on here could save me some steps. It happens pretty often while riding. I dont think it's anything to do with the sub frame as it happens with pressure on it (while sitting) and no pressure (while standing). My thoughts were that it has to be suspension related.

MORE HISTORY
I have never changed any swing-arm or linkage bearings but I plan to this month. I'm sure all the bearings back there are junk because the bike has 100's of hours on it.

(I never changed the bearings as a part of normal maintenance because they have never been a problem. Everything travels smoothly as it is supposed to.)

MY THOUGHTS
At first I thought the sound was coming from bad bearings but when I get close to the bike and have someone else move it up and down, it seems like the sound is coming from a higher location. Does anyone have any ideas? I am going to tear into the bike memorial day weekend and try to figure this all out but I was hoping someone else has experienced this and can point me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance guys!
Donovan

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kb228

61852 kb228 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/61852/avatar/c50_48AD01BA_8BE7_43D5_B767_B4A5D12AFA64_1538263085.jpg?1538262140 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/kb228,61852/all 01/31/18 3 74 5754 1

Posts: 5832

Joined: 1/31/2018

Location: Mansfield, OH USA

5/22/2018 8:40 AM

Upper shock bolt

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Donovan759

60029 Donovan759 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/60029/avatar/c50_motocross_bike_1508252675.jpg?1508252397 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Donovan759,60029/all 10/12/17 1 15 2046 33 1

Posts: 2061

Joined: 10/12/2017

Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA

5/22/2018 8:58 AM

kb228 wrote:
Upper shock bolt

kb228 wrote:
Upper shock bolt

...more

Not sure if you're trolling or not... There's a lot more than just a bolt up there. Could you explain more?

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kb228

61852 kb228 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/61852/avatar/c50_48AD01BA_8BE7_43D5_B767_B4A5D12AFA64_1538263085.jpg?1538262140 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/kb228,61852/all 01/31/18 3 74 5754 1

Posts: 5832

Joined: 1/31/2018

Location: Mansfield, OH USA

5/22/2018 9:13 AM

kb228 wrote:
Upper shock bolt

kb228 wrote:
Upper shock bolt

...more

Donovan759 wrote:
Not sure if you're trolling or not... There's a lot more than just a bolt up there. Could you explain more?

Donovan759 wrote:
Not sure if you're trolling or not... There's a lot more than just a bolt up there. Could you explain more?

...more

Theres 1 bolt that goes through the top of the shock to mount it to the frame. Theres a bushing up there. If it wears out bad enough it will make noise from slapping around.

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Donovan759

60029 Donovan759 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/60029/avatar/c50_motocross_bike_1508252675.jpg?1508252397 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Donovan759,60029/all 10/12/17 1 15 2046 33 1

Posts: 2061

Joined: 10/12/2017

Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA

5/22/2018 9:25 AM

kb228 wrote:
Theres 1 bolt that goes through the top of the shock to mount it to the frame. Theres a bushing up there. If it wears out bad ...more

kb228 wrote:
Theres 1 bolt that goes through the top of the shock to mount it to the frame. Theres a bushing up there. If it wears out bad enough it will make noise from slapping around.

...more

Got ya. It would make a lot of sense if that was the problem. I really appreciate the response. I'll let you know if it works.

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Mr Happy

49093 Mr Happy /images/default/avatar/c50.png https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Mr-Happy,49093/all 10/09/15 4 201

Posts: 205

Joined: 10/9/2015

Location: GBR

5/22/2018 10:34 AM

If it doesn't work then check it isn't the mud flap on the bottom of the airbox catching or rubbing on anything. I've had one make a clicking noise when bouncing on the seat.

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Donovan759

60029 Donovan759 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/60029/avatar/c50_motocross_bike_1508252675.jpg?1508252397 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Donovan759,60029/all 10/12/17 1 15 2046 33 1

Posts: 2061

Joined: 10/12/2017

Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA

5/22/2018 10:55 AM
Edited Date/Time: 5/22/2018 11:12 AM

Mr Happy wrote:
If it doesn't work then check it isn't the mud flap on the bottom of the airbox catching or rubbing on anything. I've had one ...more

Mr Happy wrote:
If it doesn't work then check it isn't the mud flap on the bottom of the airbox catching or rubbing on anything. I've had one make a clicking noise when bouncing on the seat.

...more

Thanks! will do.

Edit: The sound happens on the down swing and upswing too.
It definitely sounds like metal cracking & not plastic, but it doesn't hurt to check it out.

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TrailDigger

35442 TrailDigger /images/default/avatar/c50.png https://www.vitalmx.com/community/TrailDigger,35442/all 09/07/12 1 27 927 30 1

Posts: 954

Joined: 9/7/2012

Location: MA, USA

5/22/2018 1:28 PM

When the bike is on the stand, can you pull the swingarm up and down? If you can, your swingarm bearings and more than likely your linkage bearings are shot.

Good luck getting the swingarm bolt out unsure

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If you're not mixing gas, you're not haulin ass.

Paw Paw 271

38400 Paw Paw 271 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/38400/avatar/c50_Husky_TC_449_1526420797.jpg?1526420311 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Paw-Paw-271,38400/all 04/03/13 12 13 3596 1 3

Posts: 3609

Joined: 4/3/2013

Location: Benton, LA USA

5/22/2018 2:30 PM

TrailDigger wrote:
When the bike is on the stand, can you pull the swingarm up and down? If you can, your swingarm bearings and more than likely ...more

TrailDigger wrote:
When the bike is on the stand, can you pull the swingarm up and down? If you can, your swingarm bearings and more than likely your linkage bearings are shot.

Good luck getting the swingarm bolt out

...more

You should also be able to hear the upper shock mount clicking if the bearing is bad.

Paw Paw

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Donovan759

60029 Donovan759 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/60029/avatar/c50_motocross_bike_1508252675.jpg?1508252397 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Donovan759,60029/all 10/12/17 1 15 2046 33 1

Posts: 2061

Joined: 10/12/2017

Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA

5/23/2018 6:42 AM

TrailDigger wrote:
When the bike is on the stand, can you pull the swingarm up and down? If you can, your swingarm bearings and more than likely ...more

TrailDigger wrote:
When the bike is on the stand, can you pull the swingarm up and down? If you can, your swingarm bearings and more than likely your linkage bearings are shot.

Good luck getting the swingarm bolt out

...more

Paw Paw 271 wrote:
You should also be able to hear the upper shock mount clicking if the bearing is bad.

Paw Paw

Paw Paw 271 wrote:
You should also be able to hear the upper shock mount clicking if the bearing is bad.

Paw Paw

...more

Thanks Paw Paw. I appreciate the response.

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Donovan759

60029 Donovan759 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/60029/avatar/c50_motocross_bike_1508252675.jpg?1508252397 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Donovan759,60029/all 10/12/17 1 15 2046 33 1

Posts: 2061

Joined: 10/12/2017

Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA

5/23/2018 6:44 AM

TrailDigger wrote:
When the bike is on the stand, can you pull the swingarm up and down? If you can, your swingarm bearings and more than likely ...more

TrailDigger wrote:
When the bike is on the stand, can you pull the swingarm up and down? If you can, your swingarm bearings and more than likely your linkage bearings are shot.

Good luck getting the swingarm bolt out

...more

No, that stuff is all tight with no play. Which is why i never changed my linkage and swingarm bearings. But i'm going to soon just because it should have been done twice by now. I'm not looking forward to the swingarm bolt. Thats for sure.

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Donovan759

60029 Donovan759 https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/users/60029/avatar/c50_motocross_bike_1508252675.jpg?1508252397 https://www.vitalmx.com/community/Donovan759,60029/all 10/12/17 1 15 2046 33 1

Posts: 2061

Joined: 10/12/2017

Location: Pittsburgh, PA USA

10/5/2018 6:48 AM

**Update**

I'm bringing this topic back up to update you guys on something I found very interesting.

I pulled the rear shock off the bike a couple months ago to replace everything. Had it sitting in the garage like that for a few months as I didn't have the money to replace the bearings. A woods ride came up that I wanted to go on so I threw the shock back on without ever replacing any upper or lower bearings. (I figured I'll tear it apart this winter and do all the linkage & shock bearings at the same time).

After I reassembled everything, I took the bike off the stand and heard the loud click as soon as the back wheel touched the ground. After that, It never happened again. I have put 2 rides on the bike and haven't heard the sound once.

I'm going to replace all the bearings this winter and I'll post another update after that. But I thought that it's interesting that the problem is currently non-existent without replacing anything.

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kb228