I’ve never had a splined wheelset before, but I know that they are strong enough to stand up to more than what I’ve been dealing it.
I just got the Hoppley last week (it has a KH hub with qu-ax cranks and a 19" kh rim) and already, after barely any use (because of the incredible heat and working all morning) the left crank is ‘clicking’ - I don’t know how else to describe it.
The most I’ve done is hopped up onto a 12" crate that I have.
The left crank can be moved back and forth about 1mm, just enough for it to ‘click’ as I ride. It’s annoying to me that this brand new $350 unicycle would start having problems after only a couple of hours of use - and not even heavy use at that.
If anyone has any suggestions, I’m willing to try anything.
BTW: the wheelset came pre-assembled, so all I had to do was put the pedals on (and, yes, they’re on the proper sides - the right crank, though, took a lot more effort to get on)
Everything mechanical has to bed in. Metal changes size with changes of temperature. Two different metals will change size at different rates. Something that feels tight when assembled will need nipping a bit tighter after a short period of use.
In the words of a well known travel guide, “Don’t Panic!”
I got a hoppley about a month ago and it clicked alot to start with, but after taking it apart and putting it back together again several times (with slight adjustments) it got better, i think a spacer was rubbing or something - not entirely sure what it was because my boyfriend took over to fix it. its almost ok now. it annoyed me alot to start with and i was paranoid about it coz i thought i was killing it by riding it with a click, but now i just think it has character coz im told its nothing serious- it should settle down.
Everytime you get something new, you should take it apart, clean it, re-grease it, put it back together really tight, ride it for an hour or two, tighten it again, and it should be good.
Mine did/does that from time tto time(im running KH cranks though) they are very simmilar to the Qu-Ax cranks…What i did was pull the pinch bolt right out and grease it up good. Then wrench it right back in there good and tight. The grease will help it glide onto the threads smoothly allowing for easier and further tightening.
As for maintenance i pull my hub/cranks apart once everymonth and completely clean and re grease everything, right down to the last bolt. That keeps my uni clean and happy and when its happy it doesnt whine and cry(creak)
It’s pretty easy, I did it 2 nights ago. first, remove the frame. then remove the cranks from the hub. then take the bearing and put bearing cleaner stuff on them. clean everything that looks dirty/rusted. put it all back together, voila!
Yeah…I just release the pinch bolts on one crank at a time and then oull that crank off, then the bearing and spacers. I wipe everything down with a dry rag first then clean it all with WD-40(carefull not to get any in the bearings) After its all wiped down and dried i apply PolyLube(your lbs should have something similar) to the axle and the inside of the crank splines. Then i put the crak back on ata 45 degree angle to what it started at(it makes the tire wear more evenly) then i grease the crank bolt and torque it down tight then i grease the pinch bolt and do the same.
I do that every month but not doing wont harm your setup its just not going to hel it at all.
