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Wahoo Kickr 2018 V4 silent version and Core
Pictures wont post
Here is link with pictures https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/wahoo-silent-kickr-kickr-core-faults.2...
Hello there my Silent Kickr V4, and Silent Kickr Core users or pending users. I've decided to make public a few niggles which some users have been having with Wahoo's latest Silent Kickr. These issues have been made public else where, I'm not the first and probably wont be the last.
The two common mechanical problems are knocking and a drone sound whilst using the turbo.
Knocking noise
The knocking usually occurs whilst varying pedalling power, either applying more or relaxing. This is caused by the bolt on the bottom pulley, not being tightened properly. It holds the pulley in place by way of a Woodruff key assembly, the Woodruff key is not an interference fit and has a little free play. If the bolt is loose or works loose then the pulley twists on the shaft causing the clunk.
See below the location of the bolt. The remedy is to undo the bolt apply a little more blue thread-lock paste and re-tighten properly(hand tight with Allen key, but not excessive).
Edit, I've heard that Wahoo are replacing the Woodruff key for one that is a tighter fit. I'll look into this and report back
Drone noise
This I tracked down after my belt was very squeaky after a turbo session and the drone noise appeared. I removed the belt to isolate the fault and found its in the main flywheel assembly. There is nothing you can do to remedy this fault if you've ridden the turbo at all from new- its a warranty return to the supplier or Wahoo.
I believe it's down to the belt tension being too tight. The belt can have only few few mm slack from new, but once slackened mine worked even upto 12mm of play (measured from cowling)
When you've ridden the turbo for a period the pulleys slightly expand and increase further the tension, this then damaged the bearings(flat spotting the balls and race)-once damaged that is it!
Listen here.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRo19Zn213A
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htpvDC4giIc
Remedy to both problems
I reckon there is a potential remedy to both problems, if you take immediate steps when your new Silent Kickr arrives.
Before you ride the kickr!!
Remove the side cowling, its held on with a variety of small screws and Allen bolts. Its very easy to remove to see the fully belt path and tensioner.
Remove the centre bolt and apply thread lock and tighten- this cures knocking sounds
Secondly
slacken the belt tension off.
Loosen the the tensioner holding bolt on the plate and then with a 2.5mm Allen key wind anti-clockwise 5 full turns. Dont forget to retighten the lock bolt on the plate.
You could go more until you feel the belt slip on the bottom pulley- then apply just a little more tension to the point it doesn't slip. This will relieve the pressure on the flywheel bearings and remove the belt squeak.
Edit 12 October '18
This is my turbo now after belt tension has been reduced. The noise is still there but much reduced .
View: https://youtu.be/ETxvT9pG7SU
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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57 comments
My Kickr developed a drone within a month of replacing my Gen 1 version. Whilst a replacement was made available within 24hours of reporting it, I've lost confidence in the unit and opted to buy the Neo 2, which will infact be made to work with the Wahoo climb in a few months, not that I'm buying the climb.
I have repaired mine using the info on this thread and loads of others!
I've put a guide togther on my site -
http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/wahoo-kickr-18-repair/
Return them under the "not fit for purpose" rule. Get a full refund, pay a little more and get a Neo2.
Wahoo clearly are cutting corners. Their new manufacturer is a 'friend' of the owner of Wahoo...sounds like he help set a mate up with a business. This cost cutting/poor quality trend will be the norm until the owner and his mate fall out...Whoever the manufacturers were before should get the contract back and get their quality back in check.
I wont touch another Kickr on release thats for sure.
I've seen A LOT of these being returned, I would avoid like the plague.
Finally got round to fitting the new bits, knocking gone and everything running slightly quieter.
Fingers crossed it all stays good
Just to update my experience - it appears that belt tension seems to be key at least in my case anyway.
After having the woodruff key replaced & (as per the instructions) tightening the bolt to as it was before I was getting a loud whirring sound from the flywheel.
Even though I'm not at all confident in messing around with these things I decided that as it was broke already I couldn't make it any worse so I opened it up. I remembered CXR94Di2's post about slackening off the belt tension so I decided to do this. I've got it so it's quite a bit looser than it shipped with, probably bordering on as lose as it can be without slipping off.
Only done 1 40km ride on it & so far it seems a lot better fingers crossed. Still feel I'm not out of the woods though.
Overall like everyone else I'm really disappointed with Wahoo's quality control on this one. My 1st unit failed within 100km of using it which if I was an isolated incident & was the only one affected would be a bummer but just one of those things. However obviously I wasn't the only one so for this to happen on a pretty big scale for a £1000 product is pretty unforgiveable.
Having said that the service I received from Wahoo (& Wiggle) was faultless.
Hoping that I'll be able to get a good few rides in on it to give it a good workout over the coming weeks before it goes away for the better weather as the last thing I want is to get it out next September / October & it plays up again.
Raised a ticket with Wahoo who gave us two options: 1) they'll send out the new bits plus chucking in a $100 voucher or 2) they'll send out a new machine and arrange to return the old one.
Everything looks easy enough to do so went with option 1. SWMBO has been looking at the Wahoo Arm HR band for a while now so the voucher covered that
Just waiting on the bits now
@CXR94Di2 Did you get shot of your Climb? Or is it working with the Neo?
No, Ive still got it. I was looking at getting an engineerin company make some pivot mounts for the Neo, so I could manually adjust bike handlebar height.
Its a bit disappointing that Tacx has been bought by Garmin. Wahoo being a direct competitor, makes it less likely Garmin will play ball and offer to marry the two devices togther.
That was my 1st thought as well. Was hoping Garmin Varia radar would be compatible with the Bolt at some point but that looks unlikely now.
I currently have 3 kickr cores in my house, 2 are being collected on Monday.
The first developed a squeaking sound after around 6 weeks, it would only start after about 30 minutes of riding, it was annoying more than anything, especially as the thing is meant to be silent, wahoo sent me a replacement which I used for one week after which it stopped outputting power readings, the wahoo utility app, zwift and sufferfest all couldn't read power from the kickr, another unit sent out this week which I've used once, okay so far.
Wahoo support have been good but I'm clearly very nervous about the next thing to go wrong.
The thing is great when it works but I don't have a lot of confidence in it.
These are the new parts
20181029_205645.jpg
Are those the new bits they were sending out on request?
Cheers for the piccies as well matey
After 4 months the knocking has raised it's ugly head on ours.
Now to decide whether to try and fix it or return under warranty. Don't really want to be without the trainer
It is literally a 15 min job,(3 parts) if you're practical and have some bike tools. You need a range of Allen keys, screwdrivers and socket set. Also a little thread lock(halfords or motor factors)
Remove cover, Slacken off bolt(Yellow arrow),
then undo this bolt- just to slacken belt off Red arrow(count how many turns you unwind) ,
remove yellow bolt and take off tensioner assy.
remove bolt on pulley, remove pulley, Woodruff key, clean area if contaminated (brake/alcohol cleaner). Fit new parts, add thread lock paste to threads. You can also put some on the Woodruff key too. Re-assemble, wind on the same amount of turns you took off. replace cover- job done!
20181012_135023.jpg
On the red arrow does how tight you have this make a massive difference to how quiet it is? This is for the belt tension?
As above mine started making a noise after I'd had the Woodruff key replaced which I guessed would be the belt now being too tight with the new key holding it in better. Slackened off the bolt with the red arrow which made it better.
It's still making a whirring sound that it wasn't before & I'm not 100% happy with it but unsure whether to loosen the bolt further to slacken the belt off. Don't want to cause any further damage.
I can't be bothered with all this aggro, thinking seriously about getting rid & buying a Neo.
I posted a long reply, which disappeared. -arrrrgh!
Basically it sounds faulty-ask for money back, get Neo/2
Against my better judgement I'm gonna open it up & have another fiddle around with the belt tension. I'm gonna get it on the slackest I can get without it slipping.
Last chance saloon for it though - if I can't get it right it's going back, getting to the end of my tether with it now which is a pity as I was considering a Climb next winter.
Was the noise different before the Woodruff key and bolt change?
Keep an eye on it for further noises.
I've never had any problems with any other noise apart from the knocking on both the units I've had. Everything was fine until the knocking noise started As soon as I backed off the belt tension it improved straight away.
TBH I think I'm bordering on paranoia now, any little click or sound I'm wondering if it should be doing it. I spend more time listening for noises than concentrating on my ride on Zwift!
If it starts again it's going back. As much as I love Wahoo products & have a bunch of them I'm not putting up with messing about with an item that has a RRP of £1k. It should be perfect straight from the box.
To answer my own question it looks like the belt tension was too tight.
Against my better judgement I decided to open it up on the basis that it was broke already so couldn't make it any worse.
After a few hours faffing around with it I reckon that contrary to the Wahoo instructions when you replace the Woodruff key as it is stronger than the old one the belt doesn't need to be as tight.
Loosened it off & seems a lot better now.
Will kepp my eye on it as still not 100% happy.
Got my Kickr back & now it's doing this which doesn't sound right to me:
https://youtu.be/Oz9fOh82Xl0
Anyone else had this?
Opinions please.
My 2nd Kickr has now developed the knocking noise after 1000k. I was provided the replacement washer, key & bolt from Wahoo FOC with the new unit but haven't used them as it was fine up til this point.
For anyone that has done the repair themselves did that fix it? Hesitant to start messing around with it if it doesn't sort it & TBH don't see why I should have to anyway.
The instructions go on about the belt & allsorts of other things, can't I just replace the shipped bolt with the new one & leave the rest?
Tempted just to return it, get a refund & get a Neo or Neo 2.
A clunking noise can be cause mostly by a loose fitting Woodruff key and Bolt. The bolt in the kit is black hex head, the problem setup had a allen head chrome colour. The problem is fitting the Woodruff key without roving the belt and pulley. Actually my first repair, I used extra thread lock and just tightened it up a bit more . This stopped the clunk.
I too have moved onto a Neo2 now.
Does the new key fix it permanently in your experience?
Don't mind the repair if that will do the trick, I'm just wary of it failing again down the line probably out of warranty.
If its a clunking sound, then yes it will fix it. Regarding issues down the line.
The simple way to know how much tension to re apply to the belt after removal. When you unwind the long thin tension bolt, count how many turns you undo it, to be able to remove belt. Then wind on the same turns to tighten.
The kickrs seem to be failing within a few months of being new. The other issues are drone sound, precursor to vibration and squealing again associated with bearing wear.
I read a post of a new Kickr 18 owner, who suffered vibration, he sent his flywheel to a professional turbine/ motor balancing company, who did a dynamic balance. They removed a further 9 grams from the flywheel. He said it transformed the Kickr.
The problem, it cost him $600 to have it balanced !!
That's mental! No way I'd be paying that.
Been "fortunate" to only suffer from the knocking sound on both my units I've had so hoping for the best but probably expecting the worst. I've taken the trainer to be fixed today as I didn't fancy doing it so hoping it will be fixed & that's the end of it.
Still brought it to the attention of Wahoo to protect myself if it does go pear shaped later on which if it does I'll be getting a refund & buying something else, probably a Neo or Neo 2.
Thank for your help.
I'm now on my 2nd 2018 Wahoo Kickr and this one also needs to go back due to the knocking issue.
The first unit was purchased in late September 2018 and was returned after about 2 weeks/ 200km.
The issue started with a inaudible knocking which you could feel through the pedal on each pedal stroke. This initially appeared at around 300 watts but after continued use happened at any wattage and became an audible knocking.
Wahoo support were pretty good and replaced the unit within a week and i got going again.
Today around a month/ 200km later the second unit has now developed the same issue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90d4bnS0KdM
This time i'll be requesting a refund for the unit. Seems to be a design fault or a bad manufacturing run - shame because it is a nice unit.
Zwiftinsider are saying that the new Kickr ships with an aluminium skewer rather than a steel skewer of previous versions.
Guy on there was sprinting & his bike came off the trainer which is slightly concerning.
Seems like a blatant cost cutting measure to me.
Replacement Kickr arrived yesterday & after quick 20k test seems OK - so far.
Read that a few people have had probems after 400k so not celebrating just just yet.
Decided against opening it up to tighten bolts etc, if it does go pear shaped I'll ask for the kit mentioned above & if that doesn't work it will go back.
Fingers crossed that doesn't happen.
Wiggle now playing ball a little more & saying they will send a replacement when they get the other back & before it's "inspected".
Undecided about whether to open it up & faff around with it when I get it though.
On the one hand why should I be faffing around with a £1k product to get it right straight out of the box but on the other it's pretty straightforward & will stop any long term problems then why not?
Really hoping the new one works as it should.
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