Exo Squeaking

[Poser]

My first generation Exo pack started squeaking all of a sudden. I have waxed it pretty good and heated the wax up with a hairdryer. I was able to eliminate much of the noise coming from where the harness connects to the frame, but there is some squeaking coming from somewhere around the top of the frame in the load lifter area that I cannot seem to get rid of nor can I seem to recreate the sound when not wearing the pack under load despite any effort to flex the frame or move the fabric around. Because I can't get it to squeak unless I am wearing the pack and walking (it takes a few minutes for it to get going), I can't seem to pinpoint the problem. It only occurs once the frame begins to move with the body and once it starts, it tends to get progressively worse. Any suggestions?

 

[DmrbigEshotT]

If you have time to skim through the last twenty or so pages of the big EXO thread, you'll find some suggestions in there. Can't pinpoint the exact page, but the issue was addressed several times.

 

[hammer0419]

Contact Steve or lenny. Sure they will help you. One of the reasons for the 2015 upgrades.

 

[jwb300]

I had the exact same issue as you. I found that bow string wax solved the problem but needed reapplication every few weeks. I spoke to Steve and he was great to deal with. I sent the old frame back. The new frame is great.

 

[Poser]

I had the exact same issue as you. I found that bow string wax solved the problem but needed reapplication every few weeks. I spoke to Steve and he was great to deal with. I sent the old frame back. The new frame is great.

Did you identify exactly where the squeaking was taking place? I've been using a bar of canning wax and pretty much just smearing it everywhere on the upper frame area trying to pinpoint the problem.

I'll scroll thought that monster thread on the Exo. I seem to recall some mention of it at some point, just haven't had a chance to search it out yet.

If I can fix it without having to trouble Steve and Lenny, that'd be ideal.

 

[Poser]

I searched through the big thread. It seems like this discussion would have taken place somewhere between page 50 and mid 60s -that's the time between the two models, but I didn't see any discussion. I do recall seeing something about it somewhere in the thread at some point and I also recall the part about using wax, which is what I did, but it doesn't seem that I am going to be able to resolve the issue without some very specific advice on where the noise is coming from. I feel like I have hit all of the obvious spots that would potentially create noise.

 

[jherald]

I've owned several different brands of packs to include Exo and Stone Glacier, which I use either one depending on the hunt I'm doing. I've found they all squeak under a certain kind of heavy load, its usually been on the heavy hauls out. I had a Kifaru that seemed to squeak more than others. I dont wax my packs because its a pita to clean blood out of waxed pack nylon.

 

[jwb300]

Did you identify exactly where the squeaking was taking place? I've been using a bar of canning wax and pretty much just smearing it everywhere on the upper frame area trying to pinpoint the problem.

I'll scroll thought that monster thread on the Exo. I seem to recall some mention of it at some point, just haven't had a chance to search it out yet.

If I can fix it without having to trouble Steve and Lenny, that'd be ideal.

No I never found the exact spot but I believe it may have been where the shoulder harness attached. I couldn't stop it unless I removed the titanium frame almost entirely from the harness and waxed the whole thing.

 

[Poser]

I've owned several different brands of packs to include Exo and Stone Glacier, which I use either one depending on the hunt I'm doing. I've found they all squeak under a certain kind of heavy load, its usually been on the heavy hauls out. I had a Kifaru that seemed to squeak more than others. I dont wax my packs because its a pita to clean blood out of waxed pack nylon.

This one just started squeaking suddenly and then got continually worse. It will squeak with just a 20 pound load distributed throughout the pack. At first I thought it may have been just with a sandbag load directly on the frame.

 

[Hootsma]

Post 977, the squeak is mentioned. Post 720 specifically states the location of the squeak and 723 gives a solution.
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/show...ain-pack&p=319270&highlight=squeak#post319270

 

[Poser]

^ thanks. Went back over it focusing more on waxing the actual frame rather than the fabric itself.

 

[Poser]

Spent the last half of the Monday Night Football game waxing every inch of the frame, rubbing it in with finger friction. I then went back over all of the fabric that touches the frame, especially focusing on the seams, applied generous amounts of wax and melted it into the fabric with a hairdryer. While the squeaking is noticeably reduced, it still starts to occur and gets gradually worse after just a couple of minutes of walking with the pack on under moderate weight. I don't know what else to do.

 

[LostArra]

I had a squeaking Kifaru MMR. After much trial and error I realized it was from a buckle/webbing contact point when that point was under tension.
It almost sounded and felt like it came from stitching within the webbing.
If waxing the frame seems to help even only temporarily then I would search for any contact point that is under tension when loaded. Then try to relieve that tension with fitting adjustments rather than more wax.
Is it squeaking with zero tension on the load lifters?

 

[Poser]

I had a squeaking Kifaru MMR. After much trial and error I realized it was from a buckle/webbing contact point when that point was under tension.
It almost sounded and felt like it came from stitching within the webbing.
If waxing the frame seems to help even only temporarily then I would search for any contact point that is under tension when loaded. Then try to relieve that tension with fitting adjustments rather than more wax.
Is it squeaking with zero tension on the load lifters?

Yeah, I've tried changing the load lifter tension to see if it made a difference and it really did not. What causes the squeaking is when the frame gets into a rocking rhythm with my walking. The frame is designed to move with the body a bit as you walk, which feels great, but that same movement seems to be creating some resonance at the top outside of corners ("Micky mouse ears") of the frame. Since there is no way to simulate the swaying rhythm of walking, I cannot get the frame to make any noise at all unless I am actually walking. Even over tightening the load lifters severely to restrict the rocking did not reduce the sound much at all.

The way I see it, wax can have 2 effects in this case:

1. It can reduce the effects of friction of metal against fabric and/or fabric against fabric.

2. It can dampen the resonance of the frame itself.

Since this seems to be a resonance issue, I may try taping the upper corners of the frame itself and see if that helps.

 

[Poser]

Tried some taping, but it didn't seem to help much. I can put the pack on and jump up and down continuously and throw my weight abruptly from side to side and not get any noise, but the moment I start walking, it starts creaking.

 

[rileybassman]

I had an eberlestock that squeaked... I used either hockey grip tape or electrical tape and covered the frame with it.

Worked pretty well.

 

[Poser]

Just as an update, I ended up having to send the pack frame back into Exo to "replace the creaky parts." I assume they are going to drop a 2015 frame in, but we'll see. Steve and Lenny are out hunting until the Sept 25th and I leave on a trip on Oct 5th, so its a rather narrow window.

 

[Poser]

Well, I managed to get the pack back on a express Saturday delivery. I'm leaving on a trip Monday morning, so it was a little stressful running it down to the wire like that. Exo replaced the chest harness. Putting my hands on a new harness, it was apparent that the foam in my old harness was comparatively very stiff so that must have been the issue.

 

[plentycoupe]

I am having the same issue with my pack. Did the replacement chest harness fix your issue?

 

[wind gypsy]

I am having the same issue with my pack. Did the replacement chest harness fix your issue?

This thread is over 3 years old.