Lacing and truing wheels

[peski111]

2012 yz125 Smashed a rear wheel and had to buy new rim and spokes.  Hard to part with $150 for the shop to lace and true, so I bought the Tusk truing stand from Rocky Mtn.  Watched 2 of their vids on youtube and it looks pretty straight forward.  However, the guy on the vid said that sometimes spokes are multiple lengths for one specific wheel.  Does anybody know if the spokes for the rear wheel of a 2012 yz125 are all the same length or are there multiple lengths? 

[kijen]

I think the yz hubs have two length spokes....not hard to figure out...they go by inner and outer, the longer ones go through the holes closest to the center of the hub. the shorter goes through the hole closest to the edge of the hub, once you really look at it, it will make sense

[USED YZ426F]

Worst case, you start lacing and realize that the spokes don't fit about half-way through.  Just note which spokes are long/short and take it all apart and try again.

 

When tightening/trueing your wheel, go very slow and only tighten spokes 1/4 turn at a time until you have everything running straight and true.  Don't try to rush this as you will regret it.

[Polar_Bus]

I've done a few, not hard at all. Don't beat yourself up over perfect "true" it's only an MX wheel. I didn't use an axial stand, all's I did was clamp the rear axle vertical in a vice, drop the wheel on the axle and measure runout with the wheel horizontal. I did use a dial gage to be accurate. The biggest tip, be patient ! when beginning to screw down the nipples mark on nipple/spoke with a sharpie that's always spoke #1  and always turn each spoke nipple GRADUALLY and EQUALLY, And the other rule "loosen the opposite side of the direction you want to move the rim, then tighten the side you want to pull the rim" .

Edited October 12, 2013 by Polar_Bus

[peski111]

Thanks for the replies.  Just trying to minimize surprises when the time comes. 

[cj_wai]

make sure to check your offset first.not all hubs are centered.

[USED YZ426F]

make sure to check your offset first.not all hubs are centered.

The hub may not be centered, but every wheel I have done is centered when you put the necessary spacers on each side.  Just make certain that you put the right spacer on the right side and the left spacer on the left side.

[cj_wai]

The hub may not be centered, but every wheel I have done is centered when you put the necessary spacers on each side.  Just make certain that you put the right spacer on the right side and the left spacer on the left side.

that sure doesn,t have anything to do with lacing a wheel.

 

first step is to check offset,  too many people tear them down without checking and when they try relacing they wonder why one set of spokes is too short and the other side is too long,

[USED YZ426F]

that sure doesn,t have anything to do with lacing a wheel.

 

first step is to check offset,  too many people tear them down without checking and when they try relacing they wonder why one set of spokes is too short and the other side is too long,

 

Yes, it does.  The wheel may not be centered on the hub.  But the wheel will be centered on the forks/swingarm.  By setting up the hub just you would to install it on the bike, you will be able to ensure that your wheel is properly centered and trued when you are done.

 

Not knowing which spokes go where is a very simple task by just pulling one of each length spoke, and making notes of where they come from/go to.  The wheels on my '83 IT490 use four different length spokes.  By putting the hub together just as it would go back on the bike, it only took me about 2 hours to lace, true, and torque all 36 spokes.  I have the front wheel within 2 thousandths round and within 2 thousands true.  The front wheel is far better than the day it left the factory.

Edited October 15, 2013 by USED YZ426F