Wheel truing

[lethalweapon100]

So im truing up a new wheel for my KX, and I got the side-to-side runout about right, but the up and down runout is very large, probably around a 12 MM change (service limit is 2MM). After about 8 turns tighter (and even 5 turns lighter on the oppisite side) the rim will still not get true. Am I doing something wrong? Any tips?

[wolfeworx]

You may need to loosen the spokes 90 degrees from your low area aswell

[lethalweapon100]

Chadwick is fairly remote, I've stayed at the Comfort Inn in Ozark a couple of times now. Reasonable, clean & new, plus cold breakfast & coffee included. There may be some places closer, but they'll be "Bates Motel" kinda places and dining is limited. Ozark is back up off Hwy 65 and you can hit Lamberts (they don't serve drinks!, but the food is good) and a ton of other places to eat. If you aren't camping on site and have to load & unload anyway, I'd stay in Ozark.

Did that.

[TillamookTrailJunkie]

The way i do it is to start with all spokes loose. Then get all the threads showing an equal amount around the entire wheel, say 3 or 4 threads showing. Then just work your way around the wheel tightening every spoke the same amount in 1/2 turn increments. I start at the spoke next to the rim lock then skip 2 spokes and work around the wheel using that pattern. It will take 3 times going around the wheel to get every spoke but it helps everything stay nice and even. Eventually your up and down run-out will be close, then do your side to side. If you get to a spoke that is super tight compared to the last, just skip to the next. This works for me, hope it helps.

Edited February 10, 2014 by TillamookTrailJunkie

[Toylee_roosta]

Truing a wheel is very difficult.  I can do total rebuilds, tear apart suspensions & I still drop wheels to be trued at a local shop.  Not impossible, but for 45 bucks worth it for me

[pdee4t]

hi guys. i bought myself a spoke torque wrench because it's time to tighten my spokes.
my wheel at 1 area, doesn't spin/remain straight. it's only a little bit out. i have recently also put on a new chain, new rear tyre, replaced the rear wheel bearings and seals and front and rear sprockets, so they ain't the causes and the last thing left to do is to tighten the spokes or check the spoke tension. the rim and hub are also in excellent condition. i know the torque spec to tighten them up to from my manual.
i know the spoke torque wrenches take the guesswork out of tightening the spokes, however, some people have told me to tighten every 4th spoke, then every 2nd spoke, then every other spoke and others have said to just tighten them 1 by 1 because i am using a torque wrench so shouldn't matter. which is the correct method? or will it even matter considering im using a spoke torque wrench? just wanting to make sure and double check before i start tightening them.

Edited February 10, 2014 by pdee4t

[Jfreak]

Look at how your wheel is spoked. I had to do every 3rd spoke on my warp 9 wheels. There's different spoke patters.

You want to tighten one spoke then the next spoke you tighten should be on the opposite side of the hub to keep from pulling your whole wheel over.

[pdee4t]

What am I looking for exactly though? Mine are excel rims. the patterns all look the same.

and im using a spoke torque wrench though which will be set at 6nM, so why would it matter?

Edited February 10, 2014 by pdee4t

[William1]

Do a search here. There are many great tutorials as well as pictures and videos.

[Jfreak]

What am I looking for exactly though? Mine are excel rims. the patterns all look the same.

and im using a spoke torque wrench though which will be set at 6nM, so why would it matter?

Not every spoke will need tightened the same amount. I did one spoke from each side of the hub just to be safe. Trueing a wheel isn't as easy as tightening spokes, so I played it safe I guess.

[pdee4t]

Not every spoke will need tightened the same amount. I did one spoke from each side of the hub just to be safe. Trueing a wheel isn't as easy as tightening spokes, so I played it safe I guess.

well according to my manual, all spokes should be tightened to 6nM. plus im using a torque wrench so i just don't understand why i'd need to go in certain patterns when they're all going to be tightened to exactly 6nM at the end anyway.

Edited February 10, 2014 by pdee4t

[pdee4t]

 

Do a search here. There are many great tutorials as well as pictures and videos.

the thread was merged anyway and i just read all the other previous posts and none of em helped or answered my question at all.

i generally find that it's too time consuming to just search and flick through and read everything, i don't really have much spare time and half the time, the old/previous don't really help much because my questions still aren't being answered. i'd rather just ask the question and get a direct answer rather than beating around the bush...and wasting time reading something that most the time, isn't even helpful at all..especially when i need the info asap.

[William1]

 

 

the thread was merged anyway and i just read all the other previous posts and none of em helped or answered my question at all.

i generally find that it's too time consuming to just search and flick through and read everything, i don't really have much spare time and half the time, the old/previous don't really help much because my questions still aren't being answered. i'd rather just ask the question and get a direct answer rather than beating around the bush...and wasting time reading something that most the time, isn't even helpful at all..especially when i need the info asap.

 

If you are too lazy to search, then do not expect anyone else to be willing to help. It is a bad attitude to think you are too special and above everyone else.

 

You can learn the hows and whys something is dome like it is, understand the whole picture and never have a question again or be myopic and just solve the narrow issue at hand. To fix a wheel, you have to understand the hows and whys. Not just how to tighten a spoke.

[jar944]

well according to my manual, all spokes should be tightened to 6nM. plus im using a torque wrench so i just don't understand why i'd need to go in certain patterns when they're all going to be tightened to exactly 6nM at the end anyway.

 

because you will end up with a taco if you try that..

[pdee4t]

If you are too lazy to search, then do not expect anyone else to be willing to help. It is a bad attitude to think you are too special and above everyone else.

You can learn the hows and whys something is dome like it is, understand the whole picture and never have a question again or be myopic and just solve the narrow issue at hand. To fix a wheel, you have to understand the hows and whys. Not just how to tighten a spoke.

I disagree with all due respect. Its not always the fact that someone(including myself) is too lazy, or thinks their too special or above everyone else like you mentioned and are assuming, some people have busy lives and busy schedules more than others and generally don't have time to sit and read through so much stuff, which is my case. People barely have any time to scrath themselves let alone have time to always read through stuff.

Example: its now 3.51am here on a Tuesday. I've been flat out busy all day at work starting at 9 finishing at 7pm(the type of work im in), haven't been anywhere near a computer. Then i still have a gf and family and other stuff i need to attend to in my life after work, I have to be up for work at 9am today still...to do it all again...then tomorrow(Wednesday), I need to travel to a different state for work meetings...then on the Thursday, I travel back...and i dont know about anyone else but would also be good if I caught up on some sleep too when I get back...then I have the friday off work....but I am scheduled to go dirt bike riding on the Friday morning. Was hoping to have my spokes all done by then, if not, on the friday before the ride.

So between my hefty work schedule and traveling between states...I am really pushed for time and dont always have time to waste and spare to read up on a bunch of stuff.

I also need to sleep sometimes too.

Edited February 10, 2014 by pdee4t

[William1]

I disagree with all due respect. Its not always the fact that someone(including myself) is too lazy, or thinks their too special or above everyone else like you mentioned and are assuming, some people have busy lives and busy schedules more than others and generally don't have time to sit and read through so much stuff, which is my case. People barely have any time to scrath themselves let alone have time to always read through stuff.

Example: its now 3.51am here on a Tuesday. I've been flat out busy all day at work starting at 9 finishing at 7pm(the type of work im in), haven't been anywhere near a computer. Then i still have a gf and family and other stuff i need to attend to in my life after work, I have to be up for work at 9am today still...to do it all again...then tomorrow(Wednesday), I need to travel to a different state for work meetings...then on the Thursday, I travel back...and i dont know about anyone else but would also be good if I caught up on some sleep too when I get back...then I have the friday off work....but I am scheduled to go dirt bike riding on the Friday morning. Was hoping to have my spokes all done by then, if not, on the friday before the ride.

So between my hefty work schedule and traveling between states...I am really pushed for time and dont always have time to waste and spare to read up on a bunch of stuff.

I also need to sleep sometimes too.

Sounds to me like you have bitten off more than you can chew. You either need to cut back or farm out the work.

 

Wheel maintenance is an art. It is not like slapping grips on. Either you do it right (meaning you have to expend the effort to learn) or you get a pro to do it for you.

 

I am sorry to hear that effort on your part is considered a 'waste of time' yet you ask others to freely give thier unimportant time to you. It is a bit one sided.

[pdee4t]

Sounds to me like you have bitten off more than you can chew. You either need to cut back or farm out the work.

I am sorry to hear that effort on your part is considered a 'waste of time' yet you ask others to freely give thier unimportant time to you. It is a bit one sided.

1st of all, at the end of the day, im on a good wage...very good wage i might add. 2nd of all, gotta do what i gotta do to provide for my family and give them the best life they can possibly have. 3rd of all, with my job and the industry im in, unfortunately all that responsibility comes with it...but the wage backs it up and makes it worth while. im wasn't complaining, i was just trying to state the facts and trying to state why i don't have much time to do things like spend all my time reading up(weather its wasted time or not is beyond the point).

that's hardly comparable. big difference in the amount of times it takes for people to answer a question then for others to read multiple pages and pages worth of info...when they are very pushed for time. it takes maybe 1 minute-2 minutes to answer a question.... it can take way longer than that to read up on things. so i don't think you can compare those 2. nice try though.

So then same question back at ya, why is it ok or a different story for some people to have to spend 10, 15, 20 minutes, etc finding and sourcing info and reading up but its not ok or "1 sided" for someone to have to spend maybe 2 mins max answering a question. That's also being 1 sided or unfair...albeit more 1 sided and unfair to the person having to source and read the info spending more time in doing so.

Fair enough, this topic is a fine art.... but many simple topics which aren't.... people still get told to read up rather then people taking maybe 1 or 2 minutes max, to answer a question.

Edited February 10, 2014 by pdee4t

[Jfreak]

I'm pretty sure your question has been answered, maybe you haven't read into the replies far enough.

You shouldn't tighten spokes consecutively because it will throw your rim out of true, meaning it will wobble/vibrate whether you use a torque wrench or not.

People can only give their opinion on what works for them. But general rule of thumb is tighten one spoke from each side of the hub. You have to look at how your wheel is spoked.

[pdee4t]

I'm pretty sure your question has been answered, maybe you haven't read into the replies far enough.

You shouldn't tighten spokes consecutively because it will throw your rim out of true, meaning it will wobble/vibrate whether you use a torque wrench or not.

People can only give their opinion on what works for them. But general rule of thumb is tighten one spoke from each side of the hub. You have to look at how your wheel is spoked.

Ok thanks for that. That was the most helpful AND direct answer I got and answered all my questions and I appreciate that ? I understand now. Edited February 10, 2014 by pdee4t

[wolfeworx]

according to your manual, your spokes are all brand new and properly lubed and in perfect shape. if your bike is more than a summer old, your spoke torque wrench will be almost useless. trueing wheels is NOT rocket science. if you know what to look for, its quite simple. 

 

like TillamookTrailJunke said, start by loosening all spokes and get them so they all have approximately the same amount of threads showing. its a good place to start. then just go around the rim and tighten every one the same amount. you dont need to skip spokes or worry about patterns, just work your way around evenly and you'll be fine. once they start to get tight, you should be pretty close to true, so just tighten them up by hand and dont strip anything, and don't over think it.

 

this is how i do wheels at work on a regular basis and it takes about 2 hours to strip, clean and respoke a wheel.