Spoke tightening video

[camerart]

Hi,

The spokes on my hub motor wheel, are working loose, and keep doing so after a short distance. I can tighten them by hand, and would like to be able to tension them myself. I know there are spoke tension meters on the market, but would like to know how to do it by feel, or 'twang'. Are there any instructions or good videos that I can watch?

Camerart.

 

[arkmundi]

I posted this, which may be helpful..
[youtube]Kpue4ed6G9Q[/youtube]
... and see
http://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/tension.htm
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/truing.html

 

[d8veh]

You don't need a tension meter. Just do them up until it's becoming hard to turn the spoke key.

 

[camerart]

Thanks D8,

I'll try tomorrow, and try to tune the sound of each spoke. I like that method.

C.

 

[d8veh]

I can't remember which motor you have, but most require the rim to be off-set fto be equal distance from each side of the axle. That means that the tension is different from one side to the other.

 

[mlb2109]

not to mention the truing of the wheel!
You can't just tighten everything equally.

 

[arkmundi]

I can't remember which motor you have, but most require the rim to be off-set fto be equal distance from each side of the axle. That means that the tension is different from one side to the other.

Ideally, the tension in each spoke is identical. Its just that most motors are laced into the rim dished. So spokes on one side are shorter than the other. So equally tensioned they will pitch two different tones. The way to true a motored wheel is to slowly turn each spoke, a quarter or half-turn, all the way around and keep doing that until the wheel is more or less true and the spokes are tight. Then bring the spokes into tune with one another, loosening and tightening until there are exactly two pitches heard, more or less.

 

[camerart]

Hi,

I had a go at spoke tightening today, following all the advice. It takes a bit of getting used to, and at one point, I had the wheel central, which went a little bit out, while 'tuning'. They spokes all sound simiar, with each side slightly different. I then noticed, as with many of the videos, that the wheel now runs a bit excentric. I'll leave it like that for now, and if it comes loose gain, I'll try to bring it back to concetric.

Thanks,

C.

 

[amberwolf]

For wheel building tips, did you try the thread by that name?

 

[camerart]

As with most things I (and many others) do, I have a quick look at the instructions, then have a go, then have another look at the instructions. I'm in the middle stage at the moment.

P.S. I've been charging my batteries (RC also) for a long time, and yesterday, had a look at the manual, to find I was not doing it quite right. I've got a million instruction books for other things, yet to finish :?

C.

 

[jateureka]

You might want to use some screw thread lock to stop the spoke nipples from losening. I use Loctite 222

 

[camerart]

You might want to use some screw thread lock to stop the spoke nipples from losening. I use Loctite 222

I have Loctite, but didn't use it in case it was bedding in that caused the loosening. I read that if all is correct, Loctite isn't necessary.

Thanks,

C.

 

[d8veh]

I wouldn't advise use of any locking agent. My friend got a new motor wheel after his previous one had a lot of problems with the spokes. The first thing he did was add a drop of superglue to each nipple. After the first few rides, all the spokes were loose, so he asked if I could help. I couldn't turn a single nipple. The only option was to cut all the spokes off and start a new build.

 

[made_in_the_alps_legacy]

For wheel building tips, did you try the thread by that name?

+1 : that's where I learn the trick to use one of those portable electric screwdriver which is torque adjustable :
I could tighten firmly all the spokes from the Inside of the rim, then did fine tuning by hand to get a perfect trueing,
which is the only thing you should care about when playing with spokes tightening

BTW, this is a picture I did back in the day on a bike forum, with the following explaination ...in case it helps
If you tighten the spoke by turning the nipple in the Arrow direction, the rim will shift in
- the B direction if the spoke goes on the B side of the hub
- the A direction if the spoke goes on the A side of the hub

...that's about all you need to know

 

[jateureka]

Do not use super glue!

Loctite 222 is a very light screw thread lock, it is a pinky purple colour. Apply it sparingly and is very easy to tighten spokes after application.

I do not recommend using Loctite blue which is a heavier duty bolt thread lock, or Loctite green, which is the wicking type applied after the spokes have been tensioned and is more like glue. Even the lightest grade of green is too strong and you will not be able to re-tension spokes a few weeks later/after the first few hundred kilometres.

 

[dogman dan]

I just judge the tension of spokes by squeezing each pair of crossed spokes. In a single cross wheel, each crossed pair of spokes pulls the rim the same direction.

Step one, tighten or loosen all pairs of spokes so they feel about the same tension.

Two, start using a gage of some kind to see how true or out of true the rim is. work on egg shape first, then side to side true. I like to just put a zip tie or two on the frame, then cut the end to create a pretty accurate way to see how true your wheel is, and which way to pull it. Adjust spokes two by two, working on each crossed pair the same. Take very small swings at it, 1/4 turn of a nipple at most each time.

If it's not pretty close after step one, and takes a lot of tweaking to true it, the rim is bent. Either live with it bent, or get a new rim. Pulling too hard on some spokes, with others way loose, just leads to broken spokes. A really permanently bent wheel can't be trued without replacing the rim.

 

[camerart]

Regarding spokes locking too tight after loctite. Try applying a little heat. (might also work with super glue)

C.

 

[Ykick]

Regarding spokes locking too tight after loctite. Try applying a little heat. (might also work with super glue)

C.

Same trick for heavily corroded guitar/bass bridge parts too. Big fat soldering iron does the trick for me.

However, I believe Linseed Oil is a fine alternative to thread lock (Loctite) or Cryo (Super Glue). Linseed Oil lubricates while lacing/truing and dries to act as a mild thread lock.

 

[hubmotormark]

I highly recommend the following pages by the late great Sheldon Brown, for self-instruction on how to properly (and easily) tension spokes.

The article actually is about wheelbuilding, but if you will scroll down the page, there are several very well-written paragraphs on how to true the wheel, which goes along with spoke tensioning.

http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Sheldon's pages on wheelbuilding, spoke tensioning and wheel truing will give you a wide point of view with which to consider the changes you make to the entire wheel when tensioning individual spokes.

Hope this helps!

Mark

 

[camerart]

I highly recommend the following pages by the late great Sheldon Brown, for self-instruction on how to properly (and easily) tension spokes.

The article actually is about wheelbuilding, but if you will scroll down the page, there are several very well-written paragraphs on how to true the wheel, which goes along with spoke tensioning.

http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Sheldon's pages on wheelbuilding, spoke tensioning and wheel truing will give you a wide point of view with which to consider the changes you make to the entire wheel when tensioning individual spokes.

Hope this helps!

Mark

Blimey It's long! But it has everything one needs to know. A couple of notes: 1/ No loctite, but a suggested thread lock. ( I like the linseed oil suggestion earlier on in the thread also) 2/ Over tightening and back peddling, to avoid spoke twisting.

Thanks, C.

 

[John in CR]

Ah, the beauty of an alloy mag wheel...no having to true a motor wheel that came with cheap too thick spokes. For the wheels with spokes I'd rather help the local experts. If a wheel gets out of true a pro fixes me up in a few minutes for a buck for bicycle wheels and $2 for moto wheels. At those prices why learn to DIY that job?

 

[hubmotormark]

Camerart,

You are most welcome, glad you liked Mr. Brown's pages!

John in CR,

The wheel truing and spoke tensioning process really are no big deal, very simple to perform.

Using the info on Sheldon's pages, I was able to restore my hubmotor wheel back into round and true in less than 10 minutes.

Mark

 

[amberwolf]

If a wheel gets out of true a pro fixes me up in a few minutes for a buck for bicycle wheels and $2 for moto wheels. At those prices why learn to DIY that job?

If the rest of the world had that kind of relative pricing and willingness to do the job, you'd be on teh mark...but there's too many places where the "local experts" won't even touch a motorized wheel, even if it's built of quality parts and not the typical stuff.

Then there's the pricing, and the downtime of potentially days instead of a few minutes to an hour for DIY.


There is also the little matter of being able to do a roadside fix should something bad happen that breaks a spoke and requires retensioning others around it to give you a wheel you can still ride home, depending on how your system is setup and the chances of secondary transport.

 

[hubmotormark]

There is also the little matter of being able to do a roadside fix should something bad happen that breaks a spoke and requires retensioning others around it to give you a wheel you can still ride home, depending on how your system is setup and the chances of secondary transport.

I second that emotion....very useful to have some diy skills, and a few tools....one can work miracles with a spoke wrench and a minimum of booklearnin'...