Putting a spoke in

Having just returned from the MX practice track with a disconsolate lad
and a YZ85 with a wobbly back wheel I need to do a crash course in wheel
truing. Or perhaps I should GAMI.

My fault really. He is jumping the bike higher each visit as his lap
times come down, and I should have been checking the spokes in the rear
wheel more often. As he lubed the chain between sessions he found one
spoke free of its nipple and several others very loose. He did say he
heard a twang at one point, but the red mist was in charge.

The spoke appears to have come free of the nipple rather than break. So
does the FOAK reckon I can risk replacing the spoke and just truing it
all up as best I can by eye, or is a trip to Central Wheels or somewhere
similar advisable.

It's only a motocrosser (and the bike).

--
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| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

You should be able to do it easily enough. Just mount the spindle in a
vice, set up a couple of wire prongs that just touch the rim (one on
the side of the bead & one on the end), & get twiddling. I respoked
both Tiger's wheels from scratch this way & they haven't fallen apart
(yet).

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

When I bust a spoke in the 400 Four's rear wheel recently, I just shoved
a new one in and tightened it up, but the rim wasn't distorted.

There's plenty of advice and practical stuff on the web about wheel
building, so just have a go. If it doesn't work, then throw it at a
builder. Central Wheel is bloody expensive, though: I used Hagon last
time, or if you're local there might be an old geezer who'll charge
about £30.

 

Trust you to come up with a DIY solution. Certainly worth a try - ta.

--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Motoliner sorted out a badly dented spoked rim for me - £65 inc. postage.
I'm pretty sure they could true a wheel.

http://www.motoliner.com/
Maidstone, Kent

 

In communiqué <1ip2c3n.9rkb178v3hejN%>,

The spoke that came loose is also, unfortunately, a bit bent. So a new
one is required. If he was ready for a big wheel conversion and the
requisite swinging arm didn't cost a bomb I would just get it rebuilt.
There is a reasonably cheap wire wheel builder in Smethwick if all else
fails.

I won't know the worst until we get the wheel out later. The rim looks
un-dinged, but virtually every nipple is loose.


--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

As others have said, you should be able to DIY.

If you're replacing a spoke, remember to follow the lacing pattern used
by other spokes.

You should aim for all the spokes to have the same tension first (test
by twanging them and listening), then true the wheel by adjusting the
tension.

If *all* the spokes are loose, it's going to be a bit trickier; have you
got a similar wheel to compare it to, to get some idea of the required
tension?

If you're trying to take out a wobble, adjust the spokes near the centre
of the wobble more, the two or three on either side slightly less,
IYSWIM. Don't try to do too much at once, it requires patience and a knack.

You might be able to true it on the bike, if you've got something to
lift the back wheel and there's sufficient clearance.

This is for pushbikes, but might have some useful information:
http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

 

If the wheel isn't out of true then just bung a new spoke in. I once
replaced all the spokes in my YZ's rear wheel by doing it one spoke at
a time, working across the wheel. As you say, it's only a 'crosser and
doesn't have to be absolutely true. I did find that the spokes (these
were stainless straight-pull ones) took bloody ages to bed in and
needed retightening pretty much every session the first time I took it
out.

One other thing: check the rim & hub aren't cracked. The weight being
taken on a small part of each could have put excessive stress on them.

 

As others have said, you should be able to DIY.[/QUOTE]

Possibly, as we have a typical MX type paddock stand.

Ta.

Unlike Krusty, who can probably change a tube in 10 minutes at the side
of a muddy track like Malcolm Smith, I haven't taken anything other than
a push bike tyre off for years.

The tyre had to come off because the errant nipple had disappeared
inside.

I swore never to do a tyre change again after struggling with an 18 inch
Continental on the R90.

The 14 inch Michelin Starcross was a little bugger, even with the Heyco
levers that came with said R90.

Still it's off now and I will read up the theory before proceeding
tomorrow after much red medicine tonight.


--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Heh - used to be able to when I was out getting muddy every weekend,
but I wouldn't even try these days.


--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

You should be fine.

Many people see it as something of a black art, but take your time, make
small adjustments, and you should haven't a problem. I like truing
wheels, it's one of those zen-like tasks.

 

You should be fine.

Many people see it as something of a black art, but take your time,
make small adjustments, and you should haven't a problem. I like truing
wheels, it's one of those zen-like tasks.
[/QUOTE]

Having more of an "ah glasshopper" experience so far. A few of the
nipples are well and truly corroded to the spokes. The perils of MX on a
track with a surface like mortar mix and concomitant jet washer
shenanigans I suppose.

It wouldn't matter too much if they weren't also slightly loose at
present. It may be that they are only so because the wheel moved
relative to the hub because of losing two spokes.

Anyway, luckily I purchased a bumper size can of plusgas at Stafford, so
the wheel is standing with the rusty nipples uppermost after a liberal
soaking. I will let it penetrate for a while and see if they will shift.

Fortunately, I reckon I can mount the wheel back in the bike (without
brake caliper in position) whilst on the stand and rig up some Krusty
type wire pointer jobs.

Given that he will be moving on to a big wheel ASAP so that we can
source half decent rubber for his hill climb debut in 2010, I think I
may try and make do with a wheel that I can hopefully get back into at
least as good a state as it was when we first got it.

--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

< snip >

In case you haven't already realised: if you can get the tyre off, and
they're anything like pushbike nipples, they'll have a screwdriver slot
at the normally-hidden end.

This might offer more purchase than the normally-visible part (and is
what you'd use when initially building a wheel, as it's much quicker to
tighten all the nipples with a screwdriver than to use a spoke key).

 

What he said.

 

< snip >

In case you haven't already realised: if you can get the tyre off, and
they're anything like pushbike nipples, they'll have a screwdriver slot
at the normally-hidden end.

This might offer more purchase than the normally-visible part (and is
what you'd use when initially building a wheel, as it's much quicker to
tighten all the nipples with a screwdriver than to use a spoke key).
[/QUOTE]

Oh, yes, the tyre had to come off to retrieve one nipple anyway. Most of
the loose ones have nipped up with a screwdriver, but I don't want to
chew up the slots.

I am regularly dosing the stuck nipples from inside the rim with
plusgas. I'll see how an overnight soak does then resort to a bit of
localised heat.

--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Given your recent winnings, why don't you just get Central Wheel or
Hagon to bung a new set of spokes in the post & cut the old ones.
You'll save a whole heap of grief, & if you go for mild rather than s/s
they won't cost much.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

I'll certainly consider it. I could cut the old ones out and replace one
at a time, as I don't fancy building a wheel from scratch.

--
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest * 2 Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

 

*ding*

*ding*

*donk* <fx: tightens>

*ding*

 

I started building wheels in similar circumstances and then was taught
properly when I worked in a pushbike shop.

I've often pondered setting up a small home business building pushbike
ones.

If you want a difficult pattern to learn, try a Snowflake...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2156/2035017512_778871d0b7.jpg

It's a lot of fun calculating the spokes lengths you need for that.

 

Given how quickly and cheaply our LBS[0] does them, I can't see it being
profitable.

I'll bet. Does it serve any practical purpose, or is it just decorative?



[0] Bicycle Repair Man[1], http://www.bikerepairman.co.uk/
[1] 306b!