wheel building

[ashleys sugden]

so i have decided to re-build my wheel today. they are the correct length spokes and the pattern is right (a 3 star apparently but i have no idea to tension it equally, whenever ive tried, the spokes tighten to far into the nipples, which makes the thread come out of the other side. can anyone help?

[isitafox]

If you follow Marks guide in the how to section you shouldn't really be able to go wrong. Don't feel bad about stripping it all back and starting again, I completely built a wheel then realised I'd got the wrong holes so had to redo it!

[trials hoe]

what method are you using to put tension in the spokes? with the wheel in your lap?

i tend to lace it up and put it in the frame/forks i'm using (no tension in the spokes at all), then using a zip tie as a guide, spin the wheel and tighten at the high spots of the wheel (easy to spot as you give it a spin). tightening the nipples a little at a time you end up with even tension in the spokes by the time it's nice and round

[ashleys sugden]

If you follow Marks guide in the how to section you shouldn't really be able to go wrong. Don't feel bad about stripping it all back and starting again, I completely built a wheel then realised I'd got the wrong holes so had to redo it!

ok cheers! yeah ive stripped it down once again because i did it wrong

what method are you using to put tension in the spokes? with the wheel in your lap?

i tend to lace it up and put it in the frame/forks i'm using (no tension in the spokes at all), then using a zip tie as a guide, spin the wheel and tighten at the high spots of the wheel (easy to spot as you give it a spin). tightening the nipples a little at a time you end up with even tension in the spokes by the time it's nice and round

ok cheers mate! im doing it in my lap!

[trials hoe]

im doing it in my lap!

think i tried than with one of the first wheels i built and it didn't end up round! haha. problem with doing it with the wheel in your lap makes it easy to build a bad egg or flat spot into it, and you don't see it until its built and on the bike

[AkuskaUK]

http://www.trials-forum.co.uk/topic/80777-how-to-build-a-wheel/

[Sam Moss]

http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Everything you need to know, right there

[pete_s]

You need one of these... It's what I use and is just an old screwdriver that's been bent and inserted into an old paintbrush handle, and then the tip filed down. I think DT Swiss make something like this which is ridiculously expensive.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-bREIeS_nu4c3Z6eE9WcEU3OVE/edit?usp=sharing

It lets me wind the nipples down an equal amount by disengaging when the tip of the driver hits the top of the spoke.

Edited April 27, 2013 by pete_s

[Azarathal]

Wouldn't it be easier to use and faster to just use it like a normal screw driver with the tip filed down? Unless you're using really short spokes so need the leverage to tighten them enough to touch the tip.

[bing]

I did it using marks guide, and I got it pretty close just doing that it my lap, can't get in the shed cos of my leg y'see. It was round, no eggs or owt, just a slight wobble side to side. You have do do the spokes up evenly. I think the best tool for this job would be one of those black and decker electric screwdriver things, would make it really easy

[Blake]

I always just do it in my room, tighten them a bit then put it in your bike and true it using pads. then tighten it another 2 or so turns and true if it goes out. Do it to as tight as you want

for the record i've run really loose spokes, landed sideways lots and never had any problem of breaking anything because of it, so don't fret about having them rediculously tight

[pete_s]

Wouldn't it be easier to use and faster to just use it like a normal screw driver with the tip filed down? Unless you're using really short spokes so need the leverage to tighten them enough to touch the tip.

No because with this shape it's quicker to spin the nipples down. The driver isn't used to tighten the nipples up during the tensioning stage of the wheel build but to take up the slack at the beginning of the process. When the spoke hits the top of the driver it starts to push it out of the slot in the nipple. This helps you get the spokes threaded all the same amount and makes it easier to manage the wheel dish.

[ashleys sugden]

im pretty sure the pattern is correct, but the spokes threads are coming through the nipples now, and they are not even tight enough :/

[pete_s]

That means the spokes are the incorrect length for what you're doing. It could be for a number of reasons:

a/ someone messed up measuring either the rim or hub

b/ you've got the drive side and non-drive spokes mixed up (assuming you're building a rear wheel or a front wheel with rotor mounts)

c/ you're doing a different spoke pattern to what the wheel originally was

I reckon the most likely explanation is b. Who built the wheel originally?

Edited April 28, 2013 by pete_s

[ashleys sugden]

ive re-built the wheel and the spokes are a lot better.

That means the spokes are the incorrect length for what you're doing. It could be for a number of reasons:

a/ someone messed up measuring either the rim or hub

b/ you've got the drive side and non-drive spokes mixed up (assuming you're building a rear wheel or a front wheel with rotor mounts)

c/ you're doing a different spoke pattern to what the wheel originally was

I reckon the most likely explanation is b. Who built the wheel originally?

it is an echo standard wheel build.

i have got the wheel pretty straight. but it still has an up and down buckle, how do i solve this?

[bing]

Put it in the bike, and where the buckle is low, slacken the spokes off, and the direct opposite side tightnen them up. Sounds like you haven't got it tensioned evenly. My advice would be to slacken them all off and start tensioning evenly again form the valve hole, doing it 3 turns at a time

[pete_s]

ive re-built the wheel and the spokes are a lot better.

it is an echo standard wheel build.

i have got the wheel pretty straight. but it still has an up and down buckle, how do i solve this?

Radial trueness is the hardest aspects of wheel building and it really comes down to practice. From my experience it's the first thing I do because once you've set it up it doesn't really drift like lateral trueness or dish does. This is made worse by the fact that used rims are much harder to build than brand new ones because they become deformed by shoddy build processes.

The first thing you want to do is spin the wheel whilst having your finger run along the rim wall. This'll let you know if it is radially wonky or if it's a number of slight flat spots. I've found that radial trueness relies on about 4-6 spokes and are nearly always distributed evenly on each side. You wont need to tighten the spoke much to a make a difference. I tend to tighten a nipple no more than 1/8 of a turn at any given time when doing the truing.

If you're confident that the rim wall is in a good condition then try and accurately find where the defect is coming from. Take a close inspection around the joint of the rim. Rims in general aren't perfectly round because of this joint.

Lots of people have recommended websites about wheel building, and I'd strongly advise you to spend £9 on this e-book: http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php. It's the best guide I've read.

Edited April 29, 2013 by pete_s