Wheel Tensioning + Trueing

[Urpedigreechumdog]

Allo.

I am a wheel tension and true n00b. I can build the wheel but only get that far, can't do anything else, i got my mate to bail me out last time but i fancy a go at it all this time on my own, but with TF help.

Basically i was wondering if you could help me out with this trueing and tensioning malarky and anyhting else needed to finish the wheel off.

Don't worry, you wont get a bitchy reply like there have been in some of my other 'help wanted' threads, unless you are actually a twat.

Thanks in advance,

Nick

[Lawnmowerman]

Get all the nipples to you can just see the thread then go round from the valve turning each one half a turn each. If done properly you wont have to true it or de bounce it :) When it's up to a good tension shove it in your frame and dish it. I have to have my dinner now so someone else can exlpain dishing :)

[nmt_oli]

Is it a new rim, or an old rim? this makes a difference, as you will have to true an old rim more (if your building a new wheel).

Do as said above for the basic tension, tighten all nipples until you can just see thread (or if there starting to get tight before that,count threads) then just keep goign around the wheel adjusting a little bit at a time.

once its pretty tight place the wheel on the floor (flat, not upright) and with hands either side of the rim apply pressure, you may need to be fairly firm. you should here pinging, this is just the spokes unwinding. do this working your way aorund the rim, then flip it over and do the same.

Now you need to start truing and final tensioning (this may involve dishing).

place the wheel in a frame/fork if you don't have a truing stand and use pecils rubber banded to the fork or chainstay so you can see how much the rim is moving. do all adjustments gradually, its better to not adjust enough and go back to it than over adjust it and mess up the tension.

To true, just tighten the spokes on one side more than the other, its common sense but it takes preactise to get it perfect.

to dish, work your way round the whole rim and tighten one side, and loosen the other by 1/4 turn until the whel is central.

After this chack tension, and again de-stress the spokes (the floor thing) you may need to check true agian after this.

although it is anoying having to keep truing it, it means it will stay straight when you ride.

To really bed the spokes in, its best to get an old plastic costed crank arm, or somehting simlar (long with soft covering) and place it between two spokes whree they cross on the same side, and twist them round each other. you can be fairly forceful with this. It shouldnt affect the true, but will affect the tension.

afterwards however, the wheel will STAY straight.

Other people may not agree with these methods, these are just what i use, and they have worked so far! no snapped spokes (ever), no bad bends, only buckles due to crashing (except on one wheel ive used for 2 years is now off by about 2 mm, but ive never trued it again, and its runnign a disk so it doesnt matter).

I also built a wheel for a dirtjumping friend of mine who went through 3 rear wheels (factory made jobbies), its still perfect and hes amazed.

Edited November 29, 2005 by nmt_oli

[Urpedigreechumdog]

Thanks! :lol:

And for the new or old rim, it's an Ali C Bob, 2 mavics welded together.

But when i get my spokes etc, i'll give it a bash and no doubt will be back here to check something else out.

But yeah, cheers for the 2 replies, that's the sort of help i was looking for :lol:

[Ash-Kennard]

i built my rim onto a new hub with the same spokes and a flat spot. Its still going strong 3months later, I just occationally have to tension some random spokes which come undone.

Anyways, you shouldn't have too much trouble. the real hassle is dragging yourself out to do it, can be very tedious

[Urpedigreechumdog]

It's ok, i'll either do it at work or when i'm at home with a tv and a warm fire :lol:

[shovel]

once the wheel is all laced up and about half the threads is showing on each spoke its best to put a tiny bit of xc chain lube on each thread before you tighten the nipples up to the end of the thread, this makes it alot easier in future to true/tension the wheel and prevents any seized nipples as long as the wheel is also kept clean

we do this at work with all wheels that are built and there are never any problems with them :lol:

Edited November 30, 2005 by shovel