Wheel building

[Ellington]

Does anyone know the torque setting for wheel spokes? I am rebuilding a front wheel on an A65 OIF and I see you tube videos with torque spanners being used for the final tightening. Is that necessary?

[Spaceman]

From memory, spokes are tightened to about 48 in-lb or 4 ft-lb which requires a special and expensive torque wrench. I used mine once but found I was already tightening spokes to that torque and it is much easier to rebuild wheels without it.

[Ellington]

Thanks for the info. I will try without one and see how I get on.

[Spaceman]

I would recommend using a good spoke spanner to make the job a easier. I use one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Almencla-Universal-Motorcycle-5-0-6-8mm-Motorbike/dp/B07S6BKRF1?th=1

You can normally tell how tight a spoke is from the sound it makes when you tap it with a metal object. As a reference, listen to the sound from an existing motorcycle wheel.

[Bess]

Hi,
    Using a torque wrench will ensure all the spokes are stressed equally. You will not get the specified torque unless the wrench is calibrated, very few, if any DIYers have access to a traceable calibration device.

I use one, I get the wheel true initially 'ringing' the spokes then finally use the torque wrench to equally stress the spokes, I feel less anxious when travelling at speed. Here's a reasonably priced one. There is a way to get a further £10 off by signing up to their website:

https://www.24mx.co.uk/motocross-accessories/tools_c91/tyre--rim-tools_c1619/proworks-spoke-torque-wrench-set-2-7nm_pid-PIA-209396

Best wishes...

[AdrianS]

Just use the sound method comparing to a similar length spoke. If you over tighten a few, the wheel will be out of true very quickly!

[Spaceman]

I've rebuilt dozens of wheels over the last 15 years and the approach I normally take is to end up tightening each spoke as tight as I can with my 4" long spoke spanner held between my thumb and first finger like you would hold a pen. Of course, I was able to calibrate this approach some time back because I have a high quality spoke torque wrench.

I don't think spoke tension is particularly critical especially for a classic road going motorcycle. Although it probably doesn't sound very scientific, tapping spokes and listening to the sound they make is a perfectly adequate way of checking their tension.

[Ellington]

Thanks very much for this advice. It is great to get help from people with so much experience and expertise.

[Ellington]

I now have a problem with building my wheel. I am following the Devon Rim Company's idiot proof spoke lacing video and they show the spindle being (easily) removed to make the job easier. (It turns out that you need the spindle out of the way to get the long spokes in.)

I tried that but hitting the spindle (gently) did not budge it. They show it being driven out on the circlip side (and yes I did remove the circlip).

This made me look at the workshop manual which shows the spindle being driven out from the other side, taking the wheel bearing with it. This requires the bearing retainer to be removed with a peg spanner. So peg spanner sourced from Screwfix, (Hilka grinding tool adjuster is just the thing). Now I am bashing the spindle the other way and still nothing budging.

Please put me out of my misery and tell me how to get the wheel spindle out?

BTW I now have a very lovely spoke torque spanner set!

[Spaceman]

I think you can drive the spindle out in either direction with a circlip holding the bearing in on one side and the locking ring holding the bearing in on the brake side. I would apply a bit of heat on the brake side to make removing the bearing a bit easier and use the equivalent of a club hammer.

However, I'm a little surprised you have to remove the spindle to get the spokes in. I've got an OIF front wheel hanging up in my shed and will have to go and have a look to see what the issue is. When I rebuilt this particular wheel, I had to remove the spindle purely to fit the wheel on to my truing rig!

[Ellington]

Thanks.

I will try heat.

The long spokes seem to need to be pushed into the holes in the hub on the wheel centre line. I had trouble getting the old spokes out past the spindle.

[Spaceman]

That's where a set of bolt cutters comes in handy when removing old spokes!

If it's your first wheel rebuild, I would recommend being absolutely sure you have the rim the correct way round before you try to lace up the spokes. As the spokes are different lengths on either side, they need a different set of offset angles at the rim on either side.

Otherwise, I look forward to hearing how you get on!

[Ellington]

This is belated follow up to my wheel building posts. Photo shows my wheel on the rig after trueing and torquing.
Looks good to me. Thanks for the help and advice  very much appreciated

[Spaceman]

That's a very professional looking truing rig you've got there - was it something you fabricated? I took one of my bike frames over to ABBA in Essex years ago to get it straightened and ended up buying one of their wheel balancing rigs that I then adapted to use as a truing rig. You have to remove the wheel spindle to use the rig but it provides sufficient width and height to also allow you to also balance the complete wheel with tyre fitted.

[Ellington]

The rig was borrowed from my son. He uses it to build wheels for mountain bikes. I don't know where it came from but it was ideal for the wm2 rim.