Wheel Truing (alignment by adjusting the
spokes)
First turn the bike over so it rests on the seat and handlebars.
You can also hang it from a rafter or fasten it to a repair
stand. In any case, you want the wheel you will be working
on to turn freely. First, push laterally on the wheel and
feel for any play. If you feel play, the hub bearing have
loosened. Adjust the hub bearings before attempting to true
the wheel. Check the rim closely for bends, wobbles or dents.
You need to identify why it is not true, before you can fix
it. If it is a spoke tension problem, the repair can be as
easy as retensioning the loose spokes. If you determine that
it is a spoke problem, turn the wheel and test each spoke
to see if it is loose. If it is loose it will need to be tightened
and if broken, it will need to be replaced. Work in small
increments and adjust nipples only one-quarter turn at a time
to avoid making overcompensation in spoke tension. Note: the
tension on neighboring spokes on the same side of the wheel
should have similar tension. To test this, you can pluck them
and compare the sound. If you are tightening a spoke to correct
a wobble and you can’t tighten (or loosen) the spoke
enough, then you are probably working with a bent rim and
the rim usually will have to be replaced. Broken spokes must
be replaced immediately. After removing the broken spoke,
thread the new spoke through the hub and up to the nipple,
copying exactly the pattern of the other spokes. Tighten the
new spoke until the tension resembles its neighbors. Then
tighten or loosen as needed until the rim runs true.
Trouble
Shooting Tips For Wheel Truing
Problem: Your spokes keep breaking.
Solution: This is probably because of poor
quality spokes. Replace them with ones of better quality.
Problem: The wheels will not stay true.
Solution: When you true the wheels, make
sure the spoke tension is sufficient and uniform for every
spoke. If the spokes continue to loosen try to make them
a little tighter.
Problem: You have radial spoked wheels
(the spokes travel directly from the hub to the rim without
crossing other spokes) and they continually loosen.
Solution: Add more tension. If they loosen
again, it is probably because of the spoke pattern. Radial
spokes take shock from the road directly and are more apt
to loosen. To keep them tight, loosen all the nipples, apply
a light thread adhesive to the nipple, and re-tension the
wheel.
References
1. Langley, Jim. Bicycling Magazine’s Complete Guide
to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair or Road and Mountain Bikes.
Emmaus: Pennsylvania. 1999.
2. Milson, Fred. The Bike Book: Complete Step-By-Step Guide
to Choosing, Maintaining, and Repairing Your Bicycle.
Des Moines: Iowa. 1995.
|
