Tightening Spokes

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CD1134

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I've got a newly acquired wiggle in my front wheel but I don't have a truing stand. I know that when I used to ride BMX, you could tighten each spoke a half a turn (repeat if necessary) until the wheel came back into true. I'm thinking about trying that on my mtn. bike. Does anyone know a better way to true a wheel (without visiting a shop)?
 
CD1134 said:
I've got a newly acquired wiggle in my front wheel but I don't have a truing stand. I know that when I used to ride BMX, you could tighten each spoke a half a turn (repeat if necessary) until the wheel came back into true. I'm thinking about trying that on my mtn. bike. Does anyone know a better way to true a wheel (without visiting a shop)?
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With my motorcycle, there was a pattern for tightening it. Like every 3rd or something. I would imagine it to be the same with a mtn bike wheel. Be careful, it's easy to screw them up.

-jay
 
silly question, but are you sure that it needs to be trued? I ran into a similar issue, and found out a bearing in my front hub was shot...
 
Most of the time, also as part of my regular maintinence, I gently strum the spokes like a guitar, any spoke that dosen't make a tone gets tightened, slowly.
In really bad cases I will flip the bike over and gauge where the wheel is untrue based on closeness to a point on the frame. Then, in very slow incriments, I tighten the spokes that would pull the area in question away from the specefic point in the frame.
I have never gotten a wheel completly trued but I have definitly made a horror show rideable.
Just be easy with the spoke wrench or you can really do a number on your wheel.
 
smarencik said:
silly question, but are you sure that it needs to be trued? I ran into a similar issue, and found out a bearing in my front hub was shot...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm pretty positive it's the rim and not the hub. The hub turns fine w/o grinding or anything. Also, if you spin the wheel the distance between the brake pad and the rim decreases in one section.
 
The only reason I pick a point on my frame to gauge where the rim is out, is because I have disk brakes, if you have calaper brakes it's super easy, just do what you did and mark the point on the rim (not the braking surface) where it gets close with a grease pencil or chalk.
Then tighten the spokes that would pull it away from that point.
Less then 1/4 turns of the wrench.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. I had no problem fixing the wiggle. It was actually just one spoke that was out of wack! The thing was all bent out of shape - I must've nailed something and didn't even notice it until I really inspected it. I'm all set for this weekend now, though!
 
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