Subject: Re: Tranny breather
Author: Ron Komoroski
Date: Sep 3, 2003, 10:17 AM
Post ID: 1714385644
Ian,
When you "true" your wheel, you will need to have (or rig up) a truing
stand. Basically it's just a support for the axle ends that is solid enough
to allow you to spin the wheel. It will have a small movable indicator arm
that can be set close to the wheel rim from either side so you can observe
the run-out as the wheel rotates on its axle. You turn the wheel tapping
each spoke with metal tool & listening to the tone it makes. A tight spoke
will produce a high, clear "ting" while a loose one will produce a lower,
flat tone, with the worst sounding a kind of a "thunk". The object is to
have all the spokes sound as much alike as possible, and the wheel "true"
(no side-to-side wobble or up-and-down hopping).
The condition of a wheel can be checked with the tire on, and VERY minor
tweaking done, but to true a wheel properly it should be stripped bare, the
spoke nipples cleaned & threads lubricated. Use a wrench that properly fits
the flats on the nipple & turn in small increments.
Remember that SMALL problems can be "pulled in" w/spoke adjustments, but
major dings in the rim are going to have to be straightened, then the wheel
trued.
Ron Komoroski