Spoke Toque Wrench

V

Vince

Hero member
I bought one of these a couple of years ago, they were on special for $100 or so and were the big new thing for off road bikes. The last couple of rides I have found my 3C to be a bit unstable in a straight line, not horrible but noticeable. I put it down at first to low air pressure in the front, I got slack and didnt check as I usually do ever ride.
Tried 37psi and it was better, from 34. Next trip and its back to a bit loose. Put it down to a worn out front tyre and have one coming. But I have been concerned about the left side of my rear wheel spokes not ringing with a tap. Right side does but the left was pretty clunky. So I thought I would give the spoke torque wrench a go. You need to be a bit circumspect using them. You just cannot go and bang away at it.There used to give an indication as to how even you get the tension. I first went around the wheel both sides checking to see what torque was needed to get them moving. The recommended torque is around 5nm, what I found was all the right side was at 5 but the left was 3.
The rim has no discernible run out in both plains so I slowly went around upping the left to 4 and then 5. Giving the rim a check as I went. In the end I now have a similar pinging note from both sides and similar torque values. It's all got to help with the handling, will keep and eye on rim alinement and spoke tension and see what effect this has. All in all, I like this gadget, yes you can get by with just tapping the spokes but this works to get even tension as well.
 
Thanks for posting, Vince. Interested in these as I will build a couple of my wheels soon. I use one for bicycle wheels, but they function on lateral spoke deviation under specific pressure, not thread resistance. You'd need to be sure the threads are not binding on some spokes to ensure evenness, but definitely worth using one. Might also be worth Loctiting (wicking type) the nipples once you get 'em right, to prevent loosening (which is what's obviously happening).

be aware that increasing tension on one side will definitely alter the alignment (centering) of the wheel. It may be that the drop in tension has put it out and you've corrected it, but check it anyway - should be able to check with the wheel out and a measurement from left extremity (outside spacer) to rim edge c/w right extremity to rim edge.

What brand is it? Maybe I'll hit you up for a loan if they're astronominationally expensive  :D :D
 
I got it from a bunch in NZ called Torp7, they have it on special every few months. The one I saw from the USA are $300us. Yes, I read about the pushbike type ones, do they work like a Gitar string pluck test. I had my wheels rebuilt with stainless spokes about 15 years ago and the nipples moved easily, no seizing.
 
Vince said:
I got it from a bunch in NZ called Torp7, they have it on special every few months. The one I saw from the USA are $300us. Yes, I read about the pushbike type ones, do they work like a Gitar string pluck test. I had my wheels rebuilt with stainless spokes about 15 years ago and the nipples moved easily, no seizing.
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Torpedo7 ?

https://www.torpedo7.co.nz/products/6UTO4NNST/title/excel-spoke-torque-wrench-set
 
That's the place but the one I bought has 10 bits and was lots cheaper. The bit that fits my rear wheel was 6.4mm
 
hi ,if you tighten the spokes while your tyre is on don't forget you pull the spoke though the nipple and into your tube, depending on how many part turns you did.
nothing worst than a puncter
 
The witty remarks have certainly struck a chord with me - anyone want to chime in with the chorus?  :D

thanks for the info, Vince - I've bought a few bits and pieces from Torp7, but mostly for bicycles. The Park spoke tension wrench I use on bikes wasn't cheap (retail $200 I think). Works by measuring the amount of bend between two points against a scale, with a graph to allow for varying spoke gauges, materials and shapes.
 
Hi Vince, spoke torque wrenches are available as you have found but tensioning  spoked wheels is a little more like hand craft than science.
I have built many spoked wheels and my spoke torque wrench is my fingers, although I do have one it is a tool that I find may give you correct spoke tension but a wheel that may have a huge runout due to poor quality rim shape and misalignment at the rim seam.
 
mauricejota7604 said:
Hi Vince, spoke torque wrenches are available as you have found but tensioning  spoked wheels is a little more like hand craft than science.
I have built many spoked wheels and my spoke torque wrench is my fingers, although I do have one it is a tool that I find may give you correct spoke tension but a wheel that may have a huge runout due to poor quality rim shape and misalignment at the rim seam.
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Thanks Mauriz. That was my concern about thread resistance affecting actual spoke tension - on bicycle wheels, it's quite doable to get a wheel with very even spoke tension, which is the secret to a strong wheel - and a look into the incredibly complex physics of spoked wheels helps understand why; interestingly, machine built bicycle wheels might give you a lovely straight wheel, but with spoke tension all over the place - and the result that the wheel is way out of whack in a relatively short time. But like you, I've always 'hand-tensioned' my MOTO wheels.

I'm interested in the spoke torque wrench mainly to get an indication of overall spoke tension, so I know whether I'm in the ball park for the best possible wheel, one that won't soften (too loose, nipples wind off on the leading spokes) and won't pull the threads (too tight). because there is virtually no give in a moto rim, it's hard to 'feel' where the ideal might be.
 
That's why I wrote the CURCOMPECT comment, I went slow. Just wacking the tension onto the desired point on the gauge is dangerous. I checked what it took to move a spoke on the gauge and found discrepancies and evened it out while slowly checking rim alinment. You still need hand feel and to tap the spoke for its ringing note. What I found was its an addendum to what everybody has done in the past without it, Toque wrench that is, and I hope with future checks the wheel stabilises and stays true. At the very least its a high quality spoke wrench and I needed one of those anyway.
 
mauricejota7604 said:
Hi Vince, spoke torque wrenches are available as you have found but tensioning  spoked wheels is a little more like hand craft than science.
I have built many spoked wheels and my spoke torque wrench is my fingers, although I do have one it is a tool that I find may give you correct spoke tension but a wheel that may have a huge runout due to poor quality rim shape and misalignment at the rim seam.
Click to expand...

I would listen to Maurice he is a legend with spoke wheels... still back in the day we used to tune to E flat... one of these always came in happy .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvHKu1XRSJ0

currently working on a way to attach to the front wheel so then can do on the fly  (clever)

Vince as you seem to have sooooo much time on your hands these days...  when you are  done with your spokes why not go for a run down and check out Roger at Weaponry and report back on when you have organised the day for us.
 
Ok ok, will ring him on Monday. They don't work weekends so I don't know how this will work out. I will try for a Saturday morning.
 
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