Wilsons Sandbox

I see in the manual torque ratings for spoke tightening. I bought a spoke wrench (non-torque). Did I waste my money? Without the torque wrench can I tighten the spokes correctly? How? How tight should they be?

I mentioned my concern of a loose feeling front end to a friend, he went right back to the rear wheel and found my spokes to be really loose. I couldn't find a 5mm open wrench (and none of the stores I checked had it, they all go down to 6mm at best, some to 7mm). a) Where can a get a tool to tighten the spokes from? b) It seems the spokes have not been turned in the last 16 years. I remember a post here that said I should "snap" them, not trying to slowly increase force. Well, I managed to get most loose with my 6mm wrench (and several applications of WD40), but broke 2 spokes in the process. Here is the question: b1) How save is it to drive around with 2 missing spokes? b2) How easy is it to replace the 2 spokes? Do I have to take the tire off the rim? b3) Where do get the replacement spokes from? Anyplace? Local dealer? As usual, thanks for insights. Volker

Got a couple of questions for the collective. Does anyone have a good contact for replacement rear wheel spokes? I found three broken ones while doing a bearing and tire replacement tonight. The two outer bearing were o.k. but the small center one was shot. Are double-shielded bearings o.k. to use instead of the single shielded and no shield OEM bearings? The bike has 42,800 KM Thanx in advance! Bugbrains

Wow! What memories you guys bring back. Grinning here! I remember in about '58 with my frist bike, a '56 Harley 165 , asking my dad about some of the spokes that don't sound like the others when tapping them with a wrench. He looked at me and told me I was on my own on mechanics and electrics of vehicals. But assumed that they needed to sound the same for the given lenght of them. But advised me to go to the Harley shop and asked them. Well, I did. You have to understand that the Harley shop was 32 miles away and I had to hitchhike there and back. But the old dudes there told me what to do and even took me, a young dude, back into the sacred shop and showed me what they were talking about. Got the bike up on blocks where the front wheel was able to turn freely. Uhhhh anyone remember 3in 1 oil? Used that on each nipple. Next was to get a closehanger and bend it around the fork and as close to the rim as possible with out touchin it. Then let all the are out of the tires , so as Fred mentioned , you don't mess up the rim liner. Then just find the loose ones and snug them up , watching what your doing with your wheel via the wire. Keep going round and round till all sounded the same for that lenght. Well , me, a young early high school dude got it done without too much wobble in the wheel. Late during the week a guy that was at the Lake Charles shop stop by on his way thru Jennings and checked out my job and was satisfied. Said he couldn't of done a better job nor could the shop. Couldn't wipe the smile off me face. So just keep it simple and check them often and you'll be okay. Many wheels later and trueing stands and dial indicators and etc., that first time was the most fun. THE BEST OF HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OUT THERE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO WHERE I'M AT TILL THE 30TH. Andy in Louisiana