Aye or no, arguments for and against please.
Wheel building - Loctite on spokes?
- Thread starter monkeyfcuker
- Start date
Spoke prep or linseed oil is my preference. You want them to turn in the future and not wind up the spoke.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! unless you never wanna be able to true your wheels.
Like BYO said, spoke prep or linseed oil.
Like BYO said, spoke prep or linseed oil.
yep. i just use grease for easy serviceability.
Question guys. Why do some moto bikes have plastic pieces on their spokes to stop them from becoming de-tensioned and downhill bikes do not?
because motorbike wheels have much higher levels of torque going through them (especially the rear which is driven off the engine chain / sprocket) and weight of the bike, and severity of impacts considering the higher riding speeds, vertical impacts and weights involved
as a professional bike mechanic / wheel builder, I would never use loctite on my customer's wheels, and would refuse if asked...
the only liquid I use for wheel building is Finish Line Dry chain lube (with Teflon) when building wheels using Stan's ZTR rims which have no rim eyelets, and benefit from slight lubrication between the spoke nipple and rim wall (but not the spoke and spoke nipple) whilst tensioning and truing
however, these wheels then require degreasing on the inside of the rim wall before you can setup a Stan's No-Tube tape and valve core setup
because motorbike wheels have much higher levels of torque going through them (especially the rear which is driven off the engine chain / sprocket) and weight of the bike, and severity of impacts considering the higher riding speeds, vertical impacts and weights involved
as a professional bike mechanic / wheel builder, I would never use loctite on my customer's wheels, and would refuse if asked...
the only liquid I use for wheel building is Finish Line Dry chain lube (with Teflon) when building wheels using Stan's ZTR rims which have no rim eyelets, and benefit from slight lubrication between the spoke nipple and rim wall (but not the spoke and spoke nipple) whilst tensioning and truing
however, these wheels then require degreasing on the inside of the rim wall before you can setup a Stan's No-Tube tape and valve core setup
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Spoke prep on the threads, a drop of lube on the outside of the nipple where it hits the rim.
Nyloc is available for mtbs too, I've had wheels with nyloc nipples in the past - worked nicely and definitely a better idea the Loctite, Mike!
I just use Tri-flow, works perfect everytime.
I have built plenty of conventional wheels with blue loctite. Never had a problem truing wheels. I am on to I9s now so I don't build my own wheels anymore. One of the pluses having I9 just over the mtns.
Yeah, you must SOOOO strong to break loose blue loc-tite!
Haven't most of you guys saying "no" realized just how similar blue loctite is to spoke prep once it dries? It's not glue. It's just there to dampen vibrations and take up space. It works fine. Just don't go throwing the red stuff in there
Blue Loctite 242 works great. Get in in the glue stick and put a dab on each spoke. Read below if you doubt me.
Loctite® Threadlocker Blue 242® is designed for the locking and sealing of threaded fasteners which require normal disassembly with standard hand tools. The product cures when confined in the absence of air between close fitting metal surfaces. It protects threads from rust and corrosion and prevents loosening from shock and vibration. Loctite® Threadlocker Blue 242® is particularly suited for applications on less active substrates such as stainless steel and plated surfaces, where disassembly is required for servicing.
Loctite® Threadlocker Blue 242® is designed for the locking and sealing of threaded fasteners which require normal disassembly with standard hand tools. The product cures when confined in the absence of air between close fitting metal surfaces. It protects threads from rust and corrosion and prevents loosening from shock and vibration. Loctite® Threadlocker Blue 242® is particularly suited for applications on less active substrates such as stainless steel and plated surfaces, where disassembly is required for servicing.
^ Yeah I just said that......only with less words and stuff
The Wheelsmith spoke prep I use also has teflon in it, but sounds otherwise the same as LocTite Blue. I have no idea if that matters in any way.
It may also be worth noting that LocTite blue is recommended for fasteners with a minimum diameter of 6mm, rather than the 2.0 mm of a 14 gauge spoke. Again, I don't know if this matters in practice. I'd be curious to find out...
It may also be worth noting that LocTite blue is recommended for fasteners with a minimum diameter of 6mm, rather than the 2.0 mm of a 14 gauge spoke. Again, I don't know if this matters in practice. I'd be curious to find out...
We here at Go-Ride use Loctite 222 (also knows as purple) not 242 (blue). I used Wheelsmith Spoke Prep for years and it works well. Loctite 222 is a little bit stronger than Spoke Prep and doesn't de tension as easily for DH use. 222 is for the smallest threads and like spoke prep doesn't "break free" once you turn it later.
I used 242 on my personal DH wheels for a while but it causes the spoke to wind up too much when truing.
The DT Prolock nips have a dab of blue in them and it causes them to wind up like crazy. They won't come loose on ya though! I guess if you're riding on 24 spokes and going 180 miles in 24 hours or somethin...
Krispy.
400 bazillion wheels and counting
I used 242 on my personal DH wheels for a while but it causes the spoke to wind up too much when truing.
The DT Prolock nips have a dab of blue in them and it causes them to wind up like crazy. They won't come loose on ya though! I guess if you're riding on 24 spokes and going 180 miles in 24 hours or somethin...
Krispy.
400 bazillion wheels and counting
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And where can I buy these goodies?
online i'm not sure, it was my lbs that always had them (very very good wheelbuilder)
I'm with this guy. Loctite 222 or DT Spoke Prep works well, bit of lube between the nipple and the eyelet never hurt anyone either.
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Go the gravey shot.
1. Linseed oil, b1tches.
2. Loctite 242 - alternative approach: Build a wheel. (Lube the spoke nipple-rim interface. Don't add anything to the spoke threads.) Once it's tensioned and trued, add Loctite 242 (blue) to the spoke thread/nipple interface. It seeps in a bit. It helps keep out crud from the threads, which is good, and provides a bit of resistance to turning once cured, but not too much. Avoids wind-up problems while building too.
2. Loctite 242 - alternative approach: Build a wheel. (Lube the spoke nipple-rim interface. Don't add anything to the spoke threads.) Once it's tensioned and trued, add Loctite 242 (blue) to the spoke thread/nipple interface. It seeps in a bit. It helps keep out crud from the threads, which is good, and provides a bit of resistance to turning once cured, but not too much. Avoids wind-up problems while building too.
Tencaious oil on the threads and the nipple prebuild, post build a little rubbing alcohol to clena up, then a drop of either spoke freeze, or loctite 222<purple>. Its nice to be able to true your wheels later.
Remember there are MANY type of loctite, with very diferent uses. The purple is a type meant to penetrate and wick into threads. Also the purple will break free then reset for truing purposes like spoke freeze and spoke prep.
To the question of the nylock style nipples.... I have them at the shop, we decided not to sell them though being they are a superb pain in the ass to use. The spokes on a bicycle wheel twist too bad to get proper tension in any timely manor. Specially when there are products out ther specifically for the use in bicycle wheels.
Useing the blue loctite is a terrible idea...... It works, and yes when you go to true your wheel, itll break free..... Problem is it doesnt reset after that, it just gets looser and looser.
Spoke freeze, spoke prep, linseed oil, and loctite 222 are all easy to get.
Remember there are MANY type of loctite, with very diferent uses. The purple is a type meant to penetrate and wick into threads. Also the purple will break free then reset for truing purposes like spoke freeze and spoke prep.
To the question of the nylock style nipples.... I have them at the shop, we decided not to sell them though being they are a superb pain in the ass to use. The spokes on a bicycle wheel twist too bad to get proper tension in any timely manor. Specially when there are products out ther specifically for the use in bicycle wheels.
Useing the blue loctite is a terrible idea...... It works, and yes when you go to true your wheel, itll break free..... Problem is it doesnt reset after that, it just gets looser and looser.
Spoke freeze, spoke prep, linseed oil, and loctite 222 are all easy to get.