[EpicRide]

So I just got my rear wheel rebuilt( new rim and nipples). It works just fine, but one of the spokes keeps rattling loose. So I have to stop every 5-6 miles to tighten the spoke to avoid the rim rubbing against the brake.

Can someone recommend a way to keep the thing tight? Should I use Loctite? Superglue? Any ideas?

 

[Repack]

Bring it back to whoever built it and have them retension it. For the problem to correctly fixed, the entire wheel should be detensioned and then retensioned/trued. Equal tension is what keeps a wheel strong. Even though simply tightening the loose spoke seems like the solution, it is mostly a temporary fix.

 

[snipes287]

I use a dab of blue locktite

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Don't use loc-tite, a properly built wheel should used nothing more than a lubercant like Tri-Flow. As said before, all the spokes need to be loosened and retensioned.

 

[snipes287]

Been using locktite for about seven years now on my wheels and the wheels I build in the shop...never had a bad experience. If the nipple just won't stay put it’s the best way to make it stay put until you need to move it. Everyone has there own ways of doing things, just thought id put my $0.02 in

 

[-B-]

If the wheel was built correctly it should not do this. Wheels should be built with some sort of spoke prep / Locktite. Take the wheel back if you can to the builder give them a chance to make it right. I have never had a spoke come loose on a wheel I have built. (2k+ built so far) My wheels can be found all over the globe and a some of the biggest events. I use Wheelsmith spoke prep for road wheels, I use 243 on MTB wheels . The only oil that should be used on a wheel builds is on the nipple where it hits the rim/ eyelet. The oil should be cleaned off immediately after the wheel is completed .

 

[Brian HCM#1]

I disagree, if you need loctite your spoke tensioning is not even and all it is doing is compinsating.

 

[snipes287]

The reason you would need to loctite is because either the id or od of the spoke or nipple is off by only a little so it is literally impossible to get it tight. How else can you get this to work other then replacing either the spoke or nipple?

 

[kidwoo]

I disagree, if you need loctite your spoke tensioning is not even and all it is doing is compinsating.

Don't you use spoke prep? Locktite and spoke prep will serve the same purpose. Having the plastic on the spoke threads helps get them tighter. I've built a couple of wheels using grease/oil on the spokes and I couldn't get anywhere near the same tension before the nipples started feeling like they were binding.

I'm with -B- here. Plastic (locktite or spoke prep) on the spoke threads and a light oil at the nipple/rim interface. I've only retired one of my built wheels in my mtb career.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

Don't you use spoke prep? Locktite and spoke prep will serve the same purpose. Having the plastic on the spoke threads helps get them tighter. I've built a couple of wheels using grease/oil on the spokes and I couldn't get anywhere near the same tension before the nipples started feeling like they were binding.

I'm with -B- here. Plastic (locktite or spoke prep) on the spoke threads and a light oil at the nipple/rim interface. I've only retired one of my built wheels in my mtb career.

Nope, just Tri-flow on the threads and butts of the nipples, never had a problem. It makes truing much easier.

 

[kidwoo]

. I've only retired one of my built wheels in my mtb career.

What's your tally up to now? :devil:

Seriously though, lube dries out and gets displaced easily. Spoke prep doesn't. Why don't you use it? I can easily spin the nipples on wheels that are years old that have spoke prep on them. The one wheel I still have where I used triflow has much more resistance to spinning the nipples.

huh huh nipple spinning huh huh

 

[Brian HCM#1]

What's your tally up to now? :devil:

Seriously though, lube dries out and gets displaced easily. Spoke prep doesn't. Why don't you use it? I can easily spin the nipples on wheels that are years old that have spoke prep on them. The one wheel I still have where I used triflow has much more resistance to spinning the nipples.

huh huh nipple spinning huh huh

Hitting rocks have nothing to do with spoke tension. Actualy my 729 was still perfectly true after cracking it.

 

[Acadian]

bulid the wheel
bring to proper tension
use Linseed oil at the nipples.

my wheels use to constantly come loose...never did once after using linseed oil.

 

[kidwoo]

bulid the wheel
bring to proper tension
use Linseed oil at the nipples.

my wheels use to constantly come loose...never did once after using linseed oil.

Oh THOSE nipples. I thought you meant......nevermind.

Yeah that's an old school method before the days of spoke prep. One of the roadie guys at olympic still uses that stuff. Makes sense with how much thicker you can get linseed. You get your wheels built by someone else right? You put it on yourself or that's what your builder guy uses?

 

[Acadian]

Oh THOSE nipples. I thought you meant......nevermind.

Yeah that's an old school method before the days of spoke prep. One of the roadie guys at olympic still uses that stuff. Makes sense with how much thicker you can get linseed. You get your wheels built by someone else right? You put it on yourself or that's what your builder guy uses?

I bought a full canister and gave it to my bike shop just so they could use it on my wheels Now they use it on almost all the DH wheels they build.

no...I can't build wheels unfortunatley

 

[fatpandas]

i dip the threads of the spokes in linseed oil. never had any problems.

 

[-B-]

Back when I learned to first build wheel linseed oil was the product to use but there are so many better to use now. i was using high tension way back in the day on rim that could stand the pressure. I have seen a few builder mistakes in my time of building to much tension on a light rim, no tension, no thread prep and wound up spokes. The only wheels I would now use linseed oil on would be some bladed track wheels in a 3 or four cross pattern, it would just give me more open time to get the spokes laced .

AAAhhhhh the days of building red lables tied and soldered and the smell ........... those were the days .

And yes if a wheel is propler built it will survive no foolish encounters with rocks. My wheels are worn out by there rider, not trashed by them.

 

[JRB]

Word on linseed oil, but spoke prep is cool too.

 

[UltraViolet]

i'm going to be building my first wheel soon i think and, i'm intrested in enyones little tips on the subject? and i don't meen links to the normal wheel building sites

 

[Dartman]

i'm going to be building my first wheel soon i think and, i'm intrested in enyones little tips on the subject? and i don't meen links to the normal wheel building sites

I start all the nipples with 2 threads showing on the spoke. The easy way to do this when you lace up the wheel is to hold your fingernail against the threads and spin the nipple down to it using a screwdriver/nipple driver. Then start tightening the spokes only 1/2 turn at a time leaving the flats on the nipple in the same place (this make it easy to 'find' them with the wrench). Keep the rim true laterally and radially as much as possible as you go. Final truing will be much easier if you do this. Wheels with dish, like rear multispeeds, remember that the drive side spokes are run to a higher tension than the other side. You will have to tighten these more at first. I go around twice on the drive side for once around the non drive side.

I like using the Spokey spoke wrench which grips the nipples by 3 corners instead of the flats. You have to push the wrench down on the nipple and the tight grip resists stripping the flats allowing greater tension to be reached.

I use a tensiometer to get even tension all around. You don't need one, you could use pluck and tone, but it's nice. The Park one is fairly inexpensive and they help with later truing, if necessary.

Oh and get comfortable and don't be in a hurry.

Mike

 

[-B-]

Tips pratice a lot first untilly you feel comfortable lacing.

 

[caputo1989]

the shop i work in some times uses tefflon tape

 

[Dartman]

no...I can't build wheels unfortunatley

I'm sorry to hear that. Some sort of physical handicap?


Building wheels is easy.

Mike