Topic: What's a reasonable price to pay for truing wheels?

[drumstyx]

I bought a wheel truing/balancing stand to rebuild my wheels, but I've just not been able to get the hang of it. It looked more or less alright, probable within a couple mm, but it looks a little wobbly when I see the rear spinning under engine power. I went to the local dealership, and they wanted like $500 to do the pair, which IMO is clearly a "we don't want to" price.

How much should I expect to pay, and more importantly, where can I get it done in the Toronto/southern/central Ontario area? Heck, if someone here is local and knows what they're doing, I have a stand and beer and cash.

[754]

Are you using a dial indicator, usually I try to get them close to a pointer, then mount the dial indicator for the final truing.
 That nay help if you havent done it.  I say around an hour a wheel or so ,with what you have(for a shop)
 Mag wheels, cheapest way to be done..

[TwoTired]

It was $40/wheel before I learned to do it myself.  Nowadays, probably $100/ wheel for someone competent.

Cheers,

[drumstyx]

754: sounds like you get it real perfect then. I was just using the pointers -- I have a dial guage, but not the magnetic base right now.

So perhaps I should ask then, what's the problem with running them a mm or two out? What's the spec for it?

[754]

Once the dial is on , you can see how far it moves, like try for 1/2 the runnout. Should speed it up ..mag base..20 bux all over the place .
 I dont like using a dial to rough it in, waste of time I think.
If you are doing alloy rims, you want to tape them or work off the bead area.
I think standard for most steel rims was to get 30 thou max runnout, good alloy rims probably 20 or better. 20 thou is 1/2 mm.

[754]

I think a few tips and 3 hrs more work, you will have aced the lesson.
 I always will work three hours rather than spend 200plus..

[grcamna2]

You already have the wheels built drumstyx?
 How does the 'up and down' movement look on the wheel when it's spinning and you view it facing the brake hub/disc from the side of the wheel ? The side to side(when looking straight down onto the spinning rim itself) movement isn't too difficult to adjust but the up and down 'hop' takes a little more time to get smooth depending whether the rim is used or new.
A used rim can cost more time/$ to 'true' than a new one.When I do mine I spend more time on my own used rims because I'd rather not spend the $ on new rims as I can work a bit more and enjoy the time to get it as 'close' to 'true' as possible.. but still that's no comparison to using a brand new rim/'hoop' which 'trues-up' quickly:much less labor involved.

[drumstyx]

Ok, you're convincing me...but I've been scared of overtightening the spokes too, as I don't have a spoke torque wrench, is this a legitimate concern? What about up/down movement? And can I do this all with the tire on?

Wheels are already built, tightened, and trued to what I considered rideable (german specs -- gutenuf). I actually don't think there was much hop to begin with, so I think that's alright, but if I can check it with the tire on, I have the stand to do it.

[strynboen]

you need to get it in 1 mm..oderveise its not genau..and renember to Loose in the oppersite side vhere you teighten..so it never gets to hard spun up..(if you pull it 2 mm to one side the other side need to move the same..or the rim gets oval..and new problems starts..its a balance..to straighten it up give some and take some..not just pull it all... from one side..

[grcamna2]

Ok, you're convincing me...but I've been scared of overtightening the spokes too, as I don't have a spoke torque wrench, is this a legitimate concern? What about up/down movement? And can I do this all with the tire on?

Wheels are already built, tightened, and trued to what I considered rideable (german specs -- gutenuf). I actually don't think there was much hop to begin with, so I think that's alright, but if I can check it with the tire on, I have the stand to do it.

What type of spoke wrench are you using? You can develop a 'feel' for how tight to make them if you just go 'a little at a time' for each spoke;it also helps to use Never Seize a little on the threads of each spoke before assembly of the wheel.The idea when tightening the spokes is to get them all to a similar tension alternately tightening and loosening them as you go.
I would always true wheels with the tire off.
The rims are new or used ?

[grcamna2]

you need to get it in 1 mm..oderveise its not genau..and renember to Loose in the oppersite side vhere you teighten..so it never gets to hard spun up..(if you pull it 2 mm to one side the other side need to move the same..or the rim gets oval..and new problems starts..its a balance..to straighten it up give some and take some..not just pull it all... from one side..

 

[david 750f]

I'll send you a PM for some Toronto suggestions.

[emlupi]

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,157613.0.html

Here is a tutorial on how to true up your spoked wheels. I used this method and it worked out great. Took a little while, as it was my first attempt, but the results were excellent.

[b52bombardier1]

Please understand - there's just as much loosening of spokes here as tightening to get the wobble out.  This loosening will decrease the amount of tightening you need to do.  Watch a You Tube video and you will see that it is easy.

  Definitely buy a universal spoke wrench at your local motorcycle shop.  Any other tool will mung up the spoke adjusters.

Rick

[HondaMan]

I'd do it for $500: I'd even cover the postage?

[bryanj]

Also don't forget you will never get it 100% as there will always be a "Kick" where the welded joint is. I think Honda specs were 3mm sideways and up and down

[PeWe]

It is really easy to lace and truing the wheels.
I used 2 car jack stands and  a dial indicator. Before I used marker pen, slowly go closer on a rotating wheel until it touch. OK when it will be one line on the entire side This work fine to both sideways and up-down. New rim and spokes will ensure no need of bending it straight. Where the rim I welded a bump will be seen.



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[jamesw]

I got my wheels done at a guy in Etobicoke. He works out of his house.

$75 per wheel.

When I get home today, I'll post his contact info.

[rotortiller]

Price depends if you take the bike in, take the wheel assy in or simply take the wheel in without the tire mounted. If the owner messed up badly on the spoking it will take longer and cost more. 50-150 per wheel would be fair.

rt

[evanphi]

It just takes time.

I've done my front and rear wheels now and I did them in the winter time when not riding. I could spend 15-20 minutes over the course of a few days to really get it perfect.

Don't expect to get it totally right your first time sitting down with a wheel.

I posted this in my build thread:

Here's how you can check wheel true without a dial gauge.

Zip-tie a short piece of rod (aluminum gun cleaning rod works really well) to either your balancing stand, fork leg, or swingarm.

Get it close to the spokes to measure radial (up/down or "hop") runout


And close to the sides for lateral (side-to-side or "wobble").

True your wheel as you normally would. There are plenty of guides out there. Check here: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,368.0.html

Now set your rod so it just barely touches (you should hear it when you rotate the wheel) on the closest point and then rotate your wheel to where it looks like it is the furthest from the rod (it should still be pretty close).

Honda spec for a true wheel is 0.5mm or better.


How can you measure this without a dial gauge? You could use a set of feeler gauges to measure this distance. But if you don't have those handy, you should certainly have some zip ties since you just used some to attach your measurement rod! Measure the tip of one, and see if it can slide into the gap.



When I slid this one (0.75mm) into the gap I had, there was noticeable movement of the rod


This would tell me that the gap is much less than the 0.25mm difference it would take to get me better than 0.5mm runout overall.

If you used smaller zipties, your measuring tool will be even smaller and you can get an even more precise result.


I prefer this method when truing wheels because I find staring at a dial gauge just makes me go crazy! The irregularities of a tire will make up all the difference anyway.

[millla03]

Another thing to watch out for is the seam of the rim. This can make it look like the wheel is out of true in one little spot. I think the seam is typically 180 degrees from valve stem hole. Easy to spot with the tire off.