Topic: Torque specs for spokes and a thought about wrenches

[AwesomeCB]

I'm in the process of lacing/truing etc. a pair of wheels with stainless steel spokes. Buchannan gave me the following and I'm passing it along to anyone else who might find the info useful now or later:

"The recommended torque is 40-45 inch/lbs which converts to 3.34-3.75 foot/lbs for the front and 60-65 inch/lbs which converts to 5-5.4 foot/lbs for the rear."

In my search for specs, I found a lot of pro/con discussion for the need of a torque wrench. I bought one for peace of mind because this was my first attempt at lacing/truing a wheel. But after doing the front wheel, which took me a couple of hours get it lined up straight in all directions and torqued, I realize now that I could have gotten by without it. YMMV.

[Yamahawk]

A good friend of mine Jim Yarrito who is the best spoke man I have ever seen, doesn't use a torque wrench either. He is good, fast, and dependable. His wheel truing stand is older than he is, and he ain't a youngster. If you tap the spokes with your wrench, they will sound either sharp or flat, and you 'tune' them to all sound the same, when your spokes are tight. You could tighten them to the torque spec you have, and the tune them by ear.
Charlie

[AwesomeCB]

If you tap the spokes with your wrench, they will sound either sharp or flat, and you 'tune' them to all sound the same, when your spokes are tight. You could tighten them to the torque spec you have, and the tune them by ear.
Charlie

Yes, I'm trying to tune them but I have a tin ear. I'm off to see if there's an app I can use.

[Yamahawk]

If you tap the spokes with your wrench, they will sound either sharp or flat, and you 'tune' them to all sound the same, when your spokes are tight. You could tighten them to the torque spec you have, and the tune them by ear.
Charlie

Yes, I'm trying to tune them but I have a tin ear. I'm off to see if there's an app I can use.

Hehe.. the Google Play store Spoke Tuner App... might be a niche market. Although, they do have tuner apps, but don't know how well they work on spoke tuning! Let us know, ok?
Charlie
Charlie