Author Topic: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?  (Read 1510 times)

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Offline simon#42

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #25 on: April 17, 2024, 09:56:17 AM »
i use a spoke torque wrench and love it , yes they are quite an expensive tool but a the price of a couple of shop built wheels will cover it . i had trouble with a couple of bmw wheels that a pro had built . he tensioned the spokes by feel and it distorted the hub . now i know when i build a wheel the tension is correct . you wouldnt guess the torque of a cylinder head so why a spoke?

Offline Don R

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #26 on: April 17, 2024, 10:40:38 AM »
 My sandcast rolled rim had an out of round spot that was really aggravating me, before I thought it through, I got mad and whacked it with an orange plastic mallet. Then I thought OMG what have I done? Turned out I whacked it just right and no damage done.
  I wonder if a rim can be trued with every spoke the exact same torque, but maybe someone is that good. It isn't me. I did notice a loose spoke on one of my brother's wheels after they got new tires, I'll need to check them on the bike.
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Offline grcamna2

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #27 on: April 17, 2024, 11:06:41 AM »
My sandcast rolled rim had an out of round spot that was really aggravating me, before I thought it through, I got mad and whacked it with an orange plastic mallet. Then I thought OMG what have I done? Turned out I whacked it just right and no damage done.
  I wonder if a rim can be trued with every spoke the exact same torque, but maybe someone is that good. It isn't me. I did notice a loose spoke on one of my brother's wheels after they got new tires, I'll need to check them on the bike.

Don,there are wheel building folks w/ lots of experience,all over the world who do just what you described;the individuals can even take a wheel w/ a bent rim,disassemble it and straighten the rim on certain home-made jigs,then reassemble it and whack on it a few more times.. and somehow that wheel is fully straight !  Those folks are amazing.

I have worked with many used wheels/spokes/rims and I do well when I attempt to get all of the used spokes to a similar 'feel'/torque.. not usually 100% possible.. but close.
I take each used spoke apart(when I disassemble a wheel)and lightly clean the male threads(small SS brush)on each spoke,then apply a little Never Seize on each spoke's threads,and w/ the spoke 'nipple',work each one until it threads and moves smoothly;then I reassemble the wheel.
I can get a more even 'feel'/torque between them all when I do this process.

I like using all new $ OEM spokes  :) ;)
I set of new OEM or better spokes with a new,good quality rim? no problem.  :)
« Last Edit: April 18, 2024, 04:57:58 PM by grcamna2 »
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Offline andy750

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #28 on: April 17, 2024, 11:34:31 AM »
All this talk of checking spokes reminded me of the ill-fated CB750K5 I bought in 1992 in Monticello, NY (upstate) from a fireman from CT. I rode that bike 2-up from Monticello, NY to Cape Cod to NYC where I swapped the hot girl on the back for my brother who had flown in specially from Scotland for a trip across the US Easy Rider style. We left NYC for Gettysburg and I recall pulling over a couple of times as I was hearing an infrequent pinging sound coming from the bike. Arrived at Gettysburg for the night and thought nothing of it. The next day we set off along the Blue Ridge Parkway to Tennessee. Again with the pinging. It wasnt until we pulled off the highway at Knoxville I discovered the source of the pinging sound as the rear wheel collapsed as we sat at the lights  :-[. The pinging had been been the spoke snapping one by one  :-X

Spent 4-days in Knoxville waiting for the rear wheel to be rebuilt - set me back $180 - that included a new tube/tire.

Since then on other CB750s and many thousands of miles I never checked spoke tension but probably a good idea  8)
Current bikes
1. CB750K4: Long distance bike, 17 countries and counting...2001 - Trans-USA-Mexico, 2003 - European Tour, 2004 - SOHC Easy Rider Trip , 2008 - Adirondack Tour 2-up , 2013 - Tail of the Dragon Tour , 2017: 836 kit install and bottom end rebuild. And rebirth: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,173213.msg2029836.html#msg2029836
2. CB750/810cc K2  - road racer with JMR worked head 71 hp
3. Yamaha Tenere T700 2022

Where did you go on your bike today? - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=45183.2350

Offline Don R

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #29 on: April 18, 2024, 04:42:56 PM »
 Today I noticed the motion pro torque wrench adapter that clamps to whatever wrench you need to use. Like M750K6 said, it's at 90* to the side.  $53.99 on ebay.
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Offline grcamna2

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #30 on: April 18, 2024, 05:02:06 PM »
Today I noticed the motion pro torque wrench adapter that clamps to whatever wrench you need to use. Like M750K6 said, it's at 90* to the side.  $53.99 on ebay.

I never used a spoke torque wrench yet;I would give it a go.
« Last Edit: April 18, 2024, 10:31:59 PM by grcamna2 »
75' CB400F/'bunch o' parts' & 81' CB125S modded to a 'CB200S'
  I love the small ones too !
Do your BEST...nobody can take that away from you.

Offline seanbarney41

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #31 on: April 18, 2024, 09:52:10 PM »
Well, maybe I should find a more relevant thread to post this, but what the hell...Andy's story above reminded me.  Am I the only one that every example of a stock cb750k7/8 rear 17" wheel has exactly 1 broken spoke, all others tensioned just fine and rolling as true as any other 50 year old spoked steel wheel?  Probably just me, huh?
If it works good, it looks good...

Offline newday777

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #32 on: April 19, 2024, 12:34:11 AM »
Well, maybe I should find a more relevant thread to post this, but what the hell...Andy's story above reminded me.  Am I the only one that every example of a stock cb750k7/8 rear 17" wheel has exactly 1 broken spoke, all others tensioned just fine and rolling as true as any other 50 year old spoked steel wheel?  Probably just me, huh?

Busted While truing or while riding?
Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline seanbarney41

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #33 on: April 19, 2024, 07:12:42 AM »
Well, maybe I should find a more relevant thread to post this, but what the hell...Andy's story above reminded me.  Am I the only one that every example of a stock cb750k7/8 rear 17" wheel has exactly 1 broken spoke, all others tensioned just fine and rolling as true as any other 50 year old spoked steel wheel?  Probably just me, huh?

Busted While truing or while riding?

not really sure...busted when I got the bike
If it works good, it looks good...

Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: Do you use a spoke torque wrench?
« Reply #34 on: April 19, 2024, 07:22:23 AM »
Well, maybe I should find a more relevant thread to post this, but what the hell...Andy's story above reminded me.  Am I the only one that every example of a stock cb750k7/8 rear 17" wheel has exactly 1 broken spoke, all others tensioned just fine and rolling as true as any other 50 year old spoked steel wheel?  Probably just me, huh?

Busted While truing or while riding?

not really sure...busted when I got the bike

You’re not alone. The cb750K6 I just finished had a decent set of wheels on it. Original spokes, new tires had been fitted a few weeks before I got it. When I finally started working on it, noticed ONE rear spoke completely missing. When I pulled off the tire and tube, no trace of the nipple! Some tech decided 39 spokes were plenty…

I replaced them all.

Sean….. Incase you hadn’t noticed, Vintagecb750.com has started selling reasonably priced 17” rear wheel spoke sets. Something new……
« Last Edit: April 19, 2024, 07:29:53 AM by BenelliSEI »

Offline MauiK3

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