Spoke torque wrench wanted

[Fritz500]

I am rebuilding the wheels on my T500J. Hubs all clean, new spokes and rims acquired.

I have built the front wheel and it runs true (what a pain!) and now I just want to make sure the spokes are torqued up properly.

I have been searching for a good quality spoke torque wrench. I have seen several ones for sale but they don't seem to do the 5mm nipple size. Any of you folks know where I can get one?



Cheers

[pearljam724]

A 5mm crescent wrench works fine.

[Fritz500]

A 5mm crescent wrench works fine.

I have a proper spoke wrench. I'm after a torque wrench.


Cheers

[oldjapanesebikes]

Spoke torque wrench ? Didn't know there was such a thing. I use my ear - if the spoke pings when tapped with a small wrench its good - a dull thunk isn't.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

There are spoke tension gauges for racing bicycle wheels but an actual torque wrench for that application I've also never heard of it.
Most good wheel builders use the tension gauge on bicycle spokes but I cant see it working for motorcycle wheels as the elastic values for the fatter spokes and the short length would restrict its use.
A certain audible tone of a fixed pitch is paramount for making sure the wheels spokes are evenly tensioned.
As Ian noted, its a medium 'ping' range you are hoping to achieve and not a dull thunk or a very high pitched tone.

[Bloop2]

I have never heard of them either but it looks like it's a fairly common tool for tightening spokes. Just google it and you'll find all kinds of places selling them, including the Excel rim people:

http://www.rkexcelamerica.com/mx_excel_ ... rench.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Fritz500]

Obviously spoke tension wrenches are a well kept secret. I could just tension them all so they sound the same but I have a preference (some might say obsession) for doing things a certain way. Once I've done a few wheels (I have six to do) I'm sure I'll become able to do it by ear...but right now I have no idea if they are close to the suggested 48 inch pounds.

I have done a search and most of the ones for sale don't have 5mm nipple wrench heads. The only adjustable one is for sale by Buchanans but I don't like their adjustable end - looks too crude.

I can use the nipple wrench and a spring weighing scale but that seems crude.

[pearljam724]

I wonder what the factory specs are for a GT 550 or GT750 spoke ? I also wonder with that spec, if it's possible to use an ordinary torque wrench with a phillips bit, socket on the phillips head while holding the nipple with a box wrench to get that exact torque spec ? I'd imagine it would work knowing that specification. Then again, that's a lot of torque on a bit. I've yet to do mine, I was going to use the ping method myself. And true the wheel on a stand of course.

[Fritz500]

I had trouble finding out what is the recommended torque. One of the wrenches is a non-adjustable type and is set to 48 inch pounds. I have found references to 35 to 45 inch pounds. A Harley site said 55. Other sites say it depends on the type of rim and spoke diameter.

I have them all tensioned up so they ping roughly the same, but I'm curious to know what torque they are.

I don't know why the rim side end of the nipples aren't hexagonal so I could use an appropriate sized socket and my torque wrench. That would be too simple.

[tz375]

I don't know why the rim side end of the nipples aren't hexagonal so I could use an appropriate sized socket and my torque wrench. That would be too simple.

Good point. You could use a suitably modified screwdriver bit in your small torque wrench and tension them from the "outside". Most nipples are a straight slot and the bit may have to have a notch ground out of the center to clear the spoke end.

[pearljam724]

Maybe modern dirt bikes or cruisers are spoked as such ? But, these spokes we are referring to are 35-40 years old and original equipment.

[tz375]

We're talking about the same thing - spokes on our old bikes. They have slot across the top (outside) of the nipple. We used to use a screwdriver with a notch out of the center decades ago to get them tight.



Spokes usually look like these:-


Do your spokes not have a slot? TZ spokes have a large cross point and that gets more tricky to tighten past a certain point. Some alloy nipples have a hex head forked into them and that would get tricky.

[Suzsmokeyallan]

A lot of the modern spokes now have a cross head slot in preference over the older flat slot. What would be similar to a hex head is a torx recess for tightening.
Racing bicycle wheel manufacturers Mavic have been using a splined design for the adjusting location on the nipples for close to 20 years now, rather than the traditional square section.
Motorcyclists are very traditional thinking and having a splined nipple would be a big debate for a long time of many forums.

[pearljam724]

We're talking about the same thing - spokes on our old bikes. They have slot across the top (outside) of the nipple. We used to use a screwdriver with a notch out of the center decades ago to get them tight.



Spokes usually look like these:-


Do your spokes not have a slot? TZ spokes have a large cross point and that gets more tricky to tighten past a certain point. Some alloy nipples have a hex head forked into them and that would get tricky.

I understand what the nipples look like in reference to the spokes we are using. I simply stated maybe that has changed on modern spokes to a more simple design. Like a torx head for example. But, I don't know if that's the case as I do not own or I have not seen more recent model motorcycles spokes.

[pearljam724]

A lot of the modern spokes now have a cross head slot in preference over the older flat slot. What would be similar to a hex head is a torx recess for tightening.
Racing bicycle wheel manufacturers Mavic have been using a splined design for the adjusting location on the nipples for close to 20 years now, rather than the traditional square section.
Motorcyclists are very traditional thinking and having a splined nipple would be a big debate for a long time of many forums.

Allan, why do you call a Phillips head a cross head ? I have never heard of that in my life.