Wheel Build Advice Thread

The Duckmeister

Has a juicy midrange
Brass nipples can still blow their heads off, but it's far less likely. The root problem is that the spokes are too short, but the shit nipples are a close second. At an absolute minimum the spokes should thread up to the base of the head slot, but preferably go the full depth of the nipple head.
 

Fruitbat

Likes Dirt
Brass nipples can still blow their heads off, but it's far less likely. The root problem is that the spokes are too short, but the shit nipples are a close second. At an absolute minimum the spokes should thread up to the base of the head slot, but preferably go the full depth of the nipple head.
So you reckon I should just bite the bullet and re-spoke/re-nipple this wheel from scratch and then I will never have to worry about it again?
 
Z

Zaf

Guest
So you reckon I should just bite the bullet and re-spoke/re-nipple this wheel from scratch and then I will never have to worry about it again?
A job worth doing, is worth doing right!!
If you want to know what it's like to ride a wheel where you're constantly expecting something to fail, you should just go buy (Insert Brand Here).
It's not a pleasant experience; but see how it looks when you pull the rim tape off. Don't create more work for yourself than is required, but as a general rule, it's 50% measuring and calculating, 40% lacing and 10% tensioning/truing to get a good wheel build.

The Duckmeister said:
go the full depth of the nipple head
Lewd!
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I haven't had any problems with these but they're not short on every spoke, built 2 years ago, they have done more than 3000kms and not ridden lightly. I had an older wheel worse than these and no problems there either.

spoker.jpg
 

hellmansam

Likes Bikes and Dirt
it's 50% measuring and calculating, 40% lacing and 10% tensioning/truing to get a good wheel build.
I would say more than 10% importance in the tensioning and truing - I've built a fair few wheels for paying customers. Mainly training wheels for roadies. I'd give equal importance of all three aspects, for a top quality result. The first thing a customer does is check out how round and straight their new custom wheels are, and the next is take notice of how well they stay in true in the first few rides. I was taught to pre-bend the spokes by hand once they were laced up, to put the slight extra bend they take from being tensioned. This cuts down a lot on how much re-truing is needed in the first few rides. Not needed for straight pull spokes.
 
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Z

Zaf

Guest
I would say more than 10% importance in the tensioning and truing - I've built a fair few wheels for paying customers. Mainly training wheels for roadies. I'd give equal importance of all three aspects, for a top quality result. The first thing a customer does is check out how round and straight their new custom wheels are, and the next is take notice of how well they stay in true in the first few rides. I was taught to pre-bend the spokes by hand once they were laced up, to put the slight natural they take from being tensioned. This cuts down a lot on how much re-truing is needed in the first few rides. Not needed for straight pull spokes.
I mean to say more that it's the least time consuming part of the build. Once it's all planned and laced up, it's just a matter of spinning it over and turning the wrench.

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Boom King

downloaded a pic of moorey's bruised arse
So you reckon I should just bite the bullet and re-spoke/re-nipple this wheel from scratch and then I will never have to worry about it again?
Make sure you do the measurement and spoke length calculations but your mate pays for the new spokes and nipples. He supplied the wrong stuff to begin with.
 

SummitFever

Eats Squid
For MTB wheels I always aim for even spoke tension over trueness. For example, if I end up with 0.5mm runout but tensions within 5% of each other then I don't try to remove all the wobble at the expense of uneven tension. For offroad riding, half a millimeter here or there won't matter at all, but even spoke tensions will make the wheel last...
 

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
Just had an absolute brain wave today. I know most of you typically use grease or anti-seize on spokes when wheel building. Liquid lanotec from the pump pack is a good anti-seize and oxidation inhibitor but it also dries just a little bit tacky, not crazy tacky like linseed oil, which should be perfect for wheel building especially on the non-drive spokes.
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
On the Facebook wheel building group, 5wt suspension oil with graphite powder added was voted the best lube I believe. I'll try to find it.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I find when I use oil, I get more spoke bind and when you go back to do a retension a year or so later it doesn't feel good.
 

Boom King

downloaded a pic of moorey's bruised arse
I find when I use oil, I get more spoke bind and when you go back to do a retension a year or so later it doesn't feel good.
What oil? I used 20W 50 and had no spoke bind at all. Being synthetic motor oil, shouldn't create any issues down the track.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
What oil? I used 20W 50 and had no spoke bind at all. Being synthetic motor oil, shouldn't create any issues down the track.
I've tried motor oil and diff oil. With the grease I can feel it's really smooth when I turn the nipple with a lot tension on it. I've found the grease seems to last longer in there than the oil, whether it's from constantly washing the wheels or riding through water I don't know.
 

SummitFever

Eats Squid
I use motor oil on the threads and anti seize on the nipple holes. Use a cotton bud to apply the anti seize through the rim bed onto where the nipple head will rub.
 
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