March 20, 201115 yr One thing that drives me crazy is breaking old spokes when I go to adjust the nipples. Yes I've tried many of the tricks to free them up but all of them fail to do that eventually. And once you've broken one spoke (on a Morad front rim) you have to loosen others (risking more breakage) to get that broken spoke out. As it turns out I'm now up for front wheel rebuild because of this. ....But it could have been avoided if the original wheel builder had just used a dab of anti-seize/marine grease on each and every spoke thread. I've grease up a number of my rims in the past and they are all still easy to adjust. But this particular front rim is one I couldn't do before (because I could feel they were too stiff) and now the spokes are all buggered.... and it's such a pain when I know this hassle and expense could have been avoided so easily So all I ask to all people in Trials...if you're building or rebuilding a rim PLEASE GREASE THEM NIPPLES for future sake. Best of balance. Neo Edited March 25, 201115 yr by Neo
March 20, 201115 yr Talking of nipples.... it would make life so much easier if manufacturers fitted grease nipples to swinging arm pivots and suspension bushes. I'll take the extra 0.1kg weight and
March 20, 201115 yr Talking of nipples.... it would make life so much easier if manufacturers fitted grease nipples to swinging arm pivots and suspension bushes. I'll take the extra 0.1kg weight and
March 20, 201115 yr Top wheel builders would hate you suggesting this. Specially the bicycle guys. They generally have a very special powder which acts like a thread locker to stop the spokes loosening.
March 20, 201115 yr Talking of nipples.... it would make life so much easier if manufacturers fitted grease nipples to swinging arm pivots and suspension bushes. I'll take the extra 0.1kg weight and
March 21, 201115 yr Top wheel builders would hate you suggesting this. Specially the bicycle guys. They generally have a very special powder which acts like a thread locker to stop the spokes loosening. I seen that, but you gotta these guys are sniffing the glue, not to mention they want more for a pushbike than a motorbike! Seems they are all Hyper-tech, money no object!
March 25, 201115 yr Author Top wheel builders would hate you suggesting this. Specially the bicycle guys. They generally have a very special powder which acts like a thread locker to stop the spokes loosening. Remembering back I can confirm you are dead right there. A few years back I had a wheel built by a wheel builder. Good guy but when I supplied the rim I gave him a small tub of anti-seize/marine grease mix and asked if he could grease every spoke thread. He rolled his eyes at me but said "Yes". When I got the wheel back there were no signs of grease anywhere. First and last time I had a wheel built ... better to do it yourself I reckon... His loss my gain. Best of balance. Neo
March 26, 201115 yr A top wheel builder once told me that chain lube on the spoke threads before assembly was the trick.............he was right!
March 26, 201115 yr When Buchanan's here in the states made up the stainless spokes and nipples and loose laced the Excel rims to my Fantic hubs a while back , they came with a anti seize /oil on the threads and nipple seats . Makes Maintenance alot easier ! But that was something I was taught eons ago whilst building up some MG TF wheels , now those take some work to get round and true ...! Glenn
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