[chainsaw]

Well, sometimes you just gotta get really stupid before you get smart. After I bought my 203 and 204 tires, I got my TW's front wheel balanced. Trouble is, it wasn't balanced. Fast forward-after two more balance attempts by different people-to now. I realize now that my wheel is out-of-round (a kind soul on this forum told me that) and that some spokes need to be adjusted. I did find the areas needing the adjustment, but after all my bad luck with this bike, I'm scared to touch it. Can anybody give me some tips and throw in a few prayers?



Thanks,

Thom

 

[peruano]

Thom, It sounds like you need the help of someone with some experience and knowledge. I have attempted (sometimes successfully_) to true bicycle wheels (same principle but probably much easier), I can say that its a rather intuitive process that can go astray if you are careful. My advice, save some coins and pay to have it done. Do the diy jobs that are within your experience and knowledge base and don't assume you have to do everything yourself. Just my perspective. Tom

 

[biglefti]

It's been forty years since I have laced any spoke wheels, but it really isn't that difficult. You will need a dial indicator, but if you have two it is better. Google instructions for truing a spoke wheel and follow them. It just requires a little common sense and patience.

 

[chainsaw]

I gotta tell ya, after checking out some step by steps on various sites-with some folks using "state of the art" doohickeys and others just using common sense and some household supplies, it definitely looks do-able. One thing I read that surprised me was that clockwise on a spoke is loosening, counter-clockwise is tightening. I may gather up the courage this wknd and attack it. It's not that far out of round. After close to 35 years of riding bikes, I've figured out that it's best to take on one project, just one, at a time, and to take all the time you need to. It's kinda like they say-with age comes wisdom-it just took a little longer for mine to kick in.



Thanks guys,

Thom

 

[twjay]

I've replaced spokes on my bikes before, it's not too bad. If you do other work on your bike yourself, you should be able to do it.



This is one of the best tutorials I've found online: http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-wheels/spoke-wheels/



This link also has some good info: http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/wire_wheel/index.html



I usually try to get wheels within 1/32" of an inch of perfect vertically and horizontally, but I've had one on an MX'er that I could only get to just over 1/16" and it felt fine, no perceivable wobble or hop at all even at 80+ mph on asphalt. Your tires will bring their own imperfections to the party, so 1/32" off perfect or less is fine. Most TW's stay below 60-65MPH so you don't have to get it to within ten thousandths of an inch. (Mine rarely sees more than 55).



I true them on the bike, you don't have to have a truing stand or a dial indicator to do the job.



Like biglefti said, just take your time.



Make small adjustments, look at the wheel in sections, and be aware of "both sides" of your wheel when you're making adjustments (loosen one side when you tighten another).

 

[chainsaw]

Y'know, most everybody on this forum talks about our bikes pooping out around 65. I did just the basic mods, along with street tires and gearing, and she'll do 70 mph all day long (on flats and slight inclines.) Now, don't get me wrong, I don't push her that much all the time, but when I go for a "getaway"-between towns and whatnot, she does not whimper at all at 70. At that point too, all the vibrations (including the tire) seem to cancel themselves out.

 

[twjay]

Mine will do 70, even easier since I've changed to 15/50 gearing, but I just don't like winding my engine up that tight.

It doesn't feel very stable at that speed either. After 60 the handling and ride are a bit unsettling to me, especially when you're in traffic at that speed. Maybe that will change with the Michellin T63 I have coming

for the front...

 

[qwerty]

A dial indicator is overkill for truing a wheel. I laced the wheels on a 178mph roadracer with the axles clamped in a vice and coat hangers clamped to the table with Vice-grips as indicators. Worked fine.



As for 1/32-inch accuracy, I've seen brand new rims with welds that caused more runout than that. 1/32 is really, really good.



I suggest removing the tire, tube, and rim strip, remounting the wheel to the bike, and bending some wire around the rim to the inside of the beads, where the tire actually meets the rim for indicators. Sometimes the beads on the rim are not parallel inside and outside, so it's best to true the part of the rim where the tire actually sits. A couple tie-down straps from the grips to the rear subframe will stabilize the front end to hold the wheel steady--it's annoying when the steering flops back and forth. Many spoke nipples will accept either a straight, cross-point (phillips with the point ground off), or square drive screwdriver, any of which are much easier to use than a spoke wrench. I don't know about TW nipples because I've never looked under the rim strips.



When it comes to actually truing the wheel, first make sure all spokes are evenly tight. Always loosen the back side before tightening the front side. Rather than make a correction with a couple turns on one spoke, it is usually necessary to work 4-8 adjacent spokes at a time, with those closer to the point of correction taking more turn than those further, and the spokes directly opposite the point of correction taking more turns than the spokes almost opposite the point of correction. Making many small corrections, while keeping tensions equal, saves time in the long run over trying to make big corrections all at once.



It takes a good bit of practice to develop a "feel" for truing a wheel while keeping all the spokes' tensions even. Give yourself several hours, or even a few evenings, of practice to develop the skill. You'll never regret taking the time to patiently learn from experience. Once you learn, lacing a wheel from a pile of p[arts takes about 15 minutes. Once you can actually lace a decent wheel, and word gets out, you'll find wheel lacing a profitable side income. Around here mechanics charge $50/wheel and up for lacing, not counting R&R the tires. That means $200/hour when you can get the work.

 

[chainsaw]

Gaaaaaaaack!



I'm hoping I don't have to go to all that trouble. I've already marked the two areas on the rim that are giving me trouble. If the job starts getting away from me, I'll just ride it into Malbis and let them mess with it. I've already spent more on balancing than the actual cost of the tire. Does anyone know what the tw200 spoke size is? I would call the dealer but those guys are without a clue. I'm still surprised I actually brought the tire to them for the last balance attempt.



Thanks,

Thom

 

[twjay]

Not sure what the spoke size is, but you do need to remove the tire to true the wheel and have some sort of jig on your forks (like qwerty suggested).



When I said I trued then on the bike, I meant I use the forks(front) or swingarm (rear) to hold the rim while I true it.



I use a couple of rulers and clamps, but coat hangers would work great too.



You can get a universal type spoke wrench pretty cheap. THis one fits the TW spokes: http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/4/65/4679/ITEM/Rowe-USA-Spoke-Wrench.aspx?WT.ac=SLIsearch



Qwerty is right, 1/32" is a probably overkill, especially for your first time. I'm kinda OCD about some things (my bikes being one of them), just ask my wife...