how do you true a wheel?

[Nairns_Two_50K]

I have a 96 kx 250 that I want to replace all of the spokes on both front and rear. What is the best way to true the wheels without dropping them off and paying an arm and leg.  I have plans to make something to hold the wheel but am unsure of the fine detail. Any one thats knows something i would appreciate it. Thanks Dan

[sandblaster]

It's easiest to remove the wheel and put it on a wheel stand.
However it can be done while on the bike with a dial indicator.
The problem that I have ran into is the age of your bike.
It looks great but if any moisture has got down into the nipples they are probably froze up.
If that is the case, the spokes will spin and you won't be able to tighten them.
When that happens I take the rubber off so that I can get to the back side of the nipple.
They usually have a slot or a hex for a screw driver.
Caution!!! Don't put the screw driver in there and start twisting.
First, get a can of PB blaster or similar penetrating oil and give each nipple a squirt from both ends and allow to soak over night.
The next day get a torch out and heat the outside of the nipple.
Once it's warmed up, it makes adjusting the spokes a lot easier.
If anyone has other suggestions I'd love to hear about it.

[stevea100m]

Well if your going to replace the spokes i would cut the spokes to pull them out and buy new nipples. Now I have heard of people taking and cutting one and putting a new one in, tightening it down and doing one on the opposite side, repeating this until there done so you don't have to worry about truing the wheel

[Nairns_Two_50K]

I have cut them off so I can have the hubs and rims powder coated. So next week i will need to relace both rims and am wondering the process of re installing and getting it right. I enjoy doing stuff myself and learning but not learning the hard way if I can help it. Any tips to a complete re-install?

[maddoggy]

check out dirthammers .com. one of our members here(hughes) has this website and it has alot of good how to videos for bike maint. that you can do yourself. first thing i would do is get a good spoke torque wrench, that way you know you are doing it right. heres the link on dirthammers.  http://dirthammers.com/how-to-lace-up-a-wheel/
 

[coalpilot]

Frozen nipples? (ha ha ha)...I had a rim the nipples were so frozen vice grips and a torch wouldn't help. I tried using 2-3 different rust busting oils including PBB to no avail. I ended up cutting them all out with a 4" grinder.

So I cobbled together a contraption to loosen those stubborn nipples. I had this old electric rotisserie that I was to lazy to clean and was just going to throw out...I took it apart and made an adapter to attach to my truing stand. So, if you can visualize, with my rim mounted on my truing stand, I turn it on and this unit will now turn my rim nice and slow. I put a troff (sp?) under the rim and fill it with PPB/kerosene mixture. So the rim rim turns slowly through the mixture coating all nipples continuously. I let this run for 24hrs. Then they all come apart like butter.

If you absolutely have to reuse old spokes, at least get new nipples, esp if they were originally alumin. because the threads stretch and will never hold right again and also makes them more prone to cross threading or stripping.

[don46]

you say you cut the spokes out, hopefully you measured the rim offset. why is this important? because the rim doesn't necessarily align to the center of the hub. ideally you measure from a reference point such a straight edge from the sprocket or disc up to the rim, this will ensure you get the rim in the same spot.