Questions about spokes

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Oct 25, 2006 | 02:06 AM

clayman

Thread Starter

Road Master

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 956

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Questions about spokes

I am about to do my 8000 km service and i have never adjusted spokes before. Ive heard that you can check spokes by tapping them and they should give a nice tinking sound. Also the manual says to torque them, when you take it to the shop for servicing do they actually check each spoke for proper torque. How often should you check your spokes and how often should you expect to have to adjust them. Thanks for any help you got to give.

Oct 25, 2006 | 05:18 AM

veniculum

Road Warrior

Joined: Dec 2005

Posts: 1,828

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From: Central Jersey

RE: Questions about spokes

I really can't help you with your questions, but I can say I've been riding with spokes for quite a few years and have put 10s of thousands of miles on my bikes and never once did I do any kind of spoke adjustment. Perhaps I'm being naive...I'm just telling you my experience. I don't necessarily think you would need to have them adjusted at only 8000 miles. Just my opinion of course...perhaps someone knows better than me.

Todd

Oct 25, 2006 | 09:29 AM

xxxflhrci

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 10,033

Likes: 29

RE: Questions about spokes

HD has a problem with late model spoke wheels I can tell you first hand. The spokes in my '00's rear wheel loosened up at 31k. The bike was all over the road. I had an indy buddy tightent them and true the wheel. I figured that was the end of it....Wrong....This spring before making a 350 mile trip, I put the bike on a lift and checked them. They were tight. Half way there, they started loosening again and were very loose by the time I found the problem. I ended up with several broken ones, and about half had egged out the holes in the hub. I had to get a trailer ride home and replace the wheel. BTW, that was at 61k miles on the bike.

I talked to my indy buddy about this. He said that he often finds loose spokes on TC bikes when he mounts wheels. He blames it on two things. 1) cheap spokes that stretch 2) the fact that the TC puts out more torque than an HD motor to date, which is causing them to stretch.

I have read other threads on other forums where guys have had similar problems.

Now for the second problem. Check out the rust inside the wheel. My bike is garage kept. Before any one asks, I use Murphy's Oil soap as a lube when I mount tires. How long do you think it would be before that rust would become a safety issue?

[IMG]local://upfiles/17633/D9897456B349412A902C63952537B585.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/17633/3FB9B3CBBC6548B4BE1706501D816C6D.jpg[/IMG]

Oct 25, 2006 | 11:09 AM

Alaska Bobber

Road Captain

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 627

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From:

RE: Questions about spokes

That Rust wouldn't be a problem for another 100k IMO. That is just some surface rust.

However the Spoke issue can be serious. Keep a close eye on them. I like to check mine every time I change the oil. I visually inspect them every time I check the AIr Pressure (Every other tank of gas).

Also Aluminum Hubs and Steel Spokes are a shitty combo to start with.

Oct 25, 2006 | 11:32 AM

xxxflhrci

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 10,033

Likes: 29

RE: Questions about spokes

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Alaska Bobber

That Rust wouldn't be a problem for another 100k IMO. That is just some surface rust.

You need to see the rust first hand. The nipples are starting to crumble.

Oct 25, 2006 | 06:04 PM

Alaska Bobber

Road Captain

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 627

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From:

RE: Questions about spokes

Then I retract my statement.....lol. Doesn't look that bad in the picture

Oct 25, 2006 | 07:24 PM

LeavenworthJeff

Cruiser

Joined: Dec 2005

Posts: 138

Likes: 0

RE: Questions about spokes

On my 97 Sportster in 2004 (8000 miles) the back wheel spokes loosen up. It made the front end wobble very bad if you got up to 60 plus and then let off the gas. It didn't know what was causing my wobble. Old biker at work told me to check the spokes. Sure enough they were loose. Had tightened up and trued plus had a new tire put on while it was off. The guy who trues them said that the aluminum hub and steel spokes were not as good as when they used the steel hub with steel spokes. So a good idea to check them every so often.

LeavenworthJeff
05 FXDI