How to Replace Your Rear Spokes.

[kmac]

I hear of the green thin Loctite idea and as a life long dirt bike guy I would NEVER use Loctite on spokes. Just the regular ring a ding test when servicing and fiddling with the bike.

I also disagree with markjenn...Yamaha's own promo videos show people flogging the snot out of the beast, why shouldn't I ?
I have always rode every bike I have owned like I stole it and believe that every bike should be pushed to, and past its limits regularly. When I started riding in 1970 we would have killed for 6" of travel, the bikes were very heavy, and we flogged them till we snapped them in half....couple that with the fact that the Super Ten has 7.5" of travel and weighs 578 lbs....go beat the snot out of it.

I do.
Not saying the Ten is the "best" tool for flogging in the desert and blasting technical rock gardens...but it IS the tool I own and ride TO those places...so I ride it through them and I do so as hard and fast as my broken old body will allow on any given day.

 

[snakebitten]

I snuck my dads 72 CB750 out and rode it where I rode MY bike. In the woods. On the trails. After all, I was unlicensed kid.
Broke the frame under the seat twice. From jumping it.

Had no idea how wrong that was then. Nor that it was a prophecy of my future.

I am totally ok if others treat their bikes better. More appropriately. I probably should.
But I'm getting old fast. I only have so much of this left in me.

 

[lorinarel]

After his marriage broke up, my manager became very philosophical."I guess it was in our stars," he sighed."What do you mean?" I asked."Her astrological sign is the one for earth. Mine is the one for water. Together we made mud."

 

[Rasher]

Where can you get a torque wrench that goes that low :exclaim:

I will probably wait until all of mine look pretty awful and then send both wheels to a specialist wheel builder and have them fit stainless spokes, should come back as true as new - or maybe even a shade better.

 

[OldRider]

http://www.fasstco.com/shop/spoke-torque-wrench

 

[LATiger]

This is a truly fantastic post with ensuing discussion... There are several lifetimes of spoke experiences incorporated into this one post that have removed the "mystery" of spoke maintenance for me. My week old '13 ST has 300 miles on it as of this morning and I thought I'd "ping" all the spokes just for grins. On the rear wheel, there was only a single spoke that sounded a little dull when tapped with a screwdriver. As in the OP, I used a 6" long 5mm hex key socket and gave it a 1/4 turn to snug it a bit, which returned the nice "melodious ping" shared by its 31 brethren. All the front spokes sounded well. The whole procedure took 10 minutes. I'll check all again at the first oil change. Thank you to the OP for taking time to post this and thanks to all that contributed. This is a super forum for the Super10! ::003::

Brian

 

[EricV]

Where can you get a torque wrench that goes that low :exclaim:

I will probably wait until all of mine look pretty awful and then send both wheels to a specialist wheel builder and have them fit stainless spokes, should come back as true as new - or maybe even a shade better.

Don't wait to check them! And most tool places will sell inch/lb torque wrenches that may not be as cool as the FASST one dedicated to spokes, but work just fine, especially with the long allen bit socket.

 

[Roge]

Mine were found to be loose not by the Yamaha dealer that had serviced it prior and one was missing the nipple, I thought I was in for a full set of spokes, however via a local independant, he had a contact in another dealership that had got in a full set of rear spokes and was selling them singly. Got three, one to fix the missing one and 2 spares.

 

[kurtfriedrich]

OK, this thread has me nervous.
Apparently setting all the spokes to 6 Nm or 4.3 Ft/Lbs (4.3 x 12 = 51.6 or rounding up, 52 In/Lbs) is NOT safe? as it might throw my wheel out of round?

Surely listening for a common pitch on all the spokes has to be a hit or miss proposition?

Is it reasonable to "true" your own wheels, just by spinning them slowly with an indicator on the rim?

Yuk

 

[EricV]

Odds are your wheel is not out of true enough to be concerned about, but sure, use an indicator to check it before you start doing any spoke tightening.

Then if it's generally true, just put a torque wrench to each spoke. If it's not loose, it won't move. If it is, it will tighten down to the torque you have set. You're not going to be doing much more than 1/4 turn, with an occasional 1/2 turn when the bike is new. You're not going to be pulling the wheel a lot. Double check it afterwards, if it makes you feel better. It's most likely going to be better, not worse. Same thing if you simply go by tone, snugging up flat sounding spokes just enough to get a nice 'ring' to them. IMHO, over tightening spokes and people attempting to true a wheel w/o the experience and skills to do so are far more often the causes of a wheel out of true badly.

 

[Ramseybella]

For what it's worth.
My Excel rear 17" Woody's Wheel works conversion is getting replace with the stock rim and Woody's stainless spokes free by Woody.
As this rim proved to be to weak for the Tenere at least mine according to Woody! the spokes sits at a radical angel for the hub and rim, I am guessing why Yam designed the rib in the center of the rim.
Mine just developed cracks at the rim spoke seat (Again).
He has never had one Tenere he has converted do this, this is rim number three that has failed two 18" and one 17".
As much as I love the heaviness of the Excel it does not work.
Now the front 21" has never given me any issues so if anyone is thinking on the conversion just get the front wheel done powder coated black.

And no Loctite!!