EricV,
Quick questions about spoke tightening since you are quite experienced and knowledgeable with the subject.
I have done the ping test and all seems good but I know that is not the end-all test.
I plan to go over each spoke next weekend and I recall somewhere that one should check and tighten each spoke in an alternating pattern (one every two or three spokes?).
Also should I just go ahead and loosen the Allen head spoke nut then torque it to 6NM or just tighten/torque as needed?
I will be using a long shaft T-handle 5mm Allen tool with a Topeak 6NM torque bit fitted with a 5mm hex bit.
Thanks,
MFP
I am not a motorcycle mechanic, just another DIY guy with a fairly broad level of experience. That said, I would first say, do NOT loosen any spokes! You don't want to change tension on the wheel that could cause deformation. Just tighten to torque as needed. that will alter tension by much smaller amounts than if you were to loosen nipples first.
What I do is pick a spot like the valve stem, starting on either side and stick to that side. The spokes alternate directions slightly on each side of the wheel. I put the torque wrench to all the nipples going the same direction on one side, then switch to the opposite side of the wheel, do all the nipples facing one direction there, then back to the first side and do all the nipples facing the other direction, then finish up with the nipples on the second side that were facing the other direction.
This method defaults to checking/tightening alternating spokes due to the pattern of spokes. IMHO, it's a safe way to avoid pulling the wheel out of true and it has worked well for me. Many spokes will be tight. Others may need some tightening to get to torque. With the clicker torque wrench I just put it on and use two fingers to pull the wrench until it clicks. It may click w/o moving the nipple or may go 1/8 to 1/4 turn. When the wheels were new, I was not unusually to get up to a turn, but seldom more than that. Now I occasionally get a little movement on some nipples at 30k miles.
I just watched the video for the Topeak Nano Torqbar and see no reason why that or the Torqbox won't work just fine. A little more precision than required for the moto application, but no harm there. Any 1/4 or 3/8" drive in/lb or Nm torque wrench that covers the range, preferably not at one end of the range, will do the job.