If individual spokes lose tension or if the rim has taken a knock, the wheels no longer run smoothly. Braking is worse and the tyre can rub against the frame or fork. TOUR shows you how to increase the spoke tension in order to centre out lateral run-out.
Degree of difficulty: for experienced screwdrivers
You need:
- Tool: Centring spanner, centring stand, possibly a slotted block to hold the blade spokes, centring gauge and spoke tension tester
- Excipients: penetrating oil, liquid threadlocker
Tip 1: If spokes are constantly coming loose, a medium-strength liquid threadlocker will help. After truing, dribble some of the liquid (e.g. from DT Swiss or Sapim) onto the spokes at the nipple entrance. The glue penetrates, hardens and fixes the spokes - but truing is possible.
Tip 2: Use a high-quality centring spanner. Roughly punched sheet metal spanners, spanners with a small contact surface or imprecise spanner width can damage the spoke nipple. Good spanners grip the nipple from three sides, have long, burr-free surfaces and are in contact with the spoke over a longer distance. Tip 3: Before you centre a used and slightly corroded wheel, apply a drop of penetrating oil to each spoke nipple (at the entrance to the rim bore). This can loosen corrosion and prevent nipples from turning round or seizing in the rim.
