Wheel build

So I cracked a carbon rim and have to rebuild it with a new rim (exact same) using the old parts (the spokes should be fine - rim cracked was not tacod). 

I’ve checked around at local shops for build time - either they won’t accept new servicing or it’s an impossible wait (October!). Maybe I’ll bring it out of town or maybe I’ll find someone here, but maybe I’ll buy the tools and figure it out on Yutube?

Aside from the stand, what else do I need? Spoke tension meter? I have spoke tools for truing. 

Anyone tried to build your own wheel?

The DT-Swiss stand and the tensionmeter are the ones you want.  It'll only set you back about ... maybe $3500.

I went with Park-Tools offerings instead.  There are numbers on the tensionmeter, but I'd suggest just ignoring them and look for the same number throughout the wheel.

I didn't have YT to lean on, but I suspect it's a hell of a lot easier now.  It's not rocket surgery, but it isn't 100%, "Do this then this then this."

Get the tools, deal with the initial frustration, then you'll be so happy you fixing your wheels becomes as easy as pie.

Cracked wheel still laced together?

If so; tape new rim to old wheel and transfer spokes + nipples across.

I've been building my own wheels for years. Not too hard & you tube has got to be a better teacher than I had.

My tips as follows.

1. Pro lock nipples. No spoke prep or grease needed on threads & they keep everything tight.

2. lace the wheel then go around and tighten the spokes a few turns each, until the threads are covered.

3. Make the wheel round. 

4. Make the wheel straight.

5. Adjust the dish.

6. Adjust the tension

7. Repeat 3-6

I looked into tension meters. they really aren't all that accurate, I know you need to the pretty close with carbon so might be worth your while to go over your work?

Is a truing stand necessary? I'm a  truly terrible mechanic, but wheels I've built have just been in my lap and then on the bike for adjustment. 

Brass DT Swiss nipples with Pro Lock, Park spoke tension meter.

Posted by: Hepcat

Is a truing stand necessary? I'm a  truly terrible mechanic, but wheels I've built have just been in my lap and then on the bike for adjustment. 

Brass DT Swiss nipples with Pro Lock, Park spoke tension meter.

Not necessary, but you're playing life in hard-mode if you don't have one.  It's sooooo much easier with one.

Thanks all. I’m sorting out the tools and maybe I’ll give it a go. I usually buy tools I need to complete jobs around the house and on the car - and over the years I’ve ended up with a bunch of tools and learned how to do some things. Most of its not that hard with YouTube and the right tools and I’d rather invest in the tools for the future instead of pay someone to do it!

Maybe I’ll give it a go - I usually don’t do much wheel stuff so not sure it will be a skill I’d use much but....

Posted by: Hepcat

Is a truing stand necessary? I'm a  truly terrible mechanic, but wheels I've built have just been in my lap and then on the bike for adjustment. 

Brass DT Swiss nipples with Pro Lock, Park spoke tension meter.

My personal experience building wheels in a bunch of QR and and track-ended frames and forks never prompted me to spend the cash on a stand, but I also deal with spoke tension without a tensiometer.

I always recommend https://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html as a resource, especially since there's plenty of info on improvised tools etc.

Dave, message Vinny he can help you out. He went on a course last year and now can build wheels.

Posted by: RAHrider

I've been building my own wheels for years. Not too hard & you tube has got to be a better teacher than I had.

My tips as follows.

1. Pro lock nipples. No spoke prep or grease needed on threads & they keep everything tight.

2. lace the wheel then go around and tighten the spokes a few turns each, until the threads are covered.

3. Make the wheel round. 

4. Make the wheel straight.

5. Adjust the dish.

6. Adjust the tension

7. Repeat 3-6

I looked into tension meters. they really aren't all that accurate, I know you need to the pretty close with carbon so might be worth your while to go over your work?

That’s pretty much it. But I use a Park tensiometer to get close to what the rim says I can go to in terms of tension and to get tension even. The rim is usually what dictates spoke tension. The mount a tire and crank up the pressure and recheck tension. It’ll probably drop a bit.

https://www.amazon.ca/Aluminum-Calibration-Tensiometer-Oxidation-Treatment/dp/B082M6XZJV/ref=asc_df_B082M6XZJV/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=335163613905&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10815750855976902827&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1001958&hvtargid=pla-962968355007&psc=1&language=en_CA

tension meters from 39$ - 130$ at amazon anybody used the cheaper ones ?

I use the ghetto method hit the spokes with a wrench and listened for the tone ... make them all sound the same

Posted by: Kieran

Dave, message Vinny he can help you out. He went on a course last year and now can build wheels.

SWEET!!!!

Posted by: Ddean

So I cracked a carbon rim and have to rebuild it with a new rim (exact same) using the old parts (the spokes should be fine - rim cracked was not tacod).

I’ve checked around at local shops for build time - either they won’t accept new servicing or it’s an impossible wait (October!). Maybe I’ll bring it out of town or maybe I’ll find someone here, but maybe I’ll buy the tools and figure it out on Yutube?

Aside from the stand, what else do I need? Spoke tension meter? I have spoke tools for truing.

Anyone tried to build your own wheel?

I build up all my own wheels. Park TS 2.2 and Park Tensionmeter. DT Swiss Prolocks are great as well. If you are replacing the rim with the exact same rim (same ERD) then as was said below, just tape the new rim onto the old, and transfer the spokes across one at a time. You should use new nipples, and if you cant find Prolocks, you will need some spoke prep. The formula that RAHrider mentions in this thread is a pretty good guide. I do use a tensionmeter, especially on carbon rims. You dont want to be putting too much tension on your nice new carbon rim or you will crack the eyelets. Just getting them all to around the same number (as Reductimat says) is the most important, but too much tension should be avoided. Id be willing to give a fellow board member a hand in lacing and truing a new wheel if you cant find anything else. PM me if you are interested.

Is it a front or rear? Front can be done ok in a fork. Rear's a bit less so.

New nipples, don't reuse. Asides from building with old nipples being a shit experience, they fatigue. Nipple washers are one of the ways god shows us that he loves us.

The  cheap Park gauge is useful - use it as instructed, not ignoring the numbers above. At tension 1/8th of of a turn can make a large difference in tension and you may not feel it. Uneven tension kills wheels far moreso than anything else. A dishing tool is also highly recommended. 

Last tip - once you've built the wheel and it's as you want it, fit the tubeless tyre and then readjust tension. Wheels lose a fair bit of tension when a tubeless tyre is installed and I seem plenty of home built and even workshop built wheels lose tension rapidly  on the first ride if this isn't done. I'm not a fan of prolock, but tend to soak all my batches of nipples in T9 until it evaporates off to wax. 

Leonard Zinn's books have really good wheel building instructions - it's a great resource.

One tip I appreciate from my  novice days is that when it starts to go wrong or get weird and you can't work it out, back everything off a quarter or half turn and start fresh. It's very easy to persevere and continually put more tension in to the wheel trying to chase something and next thing you'll be rounding off nipples or cracking the rim.