Spoke Maintenance on your Motorcycle

[@rl7880]

Grabbing the two spokes is such a great idea. I always hated losing my place half way around the wheel and having to go back and count it out. This makes it one-two buckle your shoe.

[@HeAdChEeSe1983]

I just ordered some replacement spokes and a torque wrench. Staying up on this will definitely save me money in the long run

[@robertwoods2505]

Great job Jay! Love the grab two idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@juliansimon5243]

Does this toque wrench have a predetermined setting? Or can you adjust it?

[@jeremy_beckers]

Even though this is super easy to do I always forget the pattern. Thank you so much

[@vaughanscott7308]

Best spoke vid on the net.

[@jrod1076]

I need to do this on my bikes. Ty for showing me how to do it properly

[@dr.x4050]

Thanks for the video! Adjusting spokes is not a big mystery to me anymore.

[@bikelifewithalex120]

Tusk around $103 for this tool at Rocky Mountain

[@niconine268]

Sick method

[@jaredamoroso8273]

Great video and couldn't have came at a better time. Came off the track last weekend and had some spokes that needed attended to.

[@Heartlanddualsport]

Nicely done on this video sir, I have added a dual sport to my channel, I have not announced it yet, but I am sure you can guess its a fun bike since I am watching all your tips and tricks videos. Thanks again and keep up the great work sir. dale

[@biff1tannen]

Thanks😊👍

[@mad4dog27.xclips5]

Thanx for the info,,just done mine and quite a few where loose :)

[@1176hambone]

Thank you Jay!

[@mikehillion3333]

Thanks for The tips

[@DonGH297]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge sir👍🏻

[@juliocorleto8054]

Dude your awesome

[@WillyD1]

I’ve had a brand new ktm spokes spin sometimes you got to hold back on the spoke

[@andrewmapes8205]

awesome info

[@renerioux2644]

What if the spoke spins when trying to tighten it?

[@DonGH297]

Did you let the air out of the tire or is is not necessary? Thanks for the video, appreciate all the help🤘🏻

[@brentv7299]

Another great tech tip guys - thanks!

[@TheSlikstik]

Great vids, makes my days so much better :)

[@usmc03]

Why put the valve stem nut all the way up to the cap? I thought it was supposed to be tightened down to the rim?

[@northjerseyarborcarellc7779]

So the valve stem can move a bit and not get torn off

[@danielash3749]

Where did u get that torque/spoke wrench? What's it called?

[@Nico-ww9lg]

How should i start? So right now a few of my back tire spokes are so loose that they move side to side in the rim and the others dont. Do i tighten the looser ones a little first and then do the method you showed in the video or how should i start.

[@dirtbiketv1]

Email Jay. Contact info in About tab. Or link in bio on Instagram.

[@jamessullivan9468]

The pro ❤

[@lospanchos68]

Not finished with video so you might answer the question I am about to ask, how many inch pounds or foot pounds are you using? I know the manual has a recommendation but last time I used there recommendations my front wheel started to wobble. I ride yamahas, good job on your videos, I watch your tire change video as I am changing tires, I have become really good at it but it’s just habit at this point 👍🏽

[@MOTOCOOP]

Application may very.. but I believe around 48 inch-pound .you can google your application or check with local shop for specs

[@Rideskishore]

Great vid! Thx

[@AntiStressKit]

Thank you for the video. How do you validate that the spokes are not overtightened?

[@mankindsdisease]

Because you used a torque wrench

[@richm4402]

AntiStressKit makes a good point, the torque wrench clicked for the majority of the spokes. This means the spokes are at least tightened to the pre set torque of the torque wrench setting. Doesn’t verify the spokes aren’t overtightened, if you’re the original owner of the bike you can safely assume the spokes were set correctly at the factory and proceed checking them this way. However, if you’re unsure of the history of the bike I would loosen them quarter of a turn and re-check torque. Also a good opportunity to do a little wheel truing if necessary.

[@georgebalmung]

Hi Jay, Your video was incredibly helpful-thank you for sharing it! I have a question I hope you can help me with. I own a Bonneville T120 (32 spokes, 17 x 4.25"). After watching your video, I inspected my wheels and noticed that I have three spinning spokes. Unfortunately, Triumph doesn’t have replacements available, so I’m considering aftermarket options. Do you think it’s safe to use aftermarket spokes? If so, do you have any recommendations or suggestions on brands or where to source them? Thank you in advance for your advice! Best regards, George

[@balmori.hangarage]

Yes dude, but do that on a dirt bike seems easy! it´s driving me crazy when I do this on my HD start fighting betewen torque-truing-hubbing! so when its trued and you start to torque, even on small increments everything goes to hell and I have to start over!

[@DorkBunns35]

If I have this issue, and have attempted to correct it but instead made it much worse, will loosening all the spokes act as a reset? Then going through and torquing them down to reach proper true?

[@dougkubash8673]

Good video!

[@kevinmcdonald1917]

Where did you get the tool from?

[@dirtbiketv1]

www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/fasst-spoke-torque-wrench-p?ref=1050

[@gabrielkopp2036]

How do you find the torque spec for different bikes/wheels

[@dirtbiketv1]

Email Jay - contact info in About tab

[@colefelchak7853]

How do you know what inch lb to torque spokes to?

[@dirtbiketv1]

Email Jay directly with any questions. Contact info in About tab.

[@expozure_in_the_elements]

You guys have a link for that spoke wrench that you're using in the video there's no way to find it there's no links for it I checked on Amazon they don't have it, are we supposed to get this tool if it's not available on the Rocky mountain ATV site, and it's not available on Amazon so are we supposed to just fabricate this tool with hopes and dreams?

[@sirgriffinman]

after every ride you fully detail every aspect of you bike AND then you also do maintenance on EVERY component on your bike. Do you ever sleep, eat, or do anything other than work on your dirtbikes?

[@acoustictreatmentservices9926]

LOL I was looking at my new YZ250F manual and It specifies to check every little thing after break in. Took me hours.

[@gophop]

That's why some guys have 4yo bikes with 300hrs, and they're tight and smooth like off the dealer floor. While others have clappers 6mo after buying a new one.

[@BigDaveTALKS]

thank you, great info. My wrench is adjustable in torque so question: What is a good torque setting? Currently I just use it as a typical wrench to check tightness. If the torque is particular to bikes, i have a 2019 WR450F and 2014 CRF 450R

[@JoaoSilva-gs5jb]

check manuals torque spec

[@BigDaveTALKS]

@@JoaoSilva-gs5jb I don’t have one and he didn’t mention there being a torque spec. I have never heard of a torque setting. Just make sure the rim is true and spokes are tight. Never had any issues so I guess i will just keep doing what i have been doing

[@tactikoolcloud8788]

@@BigDaveTALKS I’ve heard a good spec is around 40 inch pounds. For my 19 CRF250RX manual says around 20” lbs but some say going a little higher is better because you don’t have to adjust as often but not so tight you over stress the spokes. 60” lbs is on the over tight side of specs.

[@richm4402]

@@BigDaveTALKSabsolutely there’s a torque spec

[@LifeWideOpen780]

You're awesome man!

[@prockydude]

Does this only apply of the rim is new, if an older rim that got a few knocks needed spokes, is it ok to pull a little harder on some to straighten the rim?

[@spencerclark2269]

Nice stuff!

[@muddyboots-mac]

Nice content, is the set you using suitable for CRF250L 2014 spoke wheels and SM Wheel?

[@dirtbiketv1]

Email Jay. Contact info in About tab.

[@mikeisland7382]

Think it's a good idea to back them off and apply some never seize every couple of years?

[@A_A_Ron78]

Have you lanced a wheel before? Holy mother of God...

[@mikeisland7382]

@@A_A_Ron78 One nipple at a time and re torque, not all at once obviously...

[@331moto]

I put antiseize on my rear, one at a time last winter when doing a tire change. It definitely took awhile and I had antiseize everywhere. I had some nipples than were starting to seize, so I'm glad I did it.

[@eriknash8783]

I bought a used FE501 with only a couple hours on it. I rode it a few times and then bought a Tusk spoke torque wrench and went through this process and no matter how many cycles I go through I keep finding loose spokes. Some of the nipples look like they are buried on the spoke. Rear wheel has quite a bit of run out. Tried tightening spokes to pull it back into close to true, but it seems like there are no threads left to tighten on some of these spokes. Am I SOL on my brand new wheels and they need a rebuild? Very frustrating because I don't want to end up with broken spokes on a ride...

[@jacksisco5820]

I’m in the exact same predicament

[@dnlmachine4287]

Some of your spokes may be too long. Mark each spoke with a paint pen etc about 1 inch above the end of the threads. Remove one of the normal spokes and one of the ones that is bottomed out or wont tighten to spec. Compare the lengths of the overall spoke and threaded portion. If you do have unequal overall lengths, you may need to remove all the bad spokes and take them to a wheel shop to have them roll some more threads up the spoke and cut the spokes to correct length. Cutting more threads with a Die will usually NOT work, hence the wheel shop suggestion. OR - buy shorter spokes. Check the spoke nipples to be sure they are seated, threads clean so they dont twist the spoke or spin on a spot of damaged threads while adjusting. Stay gold.

[@natvega1]

Real spoke maintanece is removing the wheel, remove the tire, remove the ribbon and remove the rust from around the nipples with a wire brush then spray paint and apply lite coat of grease over nipples then put on a new ribbon, most people don't know to do this at least every 2 years and get really pissed off the day they find out how rusted their rims are inside.$$$$$$

[@KNRiding]

"Before I met you I didn't do it" LOL

[@MrNolanmoser9109]

Dirt bike wizard

[@paintballforlife17]

Why do u have to do it in that sequence?

[@Johngottisentme]

Light a new ssr150 No mechanic wants to work on it. Have to resort to fixing this thing myself

[@331moto]

Shouldn't the nut on the valve stem go against the rim??

[@dirtbiketv1]

No - never. Email me for best Q&A. Contact info in About tab.

[@pepperjackshack2439]

Sometimes you can have 2 nuts on valve stem. In this way you leave some space between the bottom nut and the rim so you don’t push the valve stem inside the rim when pumping up the tire. But should never be tighten to the rim after inflation to prevent inner tube movement and premature valve stem failure

[@c-note4146]

How do you know what in-lb?

[@viciouse1]

How about a link for the tool

[@dneitzel772]

www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/fasst-spoke-torque-wrench-kit-p

[@dneitzel772]

How about a discount code too, right?!

[@CmdrTigerKing]

= spoke tension doesnt = a true wheel.

[@onenessseeker5683]

Tightening them all to the same torque seems off to me.

[@cd1365]

That is not how to torque nipples, nuts. etc. You're checking the torque by listening to the click, but that doesn't tell how tight the nipples are. It's just telling you they're at or over the value you want. From the several I've seen you check, none of the nipples moved. So if, for example, you set the wrench to 48 in-lbs, you only know that the ones you checked that didn't turn are 48 in-lbs or more. One might be 48, another 60, another 56, another 49 etc. They will all make the wrench click. The correct way to tighten fasteners to a specific torque is to loosen them to below the desired value and turn them until the wrench clicks. They have to turn before the wrench clicks. If you're really concerned about hitting a specific torque, like 48 in-lbs, the best way would be to torque them all to say, 16, then 32 then 48. If you only tighten them to 48, as you move around the wheel, tightening nipples that are opposite of ones you already tightened will increase their torque because you're pulling up on them.

[@my-max-media7621]

Right. It's one thing to torque when assembling new and lubed, but no one has mentioned the wet/dry and nipple to rim friction. I recommend the "ting-tong" old school sound method. It takes out all those variables and you KNOW the banjo is in tune. Like you said, if the torque wrench clicks without movement then it's tight as but most likely TIGHTER. At the nipple to spoke BUT my point is not necessarily the spoke being tight.

[@georgeriley8024]

I did this exact sequence. With my excel torque wrench. My front wheel is now horribly out of true

[@cd1365]

@@georgeriley8024 As it should be. I didn't give a sequence for tightening spokes. I said the correct way to torque anything is.... Tightening spokes to a specific value is very time consuming. Tightening a spoke will affect spokes opposite it and close to it. The rim flexes and tightening any spoke will lessen the torque on adjacent spokes and increase the torque on opposite spokes. If you're trying to achieve the same torque on all spokes, you're in for a very long afternoon. Corrosion, lubrication, contact area and other parameters will affect the torque value. I'm just saying the way shown in the video does not let you know that a particular torque has been achieved.

[@steveg56]

Nipples are tightened counter clockwise correct?

[@ozziejim8472]

It’s not that hard doing spokes by sound if your hearing is normal.

[@Codiea]

Which, for dirt bikes guys over 30, is unlikely. I agree though.

[@kovrcek]

This is all very nice. But torquening all the spokes to some arbitrary value per manual doesn't do jack sh* to true the wheel . You can end up with spokes all tightened properly but the wheel be an oval and side to side mess. I haven't seen an explanation in any spoke-maintenance video on youtube. Only some forums mention that it's an art of itself to get the wheel true + tightened spokes to proper values. Maybe this works on a new wheel. But on old wheels where all the spokes are not the same anymore, there may be rust inside the threads etc. this just won't work. So I say it's complete BS to buy these spoke torque wrenches and tightening all spokes to the same value! I just true the wheel as best as I can (within spec) with cheap spoke wrench and that's it. Maybe tighten it all around a little. But if I would follow this stupid advise of same torque for all the spokes I would end up with oval wheel with death wobble lol

[@Themusicbiz]

$300 and out of stock, for anyone wondering

[@callmeanythingbutlatefordinner]

What torque setting do you suggest?

[@dirtbiketv1]

Email Jay!

[@zackiaryruddick701]

Why do you tighten the value nut to the tip ? They come from factory tighten up to the rim ???

[@dirtbiketv1]

Nope-- if you get a new bike that way from the factory it's a mistake at the dealer or who prepped the bike. Most OEM manuals will show this way.

[@zackiaryruddick701]

@@dirtbiketv1 ok thanks for replying so quickly, I just got a new bike and they are both tighten tight to the rim , I will check the manual

[@zackiaryruddick701]

@@dirtbiketv1 I just checked the manual and it's says to tighten it to the rim , saying it stops the rim from slipping wich is what I assumed it was for , why do you tighten it to the plastic tip I don't see what that is doing ?

[@dirtbiketv1]

@@zackiaryruddick701 OK - email further questions-- it allows the tube to be able to slip without tearing the stem off-- Thanks!