Wheel Truing Stand

[flymeaway]

A very long time ago I had a Park Truing Stand....it was OK and maybe the newer ones are better. E-bikes are hard on wheels and I want to have a stand available so why not build one? I am constantly rebuilding machines in my factory and have used 1" Thompson linear shafting available. I have not put the dial indicators on the stand yet, but when I do, the stand should be accurate to about .001". Besides it was fun to build! I'll update the thread with more pictures when the indicators are mounted.

Court J.

 

[flymeaway]

Dial indicators arrived so I finished the stand. The two pictures show the finished installation of the indicator reading a 700c x 23c rim and the gauge plate, with .375 shoulder bolt, used to indicate the zero reference (center line of the rim) for the indicator. As you can see from the picture the indicator is showing +.002 at this point on the rim. The full 360 degree rotation shows this wheel (at the extreme) to be +.005/-.010. The majority of the wheel was + or minus .005. I should be able to true the wheel to within +/- .002 without much difficulty. Because the indicator has been zeroed for 700c rims I can easily true any 700c rim all I have to do is re-zero the indicator based on the rim width.

 

[JoePah]

Cool.. Is there a spec for truing a wheel... .005/.010 seems pretty tight!

 

[flymeaway]

Cool.. Is there a spec for truing a wheel... .005/.010 seems pretty tight!

I just finished truing a spare set I have for my E-Motobecane and the rims are within +/- .005, it's virtually impossible to see the slight variation as I spin the wheel on the stand. I don't think there's a recognized spec., but the closer to zero deflection the better. I think once you're within .005 it's about as good as it gets...in theory I could true the wheel to a closer tolerance but it's pretty time consuming and I doubt there's a huge additional benefit. I'm sure the wheel would work if it were out +/- .05, but you'd see the wheel "wobble" as you rode.

I think it's far more important to have the wheel properly centered (not offset) on the bike, and the spokes properly tensioned then to have the rim exactly .001. Improper spoke tension and an off center (in the dropouts) wheel will most certainly fail, so I place a higher priority on those issues.

What I have found in the years I've been riding is a wheel that isn't maintained, spoke tension and truing, is a wheel that will give you constant problems. E-bikes are particularly hard on the spokes due to greater torque on the driven wheel...

Court J.

 

[Shea N Encinitas]

Hey cool, do me next! Last tension & true was done on the bike, 1.5 hours. Would like a stand too. -S

 

[flymeaway]

Would like a stand too. -S

It requires about 8 hours of machining time and a pair of 1" case hardened linear shafts. Excluding the shafts, the cost of machining, and the 6061 aluminum bar stock, would be around $450. You can buy the dial indicators from Harbor Freight for around $20 each. 36" long shafts are required and they can be purchased from MSC, Reid Tool, McMastr-Carr, Graingers...and others for $57 each + shipping. So the Truing jig as it's pictured is about around $625.

To properly locate the center line of the mounted wheel requires a precise measuring tool to center the hub mounting fixtures. I use digital calipers....they cost anywhere from $20-$50 for a reasonable pair.

Court J.

 

[Shea N Encinitas]

Sounds like you over-built it, my favorite kind of design. Guess I'll settle for the thumbnail on rim technique for a while yet. -S

 

[JoePah]

It requires about 8 hours of machining time and a pair of 1" case hardened linear shafts. Excluding the shafts, the cost of machining, and the 6061 aluminum bar stock, would be around $450. You can buy the dial indicators from Harbor Freight for around $20 each. 36" long shafts are required and they can be purchased from MSC, Reid Tool, McMastr-Carr, Graingers...and others for $57 each + shipping. So the Truing jig as it's pictured is about around $625.

To properly locate the center line of the mounted wheel requires a precise measuring tool to center the hub mounting fixtures. I use digital calipers....they cost anywhere from $20-$50 for a reasonable pair.

Court J.

You must have one sweet workshop.. I don't have any tool that cost that much.

 

[flymeaway]

You must have one sweet workshop.. I don't have any tool that cost that much.

And probably $75K worth of tooling to go with the machines....every cabinet is full of drills, taps, reamers, end mills, fly cutters carbide, tool steel...you name it. 35 years later it adds up.

Court J.

 

[flymeaway]

Sounds like you over-built it, my favorite kind of design. Guess I'll settle for the thumbnail on rim technique for a while yet. -S

LOL...I did it on a whim. Yes over built/designed is my specialty....! But I have used 1" Thompson shafting I take off rebuilt CNC production equipment and storage racks full of 6061 aluminum stock so my cost was time and $20 for the dial indicator...

Court J.

 

[JoePah]

LOL...I did it on a whim. Yes over built/designed is my specialty....! But I have used 1" Thompson shafting I take off rebuilt CNC production equipment and storage racks full of 6061 aluminum stock so my cost was time and $20 for the dial indicator...

Court J.

You remind me of my buddy who prided himself on overbuilding... A long time ago he built a rabbit hutch for his girlfriend's daughter.. I mean it was built with 4x4 pine, lag bolts, concrete anchors and bullwire instead of chickewire! A year later Hurricane Andrew hit us in Cutler Ridge..The roofs were torn off all the house, cars flipped over... but that rabbit hutch was still there, with pieces of flying debris wedged in it....We all had a gallows laugh over that one!

 

[flymeaway]

You remind me of my buddy who prided himself on overbuilding... A long time ago he built a rabbit hutch for his girlfriend's daughter.. I mean it was built with 4x4 pine, lag bolts, concrete anchors and bullwire instead of chickewire! A year later Hurricane Andrew hit us in Cutler Ridge..The roofs were torn off all the house, cars flipped over... but that rabbit hutch was still there, with pieces of flying debris wedged in it....We all had a gallows laugh over that one!

LOL.....my affliction is partially brought on because I have the components laying around and the time to build it...so it's why not? One thing's for certain; it isn't going to blow away in the wind......it weighs about 35 lbs!

Court J