smorse1
100 mW
Anyone have any difficulties keeping spokes tight? Seems like I have to tighten them after every 20-30 miles on my direct drive hubmotor.
Loose Spokes on Hubmotor
- Thread starter smorse1
- Start date
The fingers
10 TW
A common problem. They need to be checked every few weeks and tuned to pitch especially when new until they settle in some to keep clucking and possible breakage to a minimum (sorry for music terminology). Do not over tighten. Some people install tiny washers at the hub end, try searching the forum for spoke noise/breakage threads and you will get more information.
cal3thousand
10 MW
The fingers said:
Common, but not every 20-30 miles common.
OP:
Is it the same spoke doing this repeatedly or are you finding different spokes coming loose?
hydro-one
10 kW
i would guess you are undertightening them u want them to ping when u pluck them 
Ykick
1 GW
More details please? Rear Battery? Are you a heavy person? Generally, Chinese spokes aren't very good steel and thick gauge seem to make it worse.
I used to tighten every couple hundred miles with the stock stuff. Big guy with mid battery - once I rebuilt the wheel with 13-14ga butted spokes and eyelet rim, haven't touched a spoke wrench since Dec, approaching 2k miles.
I used to tighten every couple hundred miles with the stock stuff. Big guy with mid battery - once I rebuilt the wheel with 13-14ga butted spokes and eyelet rim, haven't touched a spoke wrench since Dec, approaching 2k miles.
smorse1
100 mW
Ok..thanks for the good advice.
I don't think it's always the same spokes, however, I am probably under-tightening for fear of stripping the spokes or spoke nipples.
Also, 25 pounds of batteries on the rear rack doesn't help much either, I am sure.
would lock-tight or something like that do the trick or does that just cause more problems?
I don't think it's always the same spokes, however, I am probably under-tightening for fear of stripping the spokes or spoke nipples.
Also, 25 pounds of batteries on the rear rack doesn't help much either, I am sure.
would lock-tight or something like that do the trick or does that just cause more problems?
The fingers
10 TW
If you havent been checking and tightening them enough, they might become noisey after a short time.
Ykick
1 GW
smorse1 said:
Seriously doubt it's thread related. Chinese spokes often just stretch with no rebound and/or deform the rim hitting bumps and stuff at much higher speeds than originally intended. Couple that with extra 40-50lbs motor/battery, plus large American riders...
Read all you can in the wheel building and repair threads. It's not that hard to do a good wheel build at home but I would suggest practice truing (which you're already doing) and then practice lacing on old junk wheels. Smaller hubs with more crosses but the same principles will apply. Then, when your wheel gets worse and needs rebuild you'll be in position to order spokes and put it together.
Alternative is to find a willing bike shop but few will want to deal with a heavy hub motor and/or fail to respect the wiring exiting the axle.
dogman dan
1 PW
If the hub is new, this should settle down pretty soon. Don't get tempted to overtighten them. They should be tight, but not pinging a high C soprano. Get em tight enough to ping a tenor note.
If they won't settle down soon, then it may be something you are doing, like overloading a bike and riding rough roads. ( all hubmotors are overloading that wheel anyway) Off roading can destroy stuff. I'm amazed that my dirt bike gets through a season without needing a complete relace. But it wouldn't do that if it was a hardtail.
If they won't settle down soon, then it may be something you are doing, like overloading a bike and riding rough roads. ( all hubmotors are overloading that wheel anyway) Off roading can destroy stuff. I'm amazed that my dirt bike gets through a season without needing a complete relace. But it wouldn't do that if it was a hardtail.
All my bikes have cheap chinese spokes and rims, and all the ready-made wheels had spokes come loose, but once they were properly tensioned, I had no further problems. You have to do them tight enough but not too tight. I do it by feel and its not easy to describe how tight yo do them, but if yours come lose, you need to do them tighter.
aroundqube
10 kW
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2012
- Messages
- 599
Loctite will cause more problems,do not use it on spoke threads.As you may already know there is not much flat area on a spoke nipple for a spoke wrench to grip,the metal is soft,and easy to round off. Thread locker will work against you when the spokes stretch and need to be tightened,or the rim trued. The product that wheel builders use on spoke threads is called "Spoke Prep"
Regarding the OP: You might want to check out the (at least) two "wheel building" threads for how spokes work and what you can do to fix the problems.
If they're coming loose, they're not tight enough in the first place, or your rim is being severely damaged and bent, causing them to be loosened each time the rim is bent far enough (either out-of round or side-to-side).
Spoke-prep, loctite, etc, may help, too, but as noted above, loctite may prevent you from retruing it later. (soemtiems it can still be done by heating the threads coated with it)
I'm not among them, but there are a few wheelbuilder experts on the forum, like Chalo, JRH, others I can't recall right this second. They've posted in those wheel building threads some good info.
If they're coming loose, they're not tight enough in the first place, or your rim is being severely damaged and bent, causing them to be loosened each time the rim is bent far enough (either out-of round or side-to-side).
Spoke-prep, loctite, etc, may help, too, but as noted above, loctite may prevent you from retruing it later. (soemtiems it can still be done by heating the threads coated with it)
I'm not among them, but there are a few wheelbuilder experts on the forum, like Chalo, JRH, others I can't recall right this second. They've posted in those wheel building threads some good info.
winkinatcha
10 kW
FWIW I find that I need to tighten spokes twice on a new wheel and that seems all, first 20 odd miles, and then 20 odd miles after that...First 20 miles or so I normally go gently, and the second I try to get the wheel over a few stutter jumps n tree root cracks at reasonable speed to "help" the spokes decide if they are seated or not.... I regard this as being a valid n in my mind necessary part of "running" a new wheel in.
I do regularly check over an e-bike (at least once weekly if doing the everyday style commute) and believe some kinda maintenance schedule is imperative, including break checks, gear set checks (chain oiling n cluster cleaning n such) n general overall cleanliness n functionality, just like any other vehicle under regular use.
as other peeps on this thread mention you want the spokes to "ping" when tightened, and plucked, not make a dull thock sound.
Joe
I do regularly check over an e-bike (at least once weekly if doing the everyday style commute) and believe some kinda maintenance schedule is imperative, including break checks, gear set checks (chain oiling n cluster cleaning n such) n general overall cleanliness n functionality, just like any other vehicle under regular use.
as other peeps on this thread mention you want the spokes to "ping" when tightened, and plucked, not make a dull thock sound.
Joe
