Spoke wrench size (and torque?)

bobrx3 · 03-14-2016, 12:50 AM

Anyone know the spoke wrench size for the stock RX3? I measure the adjusters to be about 5.6mm across, but 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 and 5.8 wrenches are available and I don't know if a 5.6 would be too tight. I don't know what the wrench clearance should be. Anyone know for sure before I buy one? 5.6 isn't very common, but 5.7 is even less common!

Also, is there a torque spec anywhere? I don't have a torque wrench for spokes, but it would still be interesting to know if there is an official setting. I'm guessing it would be in the 40-50 in-lbs range.

SpudRider · 03-14-2016, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobrx3

Anyone know the spoke wrench size for the stock RX3? I measure the adjusters to be about 5.6mm across, but 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 and 5.8 wrenches are available and I don't know if a 5.6 would be too tight. I don't know what the wrench clearance should be. Anyone know for sure before I buy one? 5.6 isn't very common, but 5.7 is even less common!

Also, is there a torque spec anywhere? I don't have a torque wrench for spokes, but it would still be interesting to know if there is an official setting. I'm guessing it would be in the 40-50 in-lbs range.

When I laced a narrower rim to my rear wheel, I used this Bikemaster spoke wrench; it worked perfectly.

http://www.bikemaster.com/tools/wren...ke-wrench.html

I don't use a torque wrench for spokes. I merely tighten them very well, but not excessively. If the spoke 'pings' when you strike it with a wrench, it is properly tight.

bobrx3 · 03-14-2016, 12:30 PM

Thanks. That wrench has 5.4, 5.6 and 6.0 slots. I know it can't be 5.4 and from my measurements 6.0 seems oversized, so it looks like the spoke nipples must indeed be 5.6mm.

The front wheel spokes "ping" quite well. The rear wheel spokes are shorter and thicker and don't "ping" quite so well. However I'm not really inclined to spend $100-$200 on a spoke torque wrench just to check them when they seem fine. Maybe if I was rebuilding a wheel or two it might be worth it, but as you say, it's not really necessary.

SpudRider · 03-14-2016, 03:56 PM

The Bikemaster spoke wrench only has one 5 mm slot, but I haven't measured it.

I like this wrench because it is very robust, inexpensive, and fits the spokes perfectly.

bobrx3 · 03-16-2016, 07:17 PM

This one - http://www.bikemaster.com/tools/spoke-wrench.html - has 6.50, 6.00, 5.60, 5.40, 5.00, and 4.30mm sizes. Seems like a good deal at $7.95

Rummaging through my toolbox, I found that a 7/32" ignition wrench (nominally 5.57mm) actually fits the spokes quite well, but it's a little short and thin. The Bikemaster wrench looks much more substantial

Jay In Milpitas · 03-17-2016, 12:17 AM

I've watched this thread for a bit and feel it's time to chime in.

Spokes and nipples are sized by gage, not a direct metric or inch measurement. The higher the gage number the smaller diameter of the spoke wire and it's nipple, i.e. 10 ga is skinny and 6 ga is fat.

You might be best off to ride to your friendly moto-dealer and ask the parts person for help finding what/which spoke wrench(s) they sell that will fit your nipples.

You will notice that all spoke wrenches are quite thick relative to the opening.

SpudRider · 03-17-2016, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobrx3

This one - http://www.bikemaster.com/tools/spoke-wrench.html - has 6.50, 6.00, 5.60, 5.40, 5.00, and 4.30mm sizes. Seems like a good deal at $7.95

Rummaging through my toolbox, I found that a 7/32" ignition wrench (nominally 5.57mm) actually fits the spokes quite well, but it's a little short and thin. The Bikemaster wrench looks much more substantial

You are correct.

I used slot number 3 of the Bikemaster spoke wrench to tighten the spokes on my RX3 motorcycle. Slot number 3 is 5.6 millimeters in width.

SpudRider · 03-17-2016, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay In Milpitas

I've watched this thread for a bit and feel it's time to chime in.

Spokes and nipples are sized by gage, not a direct metric or inch measurement. The higher the gage number the smaller diameter of the spoke wire and it's nipple, i.e. 10 ga is skinny and 6 ga is fat.

You might be best off to ride to your friendly moto-dealer and ask the parts person for help finding what/which spoke wrench(s) they sell that will fit your nipples.

You will notice that all spoke wrenches are quite thick relative to the opening.

I bought the Bikemaster spoke wrench when I laced a narrower rim to the rear hub of my RX3 motorcycle. Using slot #3, the Bikemaster spoke wrench worked perfectly.

http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=14974

I understand there is a difference between metric spokes and older, imperial spokes. However, all my bikes employ metric spokes. I own 4 metric spoke wrenches. With the exception of the Bikemaster spoke wrench, the rest of my metric spoke wrenches are labeled for the size of the opening, in millimeters.

I own a Honda spoke wrench and a Yamaha spoke wrench. These spoke wrenches appear to be labeled for the size of the spoke nipple, in millimeters. For example the Honda spoke wrench has an opening on each end. One end is labeled 5.9, the other end is labeled 6.4. The 5.9 end is 6.15 millimeters in width. The 6.4 end is 6.65 millimeters in width.

The Yamaha spoke wrench also has an opening on each end. One end is labeled 5.0, the other end is labeled 7.0. The 5.0 end is 5.15 millimeters in width. The 7.0 end is 7.15 millimeters in width.

Indeed, all spoke wrenches are much thicker than the opening which contacts the spoke nipple. However, the Bikemaster spoke wrench is much more robust than the rest of my spoke wrenches. If fact, after years of use, I actually fractured the 5.6 head for my Tusk Spoke Wrench Set.

Incidentally, the different heads for the Tusk Spoke Wrench Set are labeled with the exact size of the opening.

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p...k+spoke+wrench

Musictrek · 04-10-2017, 12:28 AM

Anyone try it this way? I've got some rotor disc chatter and suspect the rim is a little untrue. The first video shows where its at. The second part is after I adjusted the spokes. As I noticed, at the point of dial indicator contact and a spoke directly behind it, just turning that spoke slightly greatly changes the dial indicator value at that position. So, this would leave me to think that when spokes are "tight" that really some are slightly tighter than others. What do you think? I still need to work on the wheel better. I know the do one skip to the fourth for sequence tightening. But, this dial thing seems to be a good way to get it dead on true. The harbor freight dial gauge fit good on the bolt holding the brake line cable.

RC · 05-07-2017, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musictrek

Anyone try it this way? I've got some rotor disc chatter and suspect the rim is a little untrue. The first video shows where its at. The second part is after I adjusted the spokes. As I noticed, at the point of dial indicator contact and a spoke directly behind it, just turning that spoke slightly greatly changes the dial indicator value at that position. So, this would leave me to think that when spokes are "tight" that really some are slightly tighter than others. What do you think? I still need to work on the wheel better. I know the do one skip to the fourth for sequence tightening. But, this dial thing seems to be a good way to get it dead on true. The harbor freight dial gauge fit good on the bolt holding the brake line cable.

Did your disc chatter improve after trueing the rim? I'm finding the correlation of the two hard to picture as the rotor is attached firmly to the hub, while all of the rim misalignment should be via the spokes. But it certainly isn't impossible with the heavy forces and small tolerances.

Using a dial meter is a great idea for trueing! In the MTBing world they are used to true disc brake rotors. Although maybe its a little overkill, as a full mm out of true isn't considered bad, but nothing wrong with pursuing perfection if you have the time. Just be sure to ignore the rim weld/joint as it usually presents a bulge on both sides of the rim and therefore can't be trued out.

I'm curious to know what you consider trueing a spoke "slightly"- 1/4 turn, 1/2 turn, or full turn (360)? I'm finding a 1/2 turn doesn't have much of a noticeable effect, but then again I'm not measuring the tolerances as closely as your dial meter.

RC · 05-07-2017, 02:40 AM

I went by my local Cyclegear shop and picked up a replica of the Bikemaster, it seemed like the best fit when eyeballing the nipple size. I later found it online and the claimed size is 5.7mm for #3 slot. After using I didn't like the weight and shape of it, and I found one some of the steeper angled spokes I could barely get a 1/8 turn before it hit the rim and caused a tiny gouge the shiny, new Warp9, then I would have to transfer over to the opposite side of the wheel to get another tiny turn. The #3 fits onto nearly all of the RX3 nipples, but some require more effort and wiggling than others, and often its hard to tell if its seated properly, which could result in rounding off the nipple. Its not the wrench's fault, the nipples are low grade (soft) material and have some variability in their size.

I decided to try the other option at the local shop, a replica of Spud's Tusk wrench. It offers 5.6mm and 5.8mm interchangeable heads for about double the cost of the Bikemaster. It is much lighter and feels nicer in the hand, and I can get a fuller turn of the spoke, making the job go faster. The 5.8mm does the job for almost all of the nipples, however a few feel loose but luckily they will fit in the 5.6mm. Sometimes one side of the nipple will fit the 5.8 while the other side will fit the 5.6. But with this wrench I found it easier to get more tension on the spokes with less chance of rounding the nipple off.

03-14-2016, 12:50 AM	#1
bobrx3 Join Date: May 2015 Location: Bar Harbor, Maine Posts: 20	Spoke wrench size (and torque?) Anyone know the spoke wrench size for the stock RX3? I measure the adjusters to be about 5.6mm across, but 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 and 5.8 wrenches are available and I don't know if a 5.6 would be too tight. I don't know what the wrench clearance should be. Anyone know for sure before I buy one? 5.6 isn't very common, but 5.7 is even less common! Also, is there a torque spec anywhere? I don't have a torque wrench for spokes, but it would still be interesting to know if there is an official setting. I'm guessing it would be in the 40-50 in-lbs range. __________________ www.rx3adventure.com 2015 Cyclone RX3 (Orange)
	0

03-14-2016, 03:56 PM	#4
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	The Bikemaster spoke wrench only has one 5 mm slot, but I haven't measured it. I like this wrench because it is very robust, inexpensive, and fits the spokes perfectly. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0

03-16-2016, 07:17 PM	#5
bobrx3 Join Date: May 2015 Location: Bar Harbor, Maine Posts: 20	This one - http://www.bikemaster.com/tools/spoke-wrench.html - has 6.50, 6.00, 5.60, 5.40, 5.00, and 4.30mm sizes. Seems like a good deal at $7.95 Rummaging through my toolbox, I found that a 7/32" ignition wrench (nominally 5.57mm) actually fits the spokes quite well, but it's a little short and thin. The Bikemaster wrench looks much more substantial __________________ www.rx3adventure.com 2015 Cyclone RX3 (Orange)
	0

03-17-2016, 12:17 AM	#6
Jay In Milpitas Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Milpitas, CA. USA Posts: 775	What size are your nipples? I've watched this thread for a bit and feel it's time to chime in. Spokes and nipples are sized by gage, not a direct metric or inch measurement. The higher the gage number the smaller diameter of the spoke wire and it's nipple, i.e. 10 ga is skinny and 6 ga is fat. You might be best off to ride to your friendly moto-dealer and ask the parts person for help finding what/which spoke wrench(s) they sell that will fit your nipples. You will notice that all spoke wrenches are quite thick relative to the opening.
	1

04-10-2017, 12:28 AM	#9
Musictrek Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Arizona Posts: 463	Hawk spokes and Dial Micrometer Anyone try it this way? I've got some rotor disc chatter and suspect the rim is a little untrue. The first video shows where its at. The second part is after I adjusted the spokes. As I noticed, at the point of dial indicator contact and a spoke directly behind it, just turning that spoke slightly greatly changes the dial indicator value at that position. So, this would leave me to think that when spokes are "tight" that really some are slightly tighter than others. What do you think? I still need to work on the wheel better. I know the do one skip to the fourth for sequence tightening. But, this dial thing seems to be a good way to get it dead on true. The harbor freight dial gauge fit good on the bolt holding the brake line cable.
	3

03-14-2016, 12:30 PM	#3
bobrx3 Join Date: May 2015 Location: Bar Harbor, Maine Posts: 20	Thanks. That wrench has 5.4, 5.6 and 6.0 slots. I know it can't be 5.4 and from my measurements 6.0 seems oversized, so it looks like the spoke nipples must indeed be 5.6mm. The front wheel spokes "ping" quite well. The rear wheel spokes are shorter and thicker and don't "ping" quite so well. However I'm not really inclined to spend $100-$200 on a spoke torque wrench just to check them when they seem fine. Maybe if I was rebuilding a wheel or two it might be worth it, but as you say, it's not really necessary. __________________ www.rx3adventure.com 2015 Cyclone RX3 (Orange)
	0

05-07-2017, 02:40 AM	#11
RC Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: EurAsia Posts: 46	I went by my local Cyclegear shop and picked up a replica of the Bikemaster, it seemed like the best fit when eyeballing the nipple size. I later found it online and the claimed size is 5.7mm for #3 slot. After using I didn't like the weight and shape of it, and I found one some of the steeper angled spokes I could barely get a 1/8 turn before it hit the rim and caused a tiny gouge the shiny, new Warp9, then I would have to transfer over to the opposite side of the wheel to get another tiny turn. The #3 fits onto nearly all of the RX3 nipples, but some require more effort and wiggling than others, and often its hard to tell if its seated properly, which could result in rounding off the nipple. Its not the wrench's fault, the nipples are low grade (soft) material and have some variability in their size. I decided to try the other option at the local shop, a replica of Spud's Tusk wrench. It offers 5.6mm and 5.8mm interchangeable heads for about double the cost of the Bikemaster. It is much lighter and feels nicer in the hand, and I can get a fuller turn of the spoke, making the job go faster. The 5.8mm does the job for almost all of the nipples, however a few feel loose but luckily they will fit in the 5.6mm. Sometimes one side of the nipple will fit the 5.8 while the other side will fit the 5.6. But with this wrench I found it easier to get more tension on the spokes with less chance of rounding the nipple off.
	1