Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 333 Chapter 16 ∣ Wheels and Tires There are three ways to check for loose spokes: • Feel. Grasp spokes above the cross point and squeeze while feeling for tension. Excessive flexing indicates looseness. • Spoke tone. Tap each spoke with a spoke wrench and listen for variation in tone. A dull tone indicates looseness, while a ring indicates a properly adjusted spoke. • Spoke torque wrench. Check for unequal tension with a spoke torque wrench or spoke wrench. Some service manuals give spoke torque specifications. If specifications are not given, 60 inch-pounds is a good figure to use. Tighten spokes with a spoke wrench, even if only a small number of spokes are loose. See Figure 16-18. If several spokes are loose, the wheel should be trued. To tighten spokes, let the air out of the tire. After tightening, the wheel should be checked for trueness. It should not wobble or be out-of-round. The service manual gives specifications for acceptable runout. Caution If any spoke requires more than two turns when tightening, remove the tube so that threads protruding past the nipple can be ground off. A protruding spoke could puncture the inner tube, Figure 16-19. Replacing Broken Spokes Broken spokes are often caused by loose spokes. Loose spokes throw an excessive strain on surrounding spokes. To replace individual spokes: 1. Loosen all the spokes. 2. Partially disassemble the wheel by removing the necessary spokes to gain access to the damaged spoke. 3. Remove the damaged spoke and replace with a new spoke. 4. True the wheel. A B C Bearing Bearing Flared end of rod Split sleeve Tool body Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 16-16. Using a bearing removal tool to remove a bearing. A—A typical bearing removal tool has a body, a threaded rod with a flared end, and a split sleeve. The rod and sleeve are placed through the center of the bearing and the body is positioned against the hub. B—As the bearing removal tool is tightened, the flared end of the tool is pulled into the split sleeve, expanding it. Additional tightening pulls the bearing from the hub. C—The bearing is removed from the hub without damage. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 16-17. When installing wheel bearings, use a bearing driver of slightly smaller diameter than the outer bearing race. Remember to install a bearing spacer.