Do I need to take the spoke completely out to do this, or can I loosen it some and allow it to run down into the threads? Seems the ideal is to apply when wheels are built, but it wasn’t- I’ve had 2 badly loosened spoke on my rear wheel. Thanks for any advice.
Sorry i can’t help, but am curious to the answers.
On a related question, how do you remove a spoke that is seized or may have been loc-tited?
Thanks Rick.
Do I need to take the spoke completely out to do this, or can I loosen it some and allow it to run down into the threads? Seems the ideal is to apply when wheels are built, but it wasn’t- I’ve had 2 badly loosened spoke on my rear wheel. Thanks for any advice.
The only reason to use loctite is if your rims are so weak (very lightweight) as to buckle when sufficient tension is applied to them to ensure that they won’t go slack when ridden. If your spokes are loosening, then they don’t have enough tension. Are your rims very lightweight?
I use linseed oil and dip the spoke threads prior to building, but I have dripped some onto it afterwards. If it’s already loose, just unscew it some more and add the linseed oil, otherwise just put a few drops on top and spin the wheel like mad.
david K
Green loc-tite is supposed to work on this type of application. I did it and 24 hours later it still looked like it was on the surface of the nipple. Some may have worked down into the threads but I’m not sure. If I had the time and really wanted to do it right, I would remove the nipple one at a time and put a drop in. Some wheel makers us a drop of oil (I think it’s linseed oil, or something similar) instead of spoke-prep or loc-tite. The advantage is that it prevents loosening but doesnt lock the threads like other products. The reason I mention this is if someone did use that on your wheels, I wonder if loc-tite will even adhere to the threads? Anyways short answer is Green Loc-tite if you dont loosen them and I guess blue if you do.
I would not use loc-tite. I would use spoke prep or linseed oil instead. I just rebuilt some Spinergies that had some issues with the nipple coming lose. Linseed oil dries thick and sticky. It has worked well and I can still re-tension the spokes if I need to. It is old school, but seems to be working well. Available at the local paint department of Lowes and HD- although in a bigger can than you will ever need. Loosen the problem nipple almost all the way, if you do not want to take it off completely, dribble oil in the nipple and on the exposed threads (if possible) and then re-tension. However, I recommend rebuilding the entire wheel if you know how, and using new nipples as well.
Thanks- that pretty much got everything I wanted to know. On the can being really big: linseed oil looks great on untreated poplar when applied w/ #400 steel wool- deep finish! Give it a try if you’re into woodworking in the offseason…
Don’t use loctite. Use either linseed oil (old school) or spoke prep. I think it’s made by wheelsmith.
GT beat me to it, with a thorough answer…
Green loctite would work well but I would be concerned about getting it apart again since localized heating may be needed. You can put in on the joint and it should wick itself into the threads.
In my mechanic days we used it for shafts and bearings, it worked well.
http://www.loctite.com/int_henkel/loctite_us/index.cfm?&pageid=19&layout=3
Edit: search for “290”
For most of my wheel building I used spoke prep or some cheap light oil.
jaretj
DT Swiss has Loctite make a product for them called Spoke Freeze. It’s like Wheelsmith’s Spoke Prep, but it’s used after the wheel is tensioned. So if your wheel is built and you just want to lock the spoke tension, this is what you use.
QBP #LU7020.
Yes, it is expensive.
Dre’