# Easy Truing Tool (Bootleg, Ghetto, DIY Poor Man's)



## bobshaw (Nov 29, 2013)

Not sure if this has been done on here, but I needed a simple and quick way to true up my wheel because after every run, it goes out of true (Stock Bontrager AT-650 for those of you who were going to ask).

It is just a 6" ruler with a couple of those really strong paper clips attached to it and they slide back and forth on the ruler. It works surprisingly well and fits in a bike bag for those emergency road jobs.

One big fat rubber band (which I couldn't find here in Chiang Mai) or a few smaller ones knotted together holds it onto the bike frame, then you just spin, adjust, slide in, adjust, etc.















I thought I would post it in the forum since it is quite handy and may be useful to some other riders.


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## whoda*huck (Feb 12, 2005)

Truing after every ride? Sounds like a real PITA, and that someone forgot Spoke Prep in the wheel build...


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## bobshaw (Nov 29, 2013)

Well, it's the Trek factory stock wheel. I'm 6' 2" and 175 lbs. I ride single tracks and steep rough fire roads that pound the rear wheel at the speeds I go. The front is still perfectly straight due to the shock I would guess. The rear wheel just goes out of true after every ride. Same wheel front/back.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

Way cool truing tool!
No intention to hijack this, but on the subject...OK, here's my question...4000 miles on my 29'r and I'm seeing my rear wheel spokes beginning to loosen on a regular basis. So much that I check them after several rides. What's necessary to eliminate this?


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

Cleared2land said:


> Way cool truing tool!
> No intention to hijack this, but on the subject...OK, here's my question...4000 miles on my 29'r and I'm seeing my rear wheel spokes beginning to loosen on a regular basis. So much that I check them after several rides. *What's necessary to eliminate this?*


Same thing that the OP needs to do I'm guessing, bring the wheel up to correct tension.


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## Birdman (Dec 31, 2003)

bobshaw said:


> Well, it's the Trek factory stock wheel. I'm 6' 2" and 175 lbs. I ride single tracks and steep rough fire roads that pound the rear wheel at the speeds I go.


Great idea for a quick truing stand. Add a length of "stick on" magnet to the back of the ruler (if you have a steel frame), and ditch you can the rubber bands.

However, you really need to have that wheel relaced or at least retensioned. I am also 6' 2", 175lb, and ride my 2 SS bikes on rolling/rocky/rooty singletrack and fire roads. I've relaced the front & rear wheels on both bikes to WI hubs, and I've not touched them with a spoke wrench in the past few years.


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## thomllama (Oct 3, 2007)

if you're re truing after every ride you need to make sure...

1 you have enough tension Like JB Weld satiated.
2 Make sure you unwind/untwist the spokes after and re tension as need before riding it.._(this is what I'm guessing you're not doing)_
3 possibly lock the threads with Prep like whodaphuck stated, but only after unwinding 

Basically a wheel flexes to some point no mater what during a ride, but the spokes should return it to near perfect position after it's un weighted,.. if it's not you are most likely letting the rim be what you are using to straighten instead of the spokes and it'll bend outa shape..

Cheap wheels will stay true _(with in reason anyway)_ just as well as the highest quality as long as they are built correctly. you may get pinned joints that flair or wobble a tad at he joint but they should stay put once you get it set...


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Continuing the thread jack, you may see a little better results in this case if you loosen all the spokes a bit before you get started. You can't do anything about the fatigue that's already started, but I think it will help you start from even-ish tension.

I've never been your height, but I got close to your weight for a bit, and still didn't have this sort of trouble with my wheels.

When spokes start breaking, cut your losses.


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## thomllama (Oct 3, 2007)

AndrwSwitch said:


> Continuing the thread jack, you may see a little better results in this case if you loosen all the spokes a bit before you get started. You can't do anything about the fatigue that's already started, but I think it will help you start from even-ish tension.
> 
> I've never been your height, but I got close to your weight for a bit, and still didn't have this sort of trouble with my wheels.
> 
> When spokes start breaking, cut your losses.


What he said!!!

But to the subject of the threads base, cool idea for truing wheels without an expensive stand!!


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## ghettocop (Jul 26, 2011)

Cool tool man. As others have stated, if you are just laterally truing often, you are not addressing the problem of your de-tensioned wheel. Do what Andrw and Thom suggest. You seem to have the aptitude. Loosen all the nipples to an equal depth of thread on the spoke. Bring tension up slowly all the way around with 1/4 or 1/2 turns. Check true.....radial and lateral. Dish and stress-relieve after bringing up to a workable tension and repeat process until tension is good all the way around. If you just keep truing the wheel it's going to get worse and is adding to the problem.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I weigh 260 pounds and my wheels hardly ever go out of true. You need to have that wheel laced by someone who has a clue.


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

I do have a nice park stand but building my fatbike wheels I used a very similar method to yours since the big old rims (and or 170mm hubs) will not fit on the stand, actually it works really wheel (to less than .5mm)..


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

patineto said:


> I do have a nice park stand but building my fatbike wheels I used a very similar method to yours since the big old rims (and or 170mm hubs) will not fit on the stand, actually it works really wheel (to less than .5mm)..


Dude. Park just released adapters so you can do fat wheels in your stand. I'm doing 190mm hubs in mine.

Park Tool Co. » TS-2EXT.2 : Upright Extensions & Thru Axle Adapators : Wheel Truing Stands and Accessories


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## bobshaw (Nov 29, 2013)

I'll jack my own thread... Took it to a good shop here and the owner knows his trade, he said exactly what has been said here and fixed it right! Problem solved. Keeping it in my bag anyway.


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## thomllama (Oct 3, 2007)

bobshaw said:


> I'll jack my own thread... Took it to a good shop here and the owner knows his trade, he said exactly what has been said here and fixed it right! Problem solved. Keeping it in my bag anyway.


sweet :thumbsup:


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## patineto (Oct 28, 2005)

NYrr496 said:


> Dude. Park just released adapters so you can do fat wheels in your stand. I'm doing 190mm hubs in mine.
> 
> Park Tool Co. » TS-2EXT.2 : Upright Extensions & Thru Axle Adapators : Wheel Truing Stands and Accessories


Thanks I did not know what..


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