Bicycle Mechanics - kid trailer : loose spokes

Hi all,

I'm not sure whether this question belongs here or in the Recreational & Family cycling but here it goes:

I've bought a child trailer (kiddie van 101) to cart my son around l and I've just noticed that the wheel spokes are a bit on the loose side.

Apparently all spokes are at the same level of tension (or looseness...) but the wheels are true.

My questions are the following:

-Is spoke tension an added means of dampening road bumps for the trailer?

-More generally is spoke tension a function of the wheel size? (my bike's 700c wheels are quite tight and do not yield easily). The trailer's wheels are only 16 inches in diameter (al rims).

Any ideas?

I'd tighten them up. If you don't they'll just get progressively looser as you use the trailer. Try this:

1. Make sure that you get the right size spoke wrench. It'll probably take a red handled Park wrench.
2. Adjust all of the spokes, even the ones that are still tight, until you have exactly one thread on every spoke showing.
3. Now you can start at the valve stem and tighten each spoke exactly 1/2 turn at a time until they are as tight as your bicycle spokes. That'll keep the tension pretty even on all of the spokes.
4. After each round of tensioning, find two parallel spokes and try to squeeze them together with your hands. Do this all of the way around. That'll seat the spoke heads and undo any spoke windup.

The prior reply was excellent, I would also add that road bumps can be smoothed out a little be decreasing air pressure in the tubes if necessary. The spoke tension will have little to do with acting as a 'shock absorber' for the trailer. Softer tires will do a good job and won't destroy your wheels unless you hit a curb hard.