gunnz

I am going to buy a new truing stand. I'm thinking of getting a Park but would like some input on which brand/model is the best. Thanks

cascade168

The TS-2 is pretty much the standard for truing stands. You'll see on in almost any bike shop you go into. Very rugged and all parts are replaceable. Cost ~$160. If you get one of these it's worth spending another $25 on the TSB-2 Truing Stand Tilting Base. With that you can set the whole thing on any flat surface - without bolting it down - and go to work. If you are going to build wheels, you will also need a dishing gauge and a tensiometer (I suggest WAG-4 Wheel Alignment Gauge and the TM-1 Spoke Tension Meter) and a spoke wrench. All of this stuff is pretty much industry standard and readily available. You can see it all (with descriptions and usage instructions) at:

https://www.parktool.com/tool_indexes...ex_wheel.shtml

I have been using all of this stuff for a while now and it's a very nice setup. Enjoy ;-)

dmw010

I realize that Park has an interest in selling their Wheel Alignment Gauge, but I thought the TS-2 information used to say that no dishing tool was needed due to its "self-centering" feature. Am I mistaken?

gunnz

That's the one I was thinking of getting. Thanks for the info.

Al1943

I have a TS-2. In reality it is not self centering because the angles of the upright supports change as you change the dropout width, like when going from a rear wheel to a front wheel. If the stand is properly centered you should have equal drag on the left and right caliper arms regardless of which way you mount a 130mm rear road wheel on the stand. But when you place a 100mm front wheel on the stand don't expect to have equal drag on both sides, and if you reverse the front wheel on the stand you will probably find that the uprights are no longer centered. I've learned to leave mine centered for a rear wheel. With a 130mm wheel on the stand the uprights are perpendicular to the wheel axel and flush with the lock nuts.

The TS-3 truing stand does a better job of centering because it is designed to keep the uprights perpendicular to the axle regardless of the dropout spacing. The TS-3 may be my next tool investment.

Al

ratdog

FYI, Park Tools' site sells for the best rpice at $318. What you have to keep in mind is that the TS-3 does not need the base & comes with the centering tool. Not as big as a price difference from the TS-2 after all is said & done.

cascade168

Prices from Biketoolsetc.com:

TS2 (179.95) + WAG4 (39.95) + Tilting base (24.95) = $244.85

That's $73 difference. I guess that's not big money to you. For less than the $73 difference you can get the tensiometer which is a must if you really want to do precision builds. So, that $318 plus the cost of the TM1 tensiometer ($60) now puts you at $378. Also, the TS3 will not stand on it's own. So, you have to bolt it down or build some type of base if you want any portability. The TS3 does not come with a separate centering tool. You can use it to see if the dish is off and Park claims you can dish to within .25mm. You can do the same thing with the TS2, but, as you say, when all is said and done, it's much easier to use the WAG4 dishing tool. That tool also allows you to check dish while the wheel is on the bike. I'm sure that the TS3 is an awesome tool for truing, but it's a LOT more money to get to the same place. I would also question whether anyone who has not built many, many wheels would be able to do any better job with it. I think it's truly a tool for a master. But, hey, if you have the money and think it will help you do a better job, then more power to you.

Al1943

I really expected a bigger difference than the $73. I'd like to try one out to see how much better it is. I never use a dishing tool. I just reverse the wheel on my TS-2 stand several times while truing to confirm dish. This way I can center the rim within a fraction of a mm. Still, I think the TS-3 would be nice.

ethanfry

I use a TS-2 all the time. It may not be perfectly self-centering, but it does have adjustments to improve it's, uh, self-centeringness. Park has a manual online that tells you how to do it. Keep in mind that even if your pinchers are way off from the center of the uprights, all you gotta do is flip the wheel around to check for equal dish. Easier than using a special dish tool (like using a dish tool is hard), and way cheaper.

And don't shell out for a base. We have ours mounted to a chunk of old counter top. Anything that weighs more than a fex pounds and.or about 18" square will do.

I built my first wheels using a stand I built myself out of a few scraps of wood. It only works for 26" wheels, you have to take the tire off, and dishing is a little tricky, but those wheels are still running today....