i am looking into getting into truing my own wheels. i read all the stickies on other forums and see a wide range of tools out there .. i see a lot of tools on e bay that are affordable but dint want to buy the junk on there..
i see a lot of parks t-s-2 on there and they came out with the t-s-2.2 and the few differences is it will except a 29er with out removing the tire and the hub widths.. would u go the 2.2 route?


can you guys list a set of tools that you would get ?
Rotor Truing Fork?
Spoke Tension Meter ?

Wheel building/trueing can be done at just about any level of complexity. At an elegant minimum you need a nipple wrench, a bike to stick the wheel in and a good eye.
I'd recommend going for a tensiometer straight off the bat. It's not absolutely necessary, but it makes any conversation you'd want to have about the wheels ever so much easier in the future.
You can build OK wheels w/o one, but in terms of diagnostics it's a great help if you're trying to figure out the cause of a wheel failure.
Trueing stands can be bought, built from scrap or bodged together from discarded forks and cable ties. Nice ones are - nice, but not critical. Pretty much anything can do the trick unless it's too flexy.

Spoke wrench and a red crayon. I spin the wheel, hold the crayon near the rim and the high spots on that side show up. Do the same on the other side and make adjustments. It's a little basic but does the job for me and have never felt like looking for more tools.

But everyone is different, specially city folk...

best wishes,
lloyd

I would start by just truing in the bike frame. All you need is the right spoke wrench. Remove one brake pad on front and rear brakes and tru using the remaining pad as a guide. By flipping the wheel, you will also be able to get perfect dish without the need for a dishing tool.

A spoke-wrench, in the wrong hands, is easily the most expensive little tool anyone can own. Read up thoroughly on the subject before use. It's not rocket-science, but it does require dedication and an understanding on what, why, and how you're about to true a wheel. If you tighten one spoke on one side of the rim - loosen the other spoke opposite an equal amount. Generally 1/8th to 1/4 of a turn.

Good luck! It's is a lot of fun once you get the technique down.

The stands are functionally the same. We recently picked up a pair of TS-2.2 stands for a new workshop, and the only other difference aside from increased tire and wheel capacity is the smooth knobs. Having used a TS-2 at home and at work for approximately forever, I hate the new knobs, but as a new user it probably is a non-issue.

If you're only truing wheels, one of the home stands is perfectly adequate, and people have built wheels at home with nothing but an old fork and a zip tie, or even less, but if you want something to stand up to heavy use, the shop quality stands are best.

Whatever you decide buy a good spoke wrench, at least one size, that will fit your nipples closely and grip all four corners.
I like the Spokey brand and there are other good wrenches like the newer Park wrenches.

I'll second what others have said, and suggest that for now you can do some good wheel truing with the wheel right on your bike, as long as you have a good eye. If you decide that you need a truing stand, the park ts-2(.2) stands are great, but there are other great options out there that will get the job done very well for MUCH less money. I built this one based on Roger Musson's plans (google his name if you're interested in checking out his wheel building e-book). It didn't take too long to build and only cost me $28 IF you include the price of the downloadable e-book. I've been extremely happy with it.

-Jeremy

I love the plywood home made truing stand. I made mine from aluminum angle bars with stainless steel fasteners. And these things are not all that hard to make. Even easier if one has plans.

And, if you are going to get into building wheels, get good tools: a good truing stand, even if it is home built, a set of spoke wrenches and get good ones, a dishing tool if your truing stand does not have one included, and a decent light to work with. And don't forget the hub rebuilding tools you will need also. No sense truing up a rim if the hub is shot.

I used Sheldon Brown's article as a starter and recommend it highly. He took the magic out of the activity and replace it with instruction. That said, I am sure there are other sources of how to do it instruction that might work as well or better for others.

Hope this is a help.

I'd love to see a picture if you don't mind sharing. I always enjoy seeing people's homemade stuff because it was the same that encouraged me to build the above stand...something I probably won't have done without "visual encouragement." =)

-Jeremy

I picked up a nice Spin Doctor truing stand off Craigs List and built a wheel with it last week. Worked great. I bought a Spin Doctor Pro workstand and the seller threw in the truing stand.

My prior wheel build was in 1976, with just a spoke wrench. That worked OK as well, but the truing stand made it a lot easier.

Read the Sheldon Brown instructions on wheel building, I thought they were great!

My next tool purchase will be a tensiometer. I do not and will not build wheels for others.

What did everyone do before tension meters? None of the people I know who build wheels use them. My last build, I laced them up trued them then a friend came over tightened them up and siad this is what they should feel like. I said dont I need a tension meter? He laughed, told me what the tension on them was. I told him he was full of it. Ended up betting a 6 pack on it. Went to the LBS bummed the use of their meter. He was spot on. I gues 20 years of experence is a good thing.

This is why a tension meter is more important for a new wheel builder. Your friend new what the spokes should feel like but apparently you did not.

Yes, but now I do, after that first set I am comfortable to do my own with out a meter.

Because you clearly don't build wheels for sale, or for customers. No professional builder builds wheels without a tensionmeter. You simply cannot calibrate your hand for all the different types of spokes out there and know what the correct tension feels like for every single one.

You can probably get away without one building a 32/36h straight gauge spokes onto some box/semi aero rim. Doesn't mean the tool itself useless.

They built wheels that would be labelled amateur quality nowadays.

Because they suck. Tensionmeters allow you to consistently, reliably and confidently build a wheel at the correct tension every single time and without fail. Regardless of the hub/rim or type of spoke used.

I am not an attorney, but I'll advise anybody building wheels for others in exchange for pay to make sure they use a tensionmeter. It is a liability issue.