Bicycle / Bike Wheel Truing Station

Intro: Bicycle / Bike Wheel Truing Station

Truing a wheel is a breeze with this homemade Wheel Truing Station made from junk i had laying around, a welder, a magnetic base dial indicator, and a metal chop saw.

STEP 1: The Base

Find a sturdy flat piece of steel for the base. An old junk disc brake has all you need. It's heavy, flat, easy to clamp, already has holes drilled for mounting.

STEP 2: The Post

You need a post that will allow for clearance of the wheel you're truing. It must also be sturdy. You don't want it flexing or vibrating while you're spinning or moving the wheel. I used a piece of 1"Dia x 18" long steel pipe.

STEP 3: Mounting the Wheel

For a little extra flash, i removed a front wheel bracket from a junk bike to mount the wheel. You can use a nut or a washer welded onto the post, or just simply drill a hole through the post. Now tighten the nuts on the skewer until it is tight. Attach the magnetic base dial indicator so it rides on the rim of the wheel.

STEP 4: True the Wheel

Using the dial indicator, find your high and low spots and begin truing. http://bicycletutor.com/wheel-truing/ is a great resource for how to do this.

Comments

[rhubarb]

Your instructable could use a little more info on what the dial indicator you are using is, and how it is attached. The design looks like a good example of functional simplicity.

[helix]

The dial indicator he is using has a magnetic base with a little lever that disengages the magnet. The mag base and indicator are commonly found in places that sell machine tools. Good instructable, but I would have liked some info on how to properly mount the post to the base and how to mount a flange that holds the wheel to the post (you can't just drill a hole through the pipe). It looks like it involves welding which puts it out of reach of most peoples capabilities.

[Hycro]

Wouldn't cutting a section out of the top of the tube that makes the top look like a half moon, but only go down an inch or so, just enough to have your hole for the axle on the wheel?? And to attach it to the brake rotor, something similar would suffice...maybe use a large hose clamp, or maybe a ratchet strap somehow hooked on there...and clamp it to the large lip near the centre of the rotor...although, the clamp might not work as well as a weld, but if you're like me, and neither have welding experience, nor do I have access to a welder, then this is a viable option...I don't know how well the "clamping" to the rotor will work, as I have yet to try it...probably wouldn't work so well, but if you don't have/have access to welding equipment, then it's worth a shot...maybe two...Lol...

[waterppk]

Since you're not going to be super concerned about accuracy (it will be repeatable, but probably not super accurate) you can pick up a cheap dial indicator from:
Harbor Freight
and a cheap magnetic stand:
Harbor Freight

While you probably shouldn't use these indicators to check runout on your mill or lathe that you're making parts accurated to the 0.001", they'll be more than sufficient for a truing stand!

[walbon]

I liked the idea. I will try to make one to me.

[killerjackalope]

As a money saver you can use tyre tread indicators as the indicator, adding a magnet or a spring to it is necessary though, not difficult anyway. Nice 'ible!