Spokes stuck!
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Spokes stuck!
I'm trying to re-dish a wheel from an old '88 Schwinn. A few of the spokes are stuck and will not loosen. Any tips for fixing this without stripping the end of the spoke?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1958 Post(s)
Liked 2,932 Times
in
1,489 Posts
Lubricate them...what else can you do?
#3
Really Old Senior Member
I keep hypodermic needles/syringes to apply a small drop of penetrating oil to old spoke nipples.
Do about 4-5 on the bottom (gravity is good), let it sit a minute, rotate 4-5 spokes & repeat.
If spokes are severely frozen, I just peel off the old nipple with a vise grip and install a new, lubed nipple.
Do about 4-5 on the bottom (gravity is good), let it sit a minute, rotate 4-5 spokes & repeat.
If spokes are severely frozen, I just peel off the old nipple with a vise grip and install a new, lubed nipple.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Roswell, GA
Posts: 8,319
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1438 Post(s)
Liked 1,092 Times
in
723 Posts
Get one of the good (Park Tool is one) spoke wrenches which grips 4 corners/3 sides of the spoke and is the correct size; a good fit is critical to give you the best chance of breaking the spoke loose without rounding off the corners. AFTER a good soak in penetrating oil, Kano Kroil is the best PB Blaster second.
Likes For dsbrantjr:
#5
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2022
Posts: 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks all! Unfortunately in my haste, I already accidentally rounded (stripped) a few of the nipples. Fix for this? Do I need to remove the spoke entirely and install a new nipple?
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,724
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5790 Post(s)
Liked 2,581 Times
in
1,431 Posts
NO,
Assuming you can loosen them, there's no need to remove spokes to replace nipples. Of course, if they're truly frozen and won't turn, cutting the spokes the only option.
Assuming you can loosen them, there's no need to remove spokes to replace nipples. Of course, if they're truly frozen and won't turn, cutting the spokes the only option.
Likes For FBinNY:
#7
Really Old Senior Member
A vise grip pliers with "sharp" teeth will cut and "unwrap" a frozen nipple with ease.
Likes For Bill Kapaun:
#8
Droid on a mission
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Palm Coast, FL
Posts: 1,005
Bikes: Diamondback Wildwood Classic
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 317 Post(s)
Liked 280 Times
in
195 Posts
PB Blaster in a spray bottle is always handy to have around
__________________
JoeTBM (The Bike Man) - I'm a black & white type of guy, the only gray in my life is the hair on my head
www.TheBikeMenOfFlaglerCounty.com
JoeTBM (The Bike Man) - I'm a black & white type of guy, the only gray in my life is the hair on my head
www.TheBikeMenOfFlaglerCounty.com
#10
Senior Member
The OP's not necessarily down to that last resort. If the OP can get some penetrating oil into the threaded joint to lubricate and loosen the seized threads, as Bill Kapaun noted previously he can still use a pair of locking pliers (e.g., Vice-Grips) to remove the stripped nipples. Doing that will be a bit of a pain, but it will preserve the spokes. (He'll of course have to replace the mangled nipples.)
That's what I'd try before cutting the spokes, anyway.
That's what I'd try before cutting the spokes, anyway.
Likes For Hondo6:
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,688
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1074 Post(s)
Liked 295 Times
in
222 Posts
Plenty of options.
penetrating lube from the hub side.
Penetrating lube from the tire side.
Heat. Soldering iron for the careful approach. Cigarette lighter - position wheel flat for this. MAPP torch if you want some danger.
Shock therapy, ie hit it. Rig something up to act as an anvil, then hammer away. If it doesn’t break free, odds are good it’ll simply break enough to be removeable from the tire side. File or grind one side out, add more lube, then turn from the tire side. Split it with some pliers. Brass is kind of brittle, so it’s entirely doable w/o damage to the spoke.
penetrating lube from the hub side.
Penetrating lube from the tire side.
Heat. Soldering iron for the careful approach. Cigarette lighter - position wheel flat for this. MAPP torch if you want some danger.
Shock therapy, ie hit it. Rig something up to act as an anvil, then hammer away. If it doesn’t break free, odds are good it’ll simply break enough to be removeable from the tire side. File or grind one side out, add more lube, then turn from the tire side. Split it with some pliers. Brass is kind of brittle, so it’s entirely doable w/o damage to the spoke.
Likes For ign1te:
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1958 Post(s)
Liked 2,932 Times
in
1,489 Posts
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Nor-Cal
Posts: 3,767
Bikes: lots
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1958 Post(s)
Liked 2,932 Times
in
1,489 Posts
Ok 'pal', whatever you say. I should never have questioned someone with you obvious level of technical expertise. I'm concerned this doesn't sound snippy, that would be terrible.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,724
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5790 Post(s)
Liked 2,581 Times
in
1,431 Posts
I've been away from here for 5 years or so. It's comforting to see that some things don't change.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
Likes For FBinNY:
#19
señor miembro
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 6,624
Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3888 Post(s)
Liked 6,488 Times
in
3,211 Posts
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,304
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1143 Post(s)
Liked 1,745 Times
in
963 Posts
Does a hairdryer even get warm enough to melt grease into treads?
#23
Banned.
Join Date: Oct 2021
Posts: 18
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
7 Posts
You know for a guy with the word wrench right in your username you were zero help with my brake problem, a tad condescending I may add.