Replacing rear spoke?

[sammyd173]

I broke a spoke on the back wheel of my 2015 260 Cota. 

I got a replacement - it was for the bottom part that attaches to the rim. I can barely get the silver adjuster in between the two spoke halves, and because i have to screw it all the way in to one half there is no adjustment left to bring it taught. Any ideas? Could my supplier have gotten a 300rr spoke instead which won't fit? 

[sirdabalot]

I had same problem with a correct short part of the spoke, I ended up taking the wheel off and loosened all spokes to get it started, the re-trued. I hope someone found an easier way. 

[sammyd173]

Thanks for the reply; if I did that and re-tightened everything my wheel would be out of alignment! Never been good at that. Any other ideas out there?

[dirtbikedave]

I don't think there is an easy way. I would start by cutting two blocks of wood from a 2x4 using a miter saw. Lay your wheel flat on your work bench, sprocket side down. Precision cut two blocks that will just fit between the rim and the work bench. 90 degrees on the rim away from the broken spoke You may have to cut them several times to get them just right.  This will keep the exact offset true when you go to re-tighten your spokes.

Next, when you loosen all the spokes, try and use the exact number of turns on each. If you turn your wrench 90 degrees, 6 times, do every spoke exactly 90 degrees, 6 times. If you need 3 more times to get the new spoke in, do all spokes 3 more. ( I made these numbers up as an example, each wheel is different, just count the same number of turns for whatever it takes until the wheel will offset enough to get the spoke started.) 

To tighten it back up, use the exact same number of turns of the wrench you used before. In my example that would be 9 turns of the wrench (yours might be as many as 25) you may want to do it in stages like go around the rim with 3 wrench turns then 3 more then 3 last turns =9 turns total. If it were 25 wrench turns, do 5 turns on each 5 times.

Keep your wood blocks in place as you tighten so that the offset stays the same and allows the spokes to pull up without any weight on them and check to see that the rim is just barely touching the blocks when the spokes are tight.  It will tell you quick if you miscounted your turns on the spokes . 

If you do this correctly, you should be very close to true. By breaking a spoke the rim may or may not be slightly tweeked. At this point most motorcycle mechanics could get it perfect in 5 min.

Its not as hard as it sounds, just take your time. Use a piece of masking tape to mark the spoke you start with.

I'm not an expert but have done this several times, someone else may have a better idea, please chime in.....Hope this helps....Dave

P.S. If you cannot get the new spoke half to thread on this way then it is the wrong spoke!

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by dirtbikedave

[nigel dabster]

they turn in together lh and rh thread (you know) so maybe by half starting you can get it in. It may need forcing away to get enough space, if its really not going then a small bend might do it, which will pull straight.

Always maintain your wheels to avoid this. I get mine trued and tensioned evry 6 months or so. A broken spoke is 99% down to lack of service.

Get a wheel builder to put it in and true up. If the bike is 3 years old this is overdue and would could stop more breaking. Soak in wd 40 a few days before

[peterb]

There may be two different lengths of short spoke (and the long one also) that are used depending on which side of the hub you are replacing spokes. Have a look on the parts list to see if there is a difference between the left and right side short spokes. Bye, Peter B.

[jrsunt]

^^^ this. There are 2 different lengths. Make sure you've got the right one as they should join together easily.

 

[sammyd173]

Thanks all for the replies. 

I ordered both sides of the short half of the spoke. They are different lengths and have a different bend on the head .

There is no way to just screw the two halves together. I tried and loosened the other interfering spokes - no joy, no way. So I have to have a shop loosen all of them so the hub can move relative to the rim. I will start paying more attention to my spokes from here on out!