How to Straighten a BMX Wheel

Bent BMX wheels primarily result from impact. Bent rims change the tension on your rim and leave it susceptible to additional damage. In addition, brake pads rub against your rim wall, and often, you can you feel the bend as you ride. Since new wheels can be expensive and few bends warrant a new rim, you can save money and improve performance by learning how to straighten BMX wheels.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

15MM wrench
Tire irons
Spoke wrenches (3.23MM, 3.30MM, 3.45MM or 3.96MM)
Standard screwdriver
Wheel truing stand

Step 1

Remove the bent or crooked wheel by loosening the nuts on each side of the axle. Remove the valve cap from the tire inner tube and let the air out of the tire by depressing the valve. Pull the tire from the bike frame or fork. Using tire irons, remove the tire, tube and rim tape from the wheel.

Step 2

Place the wheel in the truing stand and secure the axle. Adjust your truing stand so the gauge is directly beside but not contacting the rim wall, resting approximately one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch from the rim.

Step 3

Slowly spin the wheel in the truing stand. Watch for the bent sections by monitoring the gauge next to the rim. Grab the bent section and stop the wheel from rotating.

Step 4

Tighten the spokes pulling from the opposite side of the bend in the rim. For example, where the rim bends right, tighten the spokes that come from the left side of the hub to that part of the rim. You are using tension to re-straighten the bent area.

Step 5

Tighten spokes with a spoke wrench (some spoke nipples accept a standard screwdriver on the outside of the rim). Turn each nipple no more than one revolution before moving to the next. Review progress after adjusting all the spokes in the bent area of the rim. Beware of rounding spoke nipples and popping sounds caused by friction, due to over-tightening.

Step 6

Slowly spin the wheel in the truing stand, watching for bent sections by monitoring the gauge and repeating straightening steps until the wheel is straight.

Step 7

Place rim tape back on the rim. Move the hole in the rim tape for the valve stem in line with the valve stem hole in the rim. Continue wrapping the rim tape onto the rim while holding the valve stem hole in place. Re-install tube and tire on the rim and mount tire back on bike.

Tips & Warnings

If the spokes opposite the bend are too tight to adjust initially, loosen the spokes coming from the hub on the same side as the damage. Then tighten the opposite spokes to increase the tension. Repeat as necessary.

Spoke wrenches wear out over time, replace them before rounding any nipples

You can use your forks as a rudimentary truing stand if you do not have one

Do not over tighten nipples, which is indicated by rounding nipple edges and metal popping from tension

Your rim should always have tension from both sides, otherwise damage is more likely to occur.

Article Written By Jeremy Slaughter

Jeremy Slaughter is a tax, accounting and small business expert. After completing his master's degree in accounting at Keller Graduate School of Management, Slaughter co-founded an accounting and tax firm where writing plays a daily role.

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