DIY wheel truing stand

R

Rockenstein

New Member
I've been in need of a wheel truing stand for a while now and being the cheap type not wanting to pay 100 bucks or better for one I decide to make my own. I'm a fan of the post type wheel truing jigs as I feel they are more versatile than the fork type stands in that you can dish a wheel right in the jig without the need for another tool. That's not to mention they can be set up to do the small 10-12" wheels that you find on the kid's bikes without issue. Anyway I got about 5 bucks worth of materials in this one so far and my inspiration was the TRS-80 truing stand pictured. I still have a few things to finish up yet (mainly the feelers and some paint on the top parts) but all in all this is the finished product that will get bolted to my workbench. Materials used are scraps of brass and steel, a length of steel tubing from an old baby crib that was in somebody's trash heap, the base is a cast iron plumbing part I bought at Home Depot and the paint is left over Krylon that I bought to paint the wheels on my rat rod beach cruiser.

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Nice job Rock!

I need to build one myself.

I've been setting the bike upside down on a bench and clamping a 1" travel dial indicator to the frame. It's a pain on the Aluminum frames. For the steel frames I use a small Mitutoyo mag base, but it's still a hassle.

Jim
 
lol...and I was using an old fork leg clamped in my vise! Ahh the methods we use...lol...would make them paid bike mechanics cringe I'm sure eh Jim :)
 
i flip my bike over, spin the wheel, and hold a screwdriver against the frame (or fork) and watch where it rubs the wheel.

been doing this for 30 years, never lets me down. in fact, i just got a brand new wheel set, and the front one had a slight hop in it, so i fixed it.
 
bairdco said:
i flip my bike over, spin the wheel, and hold a screwdriver against the frame (or fork) and watch where it rubs the wheel.
Click to expand...

Me too. Only I raise the bike up on cement blocks instead of upside down.

Felt tip pen makes a good temporary mark for the high point.
 
You can get one of those bike trainers (you clamp in your bike at the back wheel).
Get a used one cheap at a yard sale. They are handy when doing maintenance because they hold your bike up straight and the back wheel can turn, allowing easy maintenance on the chain, sprockets, tensioner, etc.
 
Nice work, Rock.
I had to take a second look to decide which one was yours and which was the pro-built stand. I've been using the old fork method and it is cheap and dirty but gets the job done. I made a work stand for elevating the wheels, front or rear a while back but now you've inspired me. This looks like a good winter project.
Tom
 

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2door said:
Nice work, Rock.
I had to take a second look to decide which one was yours and which was the pro-built stand. I've been using the old fork method and it is cheap and dirty but gets the job done. I made a work stand for elevating the wheels, front or rear a while back but now you've inspired me. This looks like a good winter project.
Tom
Click to expand...

Now there's a good idea Tom...

I don't know how many times I've cursed while working on a bike wishing I had a proper way of steadying or holding it. Single leg kickstands are completely useless for the purpose and even the heavy duty center stand I have is not much better sometimes. I had a chance to buy a bike repair stand cheap not long ago but I thought it was too flimsy to be of much use given the weight of my bikes so I opted out...I like your idea though. When I get a fresh tank of oxygen I think I'll fire up the torch and make something like that. The nice thing about a stand like yours is that if you wanted or needed you could remove the wheels and hold the bike by the dropouts.
 
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Thought I add a couple pics since I have completed this project and now have it bolted to my workbench ready for any wheel truing job that happens to need doing. Not pictured is the rounded brass tip that fits on the end of the top feeler and also not pictured is the L part for the lower feeler. It works very well and so far I've used it to tighten up and true the wheels on the mountain bike my son rides to school...he claims the brakes feel much smoother :)
 
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