Loose spokes

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cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
A few spokes on my front wheel keep working loose regularly.

When i check the threads on the spoke they seem ok and i can tighten them up and get the wheel true again,within a week they will be loose again.

I am guessing that potholes have maybe stripped the nipple thread enough to cause them to work loose.
I have heard of stuff you can get that allows the nipple to be made tight but not so tight like loctite that you cannot adjust it,does anyone know of the stuff i mean and where to get it ?

Or would it be easier to just replace the offending nipples?
 

battered

Guru
Loctite comes in various grades. Some will weld the thing up solid but these are for special applications. The ones you can buy retail from car accessory shops stop things working loose but can be removed using normal hand tools. I use a product called "Loctite Stud N Bearing Fit" for routine thread locking jobs, most recently I used it on a pannier rack that kept working loose. I would try a drop of this or similar thread lock to ensure it's not just vibration making it work loose.
 

accountantpete

Brexiteer
Part of the problem may also be that when tightening up you are twisting the spoke - try loosening the nipple to expose a bit more thread and then pop a drop of oil on the thread.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
Pete is right.

Oil, leave for a few mins and then tighten. I had the same problem, until I realised your supposed to oil them (nipples) first.
 
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