How to Respoke a Dirt Bike Wheel

Darren Matlock December 17, 2022 321 0

Dirt bikes are one of the most popular types of motorcycles on the market, and they have a reputation for being easy to maintain. It’s not uncommon for dirt bike owners to do their repairs, from changing tires to respoking wheels. In this guide, we will give you some instructions on how to respoke a dirt bike wheel and what tools you’ll need to do so!

What Is Respoking?

Respoking is the process of realigning a spoked wheel with new spokes and nipples. It is the process when you take off an old tire from a dirt bike rim to put on a new one. As these parts wear down over time, they can start wobbling or become loose which will eventually lead to an unsafe tire experience for your dirt bike.

Sometimes they need to be repaired from a puncture or just to be replaced altogether. This is a common job that many service stations do, and it’s also pretty easy for someone to do it themselves.

Tools You’ll Need

Wheel spindle
Flange nut remover tool
Socket wrench
Hammer (choose one with a flat surface)
Chisel or screwdriver
Tape measure

Instructions: Six-Step You Need To Follow

Here are the instructions on how to respoke a dirt bike wheel:

Step One: Remove The Wheel From The Bike

Before you can do anything, you’ll have to remove the wheel from your dirt bike. Start by loosening and removing all of the nuts that attach it to your motorcycle’s axle. Then, remove the axle bolts and slide your wheel off of them. To do this, you’ll need to loosen the brake pads on either side of the wheel’s rim.

Step Two: Prepare Your Work Area

The next thing you should do is make sure that your work area is safe for respoking wheels by clearing space near where you will be doing the work. The dirt bike wheel will need to be dislodged off of the axle, so you’ll want to have plenty of room for this process.

Step Three: Prepare The Wheel

You’ll need to use the tape measure to determine how much of a gap there is between your wheel’s hub and rim. This needs to be at least two inches or four centimeters. If you don’t have this amount then you will need to cut off some spokes using the chisel in order for it to work properly.

Step Four: Remove The Spokes

Once you have the appropriate gap, loosen up your brake pads and remove all of the spokes on one side of the wheel. You should be able to do this by using a spoke wrench that fits well on them.

This is found in most hardware stores and will only cost around five bucks or so. Once there are no more spokes left, clean off any dust from inside between these two parts with an air compressor connected to a hose.

Step Five: Resoak Your Wheel

After cleaning, it’s time to remove some excess material from within the rim’s inner surface area. Do this by heating up water until it’s boiling hot, then pour it into a plastic container that has holes in the bottom.

Add more boiling water until it’s about a half-inch or so deep and place your wheel into this container. This should take around fifteen minutes to soak up all of that material while also reshaping the rim for better braking efficiency.

Step Six: Reassemble

Now you need to put everything back together again with some new spokes in there too! Start by placing them onto one side only, then carefully threading each spoke through its soundhole on both sides of the wheel.

Don’t forget to use at least two different sizes because they are used in alternating order as you go along! And finish off by using either needle-nose pliers or another type of wrench that is well-fitting enough for these tasks.

Now you can enjoy your newly respoked wheel and break with confidence, knowing that it will be safer than ever before because of the stronger materials used to complete this project.

Bonus: Tips To Maintain Your Dirt Bike Wheel

Once a week, you should clean the dirt off of your wheel’s teeth to allow them to wear down normally. We recommend using brake cleaner and WD40 as this will cut through any tough buildup that could have accumulated on the teeth.
When riding in wet conditions, apply a layer of chain lube or dry wax before hitting the trails.
If you happen to fall on your bike in the wet, make sure to get up and brush off any dirt or oil that may have gotten stuck to it before riding again. The less dirt you are dragging behind you, the better!
When trailering your bike, we recommend taking some WD40 with you as this will lubricate the chain and prevent it from rusting.
When riding on a rough trail, use tire irons to loosen your spokes as needed in order to avoid breaking them!

Frequently Asked Question

How Much Does It Cost to Respoke a Dirt Bike Wheel?

The cost to respoke a dirt bike wheel will depend on the size and type of wheel. Usually, it’s around $25-$30 for a front wheel or between $35-45 for rear wheels.

How Long Does It Take Respoke a Dirt Bike Wheel?

The time it takes for respoking depends primarily on the type of wheel and how many spokes need replacing. Front wheels usually take around 45 minutes, while rear wheels can take up to an hour.

How Often Should Dirt Bike Wheels Be Respoked?

It’s important to respoke your dirt bike wheels every six months or so since the spokes can gradually work themselves loose and cause a lot of problems for riders. However, if you’re not riding much, then they should be replaced annually.

How Do I Know When It’s Time To Respoke My Bike Wheel?

A: You will know your bike needs respoking when there are visible signs of wear on the tire or when it starts leaking. You’ll want to pay attention to any creaking sounds your tires are making while riding on rough terrain, as this means that there might be some issues with the alignment of the rim and wheel hub.

If squeaks persist after inspecting your spoke tension, then its probably time for a professional opinion or inspection from a mechanic before continuing out on the track.

What is The Most Important Equipment Needed to Respoke a Bike Wheel?

To start with, the most important thing you’ll need is your bike’s spoke wrench, which comes standard on nearly every toolkit these days; an air compressor or pump; and lastly but not least – spokes!

You may also want to get brake cleaner spray (for degreasing the rim), alcohol wipes for cleaning off any dirt without damaging rubber seals inside of bearings, as well as new tire tube patches for emergencies when needed.

How Many Rows of Spokes Do Dirt Bike Wheels Have?

Dirt bikes usually only have one row in the front wheel(s) with between 18-20 spokes, but this number varies depending on what size tires they’re using and how many rows are needed for that specific tire. The back wheels typically come equipped with either two or four rows of spoke patterns per wheel; again dependent upon a variety of factors including the type (and size) of tire being fitted.

Conclusion

It’s important to keep your dirt bike wheel in good shape and make sure it is properly respoked at least once a year. After reading this blog post, you now know how to respoke a dirt bike wheel on your own and have the confidence to do it in no time. We hope you’ve learned something new or been reminded of an important thing that was forgotten.

Thank you for reading this blog post, and we wish you success with any future projects involving respoking dirt bike wheels! If you’re facing any problems, let us know. We are here to help you with any questions you have about the process of respoking.

Dirt Bike Wheel Related: How to Paint Dirt Bike Wheels

Darren Matlock

Hi, I'm Darren. I love dirt bikes and everything about the off-road lifestyle. I'm passionate about motorbikes, cars, racing sports and going on adventures. If you're like me and enjoy extreme sports, you've come to the right place! I like to write articles about dirt bikes to help beginners get started. Whether you're interested in buying a dirt bike, ATV, motorcycle or want to ride for hobby, I hope my articles will inspire you to learn more about how this machine can be used to ride.