Wheel truing

[busymate]

Hello,
How much lateral buckle in a wheel is considered un repairable?
is spoke loosing and tightening the only way to straighten a wheel or is there other methods to take out the worst before you go to the truing stand for the final fine adjustment?
Have video of bent wheel turning in the stand will try to upload at some stage today.
Phil.

[cyclerUK]

I've never come across a figure that is said to be unrepairable.
You can only try and see if it pulls back. Chances are if it's to far gone then the wheel will end up oval / egg shaped.
If the wheel has been involved in an impact then also look for deformed walls?

[trevgbb]

A lot depends on the cause of the run out, and if we are talking cheap or expensive wheels. If it's a couple of broken spokes, then replacing these will probably cure it, although on cheap wheels you may find that more spokes will break after truing because the bend in the spoke becomes work hardened.

If it's damaged, bent, kinked, flatted, etc, then only your skill and experience can tell you whether it can be repaired, at least to a rideable condition.

Bumps in the rim wall can be tapped out with a hammer, badly bent rims can be roughly straightened by loosening the spokes and bending the rim back into position, a tool can be bought for this, but I have always used a large adjustable spanner and cardboard packing, then finish truing with the spokes.

But you will not get a completely true wheel again after damage, all you can do is try, in the end you may have to buy a new wheel or shop around for a second hand one.