Wheelbuilding 102 for Dummies
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T95 said:
Apparently you're not familiar with the spring weather in the Pacific Northwest. Spring is the wet season that last until July 4th...
rvich
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Last winter I learned about truing the wheels I had. This winter I am building new ones and learned something that is probably worth posting somewhere...
I don't know how common it is, but my spokes threaded far enough into the nipples that I could feel the end of the thread when I ran my finger across them. The threads have a sharp edge. It drove me nuts! So I took the wheel apart (yes after getting it nice and true), and used my Dremel to round off the ends of each spoke so that it presents a polished dome if any of it sticks through the nipple. I know it gets a rim band but the idea of those sharp edges working their way toward my tube just wasn't going to let me leave it alone. I will never building another wheel without polishing the ends of my spokes first, just in case.
Russ
I don't know how common it is, but my spokes threaded far enough into the nipples that I could feel the end of the thread when I ran my finger across them. The threads have a sharp edge. It drove me nuts! So I took the wheel apart (yes after getting it nice and true), and used my Dremel to round off the ends of each spoke so that it presents a polished dome if any of it sticks through the nipple. I know it gets a rim band but the idea of those sharp edges working their way toward my tube just wasn't going to let me leave it alone. I will never building another wheel without polishing the ends of my spokes first, just in case.
Russ
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rvich said:
The spoke ends often protrude from the nipples after lacing/tensioning but the usual thing to do is to simply grind/file any protruding spoke ends flush with the nipple heads. Personally I wouldn't leave any "domes" protruding.
rvich
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Thanks LAB, but the "dome" feels like it is part of the nipple, if you can feel it at all. I was going to grind them in place but the nipples have such a nice finish on them that I didn't want to destroy it. It seemed wrong to me to leave behind scars and I knew I wouldn't get the same finish without taking them apart. Just call me anal.
I was also concerned that if I ground or filed them in situ and then later retensioned them that it might still present a sharp edge.
Russ
I was also concerned that if I ground or filed them in situ and then later retensioned them that it might still present a sharp edge.
Russ
This is particularly common on the front disc wheel with the radical offset.
I recently had offset issues. I laced up some some shouldered Excel's this winter. Line up the straight edge across the wheels today and the rear adjusters comeback to true. I can't wait to try it out along with the new PR head steady and the new rear adj. iso's which also cured a fault at the mountings. The internal spacers on the old stuff showed to be a little long.
I recently had offset issues. I laced up some some shouldered Excel's this winter. Line up the straight edge across the wheels today and the rear adjusters comeback to true. I can't wait to try it out along with the new PR head steady and the new rear adj. iso's which also cured a fault at the mountings. The internal spacers on the old stuff showed to be a little long.
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This is a very timely read! I have Excel shouldered rims to mount also and started last night striping the wheels. Today I polishing the hubs and tomorrow I start the lace. I am lucky to have a friend that is a pro at this and will bail me out when I get in trouble. Wish me luck!
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Went pretty easy with all the help, I just did the offset and trued it. Now I am waiting for a set of spokes for the front. I had the spokes that came out of the front, a set of stainless that I was going to re-use but as i was building the wheel some of the new nipples kept falling off the spokes, they (spokes) were two different sizes! I feel good about building the wheel and truing it, first time I have ever done this.
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I finally got my spokes for the front. After a few tries I got it laced up then I put it in the front forks, set the off-set and trued it. Getting the right off-set was very hard since the spokes on the disk side are very vertical but I got it done and it is centered in the fork. Then mounted the tire and on to the balancing stand. I had to move the rear rim over about a 1/4" after it was in, not to bad just took my time. Took it for a short ride and it rides nice, and feels good to have done this myself!
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Just a word to the wise, be careful on small shops, particularly Harley shops as many don't have experience with aluminum wheels and dont have the right spoke wrench.
I had my rear wheel done buy a local Harley shop for $50. Great price I thought! Well, their spoke wrench gouged the rim all around and they did give a damn so just continued.
Now I have a question....... Since they probably laced it to zero offset, can I run that or do I need to put in a small offset?
I had my rear wheel done buy a local Harley shop for $50. Great price I thought! Well, their spoke wrench gouged the rim all around and they did give a damn so just continued.
Now I have a question....... Since they probably laced it to zero offset, can I run that or do I need to put in a small offset?
elefantrider said:
Lets not bag "the local Harley Shop" for gouging the rim . I was the "mechanic" not the shop!!!!!
Put in a small offset......?????// are you going to guess or divide all the measurements you get here by answers.....
Your rear wheel needs to aligned to your front wheel ... Regardless of how much the offset is...
If im wrong other will say so but............ Front wheel = C/L of forks and frame = C/L of rear wheel...... Easy in theory..
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Hey.......I hear Buchannans in California does all of CNW wheels......do you think CNW readjusts them to centerline on each bike once they receive them?
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I don't think it matters.
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Looks nice and meaty. Brake rotor and sprocket fixed along axle so if wheel can install it will be very hard to tell if ya even can on the common out of line Commando rear wheels. Pling each row of spokes for sense of tension and equalness but just tuning them by sound w/o a dial guage may skew the straightness.
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What is the consensus on the differences in quality between the shouldered wheel manufacturers?
I count at least 3 manufacturers.
1) Morad Spain
2) Excell Japan
3) Taiwan made
4) ?
I count at least 3 manufacturers.
1) Morad Spain
2) Excell Japan
3) Taiwan made
4) ?
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I've been building my own wheels for my project bikes for years. I buy the SS spokes and nipples from Buchanan's. They also sell a beautiful wrench for tightening and truing your wheels. The last wheels I built were for my Norton project. I had the rims powder coated black,polished the front hub and cleaned up the rear hub nicely. I can tell you this .....you better pay attention to the offsets that must be trued in as you're getting the concentricity and wobble out of the wheel while truing them up. I wouldn't recommend to anyone doing these wheels yourself if you're new to this. Just my 2cents......PhillySkip
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I've handled the various vintage and current rims to say hands down Morad is the lightest finely made of the bunch but might not want rough off road on em. They came back on market last few years. Excells only weight about .5 lb less than steel. If ya can test strength differences of shoulders or not boy howdy I'd never be able to follow.
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