Wheel Building

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scootsx2
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Wheel Building

#1

Post by scootsx2 »

I ran across this really interesting article about wheel building. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

I have never laced or trued a wire wheel and have always sent my motorcycle wheels to Buchanan. However, I am considering taking a shot at rebuilding the wheels on the Solex mopeds I am restoring.
Last edited by scootsx2 on Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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196x Solex 2200

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Antique Motorcycle Club of America http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/
Vintage Motor Cycle Club http://www.vmcc.net
British Motorcycle Charitable Trust http://www.bmct.org/
VeloSolex Club UK http://www.velosolexclubuk.com/
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tlbranth
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Re: Wheel Building

#2

Post by tlbranth »

It's not as difficult as it seems. I found a tutorial on the web and relaced the wheels on my cb750. I think the first one took maybe 4 hours and the second 2 hours. It was a while ago so I'm guessing. Youll need to make a wooden stand and buy a dial indicator.
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441Victor
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Re: Wheel Building

#3

Post by 441Victor »

Wow ! that is quite a comprehensive tutorial .
I had a local expert lace up the rear on my 77GL after I found 3 broken spokes .
I offered to pay him extra if he would let me watch . He said he could do it in an hour , so I ordered SS spokes from Buchanan . When I called a few days later he was all done and mounting the tire . Maybe he wanted to guard his "trade secrets " but he charged me for 2.5 hrs .
10 months later , I found 2 more broken spokes ( a good thing I had him save the old spokes , he normally just destroys them with a cut off disc ) .
Another $50 to repair with no explanation as to why they would break .
I really hate to second guess a guy who has laced 100's ( 1,000's ? ) of wheels .
He's also a dirt / ice racer who builds a lot of his wheels .
Maybe this article will shed some light on how a bike can survive 30 + years on original spokes , then suddnly start to have problems . I always ride 2 up , plus Wi has some messed up back roads and I can't avoid all the pot holes .
Anyway thanks for posting this .
Bob
60 Yamaha, 68 BSA 441 , 66 BSA 650 Lightning ,72 CB500, 77 GL1000,87 Aspencade
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HOTT
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Re: Wheel Building

#4

Post by HOTT »

Sheldon Brown passed away quite sometime ago, but his articles are still great references.
This wheel building piece is very well done.

Jump in and try it. It is a good skill to learn. :orange


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Re: Wheel Building

#5

Post by gregforesi »

I wanted to have the rims and hubs powder coated so the wheels needed to come apart.
I took the rims and hubs to the powder coater and that left the original spokes which didn't look so good. No problem, I'll polish them.
I got the parts back and my buddy had a wheel jig so I borrowed it and laced them myself. The rear was tough because the spokes are so short.

And now for the rest of the story...
I didn't notice at the time (because they were shiny) but I had polished all the cadmium off the spokes and they immediately rusted.
2 years later they looked like crap so I replaced them with polished stainless steel spokes. This time I had my local guy lace them because I didn't have access to the jig anymore.
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: Wheel Building

#6

Post by Lucien Harpress »

I'm keeping a eye on this. At some point soon (once I get the rims and spokes) I'm going to have to lace up the wheels for my 305 Dream. Thankfully it's not an application where the wheels are going to go faster than about 65 (I'm told), but I still want to do it right.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
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Old Fogey
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Re: Wheel Building

#7

Post by Old Fogey »

Never tried it. i was going to when I first got The Swan, but the rims were too far gone and I got a great deal on a set of Comstars.
I understand that you would need a sland and a dial guage, which I have. So the question is; can you take a factory spoked wheel and respoke by cutting one spoke at a time, replace it and go on to the next one? It would seem logical but like most things I guess there may be a rabbit hole somewhere.
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wingrider
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Re: Wheel Building

#8

Post by wingrider »

How did Greg pull up an almost 10 year old thread? :-D
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Re: Wheel Building

#9

Post by Rat »

When you are looking into a topic and scroll to the bottom of the page, you discover all the threads that have ever been posted on that topic …

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Lucien Harpress
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Re: Wheel Building

#10

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Fogey: I've head that "It depends". Because the spokes have to be long enough to feed into the rim, you end up needing to bend them a little to get them in the rim holes. Depending on wheel geometry, I have to imagine this ranges from "doable" to "impossible".
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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wingrider
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Re: Wheel Building

#11

Post by wingrider »

Rat wrote: Thu Feb 29, 2024 2:13 pm When you are looking into a topic and scroll to the bottom of the page, you discover all the threads that have ever been posted on that topic …

Gord
I get it, but it is still funny it was from 10 years ago, and it makes one ponder what he was looking at for this thread to pop up down there.
2002 1800 Wing
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Re: Wheel Building

#12

Post by Old Fogey »

Lucien Harpress wrote: Thu Feb 29, 2024 7:27 pm Fogey: I've head that "It depends". Because the spokes have to be long enough to feed into the rim, you end up needing to bend them a little to get them in the rim holes. Depending on wheel geometry, I have to imagine this ranges from "doable" to "impossible".
Well, you see my signature line! :lol:
"Impossible Is Just a Level of Difficulty!..."
If I'd wanted you to understand, I would have explained it better! (Johann Cruyff)
I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous! :-D
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