Re-lacing a wheel?
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 1
From: Oceanside Ca
Re-lacing a wheel?
The crappy spokes on my front wheel are rusted.
Thinking of replacing them with SS.
Anybody do this at home?
I have the manual that shows how to do it just kinda nervous.
21" front wheel off an 07 Train.
Prob powder coat the front hub while its all apart.
Thanks
S/F
FREEFALL
Thinking of replacing them with SS.
Anybody do this at home?
I have the manual that shows how to do it just kinda nervous.
21" front wheel off an 07 Train.
Prob powder coat the front hub while its all apart.
Thanks
S/F
FREEFALL
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, AZ
The manual makes it look REAL easy but it is not; it's kind of a "finese" thing to remove axial & lateral run-out. Many things to look out for such as spoke direction, pattern, spoke torque, etc. plus you need all the special equipment like a trueing stand, dial indicator, etc. to accomplish. A stock 21" front wheel runs around $250 so it is probably more economical & less time consuming to just replace the wheel unless you can find an indy who does this plus everything will be new down to bearings IMHO.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: North Texas
+1 on buying new/having it done!
I have done many bicycle wheels from scratch, same job, lighter scale parts.It is much more difficult and time consuming than the manual leads you to believe. You MUST have a trueing stand, and the proper spoke wrenches and tension tools. Having some experience, this is something best left to pros.
I have done many bicycle wheels from scratch, same job, lighter scale parts.It is much more difficult and time consuming than the manual leads you to believe. You MUST have a trueing stand, and the proper spoke wrenches and tension tools. Having some experience, this is something best left to pros.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 1
From: Oceanside Ca
Guys, thanks for the replies.
Kinda what I was thinking.
I do have a good indy and figure if I screw it up I can just take it to him.
Replacing the wheel is not really an option.
I live in Okinawa and the weather is terrible on those crappy chrome spokes.
Way to much work to try to keep them clean.
That's why I would rather replace them with SS.
I do want to keep the 40 spoke look, but save some of the cleaning.
S/F
FREEFALL
Kinda what I was thinking.
I do have a good indy and figure if I screw it up I can just take it to him.
Replacing the wheel is not really an option.
I live in Okinawa and the weather is terrible on those crappy chrome spokes.
Way to much work to try to keep them clean.
That's why I would rather replace them with SS.
I do want to keep the 40 spoke look, but save some of the cleaning.
S/F
FREEFALL
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Clayton, NC
I say do it. I have not done it yet, but found a set of factory wheels cheap and plan on building my own truing stand. Spent $20.00 on a dial indicator. If nothing else, find out what someone would charge you to finish up if you can not get it right. Agreeing with other posts, it is easier to replace the wheel, but if you end up being able to do the job yourself, you'll have even more pride in your bike and you'll have tools left over to do the job again next time and for about the same cost. I plan on doing the prep work, powdercoating and reassembly on the replacement wheels and hubs on mine, so everyone look on here six months from now...I'll probably be screaming, 'What have I done?'. Everybody have a good day.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 1
From: Oceanside Ca
I say do it. I have not done it yet, but found a set of factory wheels cheap and plan on building my own truing stand. Spent $20.00 on a dial indicator. If nothing else, find out what someone would charge you to finish up if you can not get it right. Agreeing with other posts, it is easier to replace the wheel, but if you end up being able to do the job yourself, you'll have even more pride in your bike and you'll have tools left over to do the job again next time and for about the same cost. I plan on doing the prep work, powdercoating and reassembly on the replacement wheels and hubs on mine, so everyone look on here six months from now...I'll probably be screaming, 'What have I done?'. Everybody have a good day.
Great post, thanks for the inspiration.
I'll keep ya posted.
S/F
FREEFALL
Banned
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
I used to take a coat hanger and two vice grips, clip them to the frame of the bike and use the axle and fork/swing as the truing stand.
Some of the tricks is the up and down (egg shape) or the side to side (lateral) are the two angles that can mess you up. Say the inner spokes get your egg out of shape and back to round. Say too, that for every turn or close to it, you match equal tight/loose whatever you move is the opposite has to be relieved so as to move the egg hoop back into a true circle.
The outer spokes pull the lateral back or away from you is depends on the spoke side. So if you want to move the bottom toward you, then tighten the outers (like an average of using a bunch of 3 to 4 spokes) that are facing you is say the bottom spokes. Say the rim is in the fork. You would tighten the lower outer spokes to pull the rim toward you. You would then move around the other side of the forks to loosen the lower outer forks to compensate. Where as the inner spokes, if you tighten the bottom; then for this, you would go to the top of the 3 to 4 inner/outer spokes to compensate for the egg moving up to a perfect circle.
Some of the tricks is the up and down (egg shape) or the side to side (lateral) are the two angles that can mess you up. Say the inner spokes get your egg out of shape and back to round. Say too, that for every turn or close to it, you match equal tight/loose whatever you move is the opposite has to be relieved so as to move the egg hoop back into a true circle.
The outer spokes pull the lateral back or away from you is depends on the spoke side. So if you want to move the bottom toward you, then tighten the outers (like an average of using a bunch of 3 to 4 spokes) that are facing you is say the bottom spokes. Say the rim is in the fork. You would tighten the lower outer spokes to pull the rim toward you. You would then move around the other side of the forks to loosen the lower outer forks to compensate. Where as the inner spokes, if you tighten the bottom; then for this, you would go to the top of the 3 to 4 inner/outer spokes to compensate for the egg moving up to a perfect circle.
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Club Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,542
Likes: 2
From: Central IL.
If you only wanted to replace the spokes and NOT do the powder coating, I would think you could do it yourself. You just have to replace one spoke at a time and rotate the wheel 180 degrees each time. I have done this on dirt bikes in the past, but never on a road cruiser. I taped an allen wrench to my fork for an indicator for trying to keep the wheel as round as possible.
Of coarse, here of late, I have been taking the less popular routes....lol If you have an indy close by, have him order what you really want and be done.
Good Luck!
Of coarse, here of late, I have been taking the less popular routes....lol If you have an indy close by, have him order what you really want and be done.
Good Luck!
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Advanced
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Clayton, NC
I'm going to try my own powdercoating too...$120.00 for powdercoating kit, friend with sandblaster, free electric stove from Craigslist...still have powdercoating kit when I get finished. I've already shaved my head in preparation...still have my beard though.