DIY: Spoked wheel rebuild - lace and true

[XP@]

Having never done it before I decided that now is a good time to learn how to re-build the wheels of my classic bike. It has turned out not to be too difficult, here is how I did it...

1. Got a spoke spanner for about $15 from the local bike shop.
2. Set up a vice with a jig to keep the wheel in position and enable me to set the measure points.
3. I took photo's from both sides showing the spoke patterns.
4. Measured the rim off set. (Although I am not convinced this is correct, but can set it again when it goes back on the bike)
5. Once ready I dismantled the wheel, cleaned & polished the spokes and rim.
6. I kept the spokes in 2 groups, for each side of the wheel. It would have been easier to spilt each side into "inside and outside" sets.
7. To help re-assembly I suspended the rim in approximately the right position over the rim.
8. With the photos stapled to the jig I laced the wheel. Starting at the back I worked round the wheel putting the spokes loosely in position.
9. Once all the spokes were laced I started to true. the wheel. I first made sure all the spokes were tightened to a #2 torque setting on the electric drill or the spoke reached the top.
10. Working on the vertical first, I moved the rim by slackening off the area where it was too close, going to the opposite side and tightening it by the same amount. Measuring in 1/4 turns of the spanner started with about 3 - 5 turns in the centre with less as I moved out.
    

           |<-- center of the warp
    2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2

    A couple of passes on the vertical saw the rim centred to +-5mm.
    
11. With the rim approximately centred I started to work on the horizontal warp. This time loosening the spokes on the side I wanted to move it to and loosening the other side by the same amount.
12. Working around the wheel a few times the warp was down to +-2mm. I re-checked the height and it was now only off by +-3mm. For this wheel I am quite satisfied with this, it is never going to exceed 60kph and I may opt to paint the hub in the near future.

Detailed how to:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc.../spoke-wheels/
Tips and local supplies:
http://www.wheelandspoke.co.nz/

[cave weta]

Thanks XP that is very useful and has given me sone confidence that I can do it.

Check my thread on repairing and recovering seats

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...t=recover+seat

[SPman]

Handy to see that - I'm thinking of replacing the spokes with shiny new ones, on the GT250.

[XP@]

The shiny spokes you see in the picture were really dull before I cleaned them up.

1. First I soaked them in CRC
2. Then gave them a light brush with the wire brush attachment for the drill (I don't have a bench grinder but the vice works well) - WEAR EYE PROTECTION
3. I then got out the autosol and applied some to each spoke with a cloth, I just rubbed it in leaving the excess on.
4. A bit more kiwi/anglo ingenuity and I had a buffing wheel for my drill. A coach bolt, a couple of large washers found in my box of bits and a pair of my daughters old jeans. It worked an absolute treat! - WEAR EYE PROTECTION

The spokes and rim came up fantastic, well I thought so... my 5yo daughter was not as impressed, it was too shiny and hurt her eyes!

Handy to see that - I'm thinking of replacing the spokes with shiny new ones, on the GT250.

[Voltaire]

Nice job, I like your rig....more upmarket than mine.
( see pic in airheads in classic section)
Couple of things I found. the BMW offset between hub and rim is equal.
The front was 5.0 mm so I used a drill bit as a quick 'feeler' guage between the rim and fixed reference point...in my case the bench.
Worked well, got the axial runout to less than 1mm and lateral about the same.
Today I set up the dial guage and marked up the rim and did some final adjustments. Axial under 1mm and lateral about .5 mm ( from min to max).
The dial guage is good because you can see the change easily as you tighten the spokes. Dial guage was a TM purchase.

[Conquiztador]

I used to rebuild wheels and also build up new ones. Up to 120 spoke ones. I always trued them up to max 0.5mm throw sideways and also up/down. Only if it was an old rim would I allow more then that.

The secret was to measure the wheel at the surface where the tyre (bead I think it's called) sits as it does not really matter if the outside of the rim has any "throw". What matters is that when you fit the tyre it is true.

[Voltaire]

I used to rebuild wheels and also build up new ones. Up to 120 spoke ones. I always trued them up to max 0.5mm throw sideways and also up/down. Only if it was an old rim would I allow more then that.

The secret was to measure the wheel at the surface where the tyre (bead I think it's called) sits as it does not really matter if the outside of the rim has any "throw". What matters is that when you fit the tyre it is true.

Good point, I noticed that when I ran the dial guage round where the tyre mounts up, the edge of the rim had more 'movement' of the guage.

Now looking at whats around in 19" for the front. Thinking Bridgestone BT45's.... looking more at stick than mile.

[Supertwin Don]

When I did some wheel building quite a while ago, I used an old rear swing arm as a jig - meant I could take it out of the vice without losing the set up, and only had to make up a few spacers to centralise the wheel.
Mind you, I was making up new shorter spokes so I had to borrow a spoke threader from the local bike shop as well.