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Wheel building. Whats wrong with these pictures?

5755 Views 27 Replies 18 Participants Last post by  redasphalt3
4
Hi all,

Just bought a bike with recently built wheels. On close inspection something does not look right. The wheels were built less than 12 months ago and have not been on the road yet. I am reluctant to use them.
I am hoping to get a few educated opinions before I approach the builders and see if they will make right. PO paid a lot of money to get these done

What has been done wrong?
Angle of bend?
Length of bend?
Would you use them?







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can you post pic of the whole wheel ?
Looks like the wrong spokes for the hub and rim application. Those heads should be sitting in the chamfered holes, not on the angle those are bent to. Whoever put it together didn't know better or didn't care, so if that's the case, I wouldn't run them.
Seems to be a common problem with modern spokes, the machinery just can't seem to be able to do tight bends like in the good old rose tinted days... :(

Patrick
it wouldn't look that way if those spokes had a "B" on them.
Buchanan's is the place for all things motorcycle wheel related.
T-Bird,common prob. or not,That is just wrong and the wheel builder had to know that. I'd be getting spokes from Buchanan's and do it myself. And ofcourse some conversation with the "wheel builder". Jack
i've been re-building my 79 ironhead wheels in the last months. spokes' heads, provided we're talkin' about same kind of bike, are always on the same side, the external one..

here's link of picture on my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...39384321.90058.282809985071334&type=1&theater
hope it works

[hi everybody, it's my first post on the Jockey Journal...]
Thanks for everyones responses so far. I have a feeling I'm not going to get any joy from the original wheel builder. My initial thoughts were to buy buchanans and relace myself. Looks like a few others agree.

I have just taken this over, Its easy to see how people loose interest/motivation when stuff like this happens.

The original owner spent a large amount of cash getting these wheels built:
new rims, spokes, tyres.
For the person who wanted a pic of the whole wheel.

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When lacing the wheel did you first separate the inside and outside spokes and make sure you were using them in the right spots? I just laced my wheels up a couple weeks ago with spokes and nipples from Buchanan's and had the same problem and thought it was the spokes until I found this video.


The spoke heads have different angles on them.
When lacing the wheel did you first separate the inside and outside spokes and make sure you were using them in the right spots? I just laced my wheels up a couple weeks ago with spokes and nipples from Buchanan's and had the same problem and thought it was the spokes until I found this video.


The spoke heads have different angles on them.
I didn't lace the wheels myself. I have just purchased an unfinished project.
The wheels (2) were built by a pro? shop. I would be thinking the "experts" would be able to figure out the correct way to lace a wheel. I did relace an old wheel a while back and did notice that there was different angles on the spokes; when I pull these apart I will check that first might save me some dollars. Thanks for the suggestion.
Those spokes should be butted, 8 gauge at the hub and 10 gauge at the nipple. If they're straight gauge, they're too small for the hub. As everyone says, you need to do that wheel over with the proper spokes.

Eric
Those spokes should be butted, 8 gauge at the hub and 10 gauge at the nipple. If they're straight gauge, they're too small for the hub. As everyone says, you need to do that wheel over with the proper spokes.

Eric
Hi Eric,

You are right
8-10 GAUGE SPOKES with .300" DIAMETER NIPPLES from buchanans.

It also says some years Triumph used 9 gauge. 10 gauge are also listed in triumph parts lists. Anyone know which years/models used which gauge?

The only rear I have to compare with at the moment looks like 10 gauge the whole length.....but this came off a bike that originally had a sidecar.
It also says some years Triumph used 9 gauge. 10 gauge are also listed in triumph parts lists. Anyone know which years/models used which gauge?
I imagine the 500s and 350s used the 9 and 10 gauge spokes, I'm not sure what your wheel is off, but the spoke holes in the hub are clearly too large for the spokes. FWIW, 10 gauge is about .125" and 8 gauge is .156".

Eric
I imagine the 500s and 350s used the 9 and 10 gauge spokes, I'm not sure what your wheel is off, but the spoke holes in the hub are clearly too large for the spokes. FWIW, 10 gauge is about .125" and 8 gauge is .156".

Eric
Ahh..... so bike with sidecar would probably have 8 gauge. Now I'll need to go check

Found this:

Spoke Gauges: 12=2.60mm(.104" dia)

10=3.20mm(.124" dia)

9=3.60mm(.142" dia)

8=4.00mm(.156" dia)

7=4.45mm(.171" dia)

6=4.87mm(.192" dia)

5=5.15mm(.203" dia)

4=5.70mm(.224" dia)
T-Bird, I'd say you are going in the right direction. By the time you are done you might recoup some of the expense by getting a part-time gig at the "pro shop" as they obviously need someone to lace wheels that gives a shit. Jack
Honestly looks to me like the inner and outer spokes were mixed up and used in the wrong locations. The outers have more of a "hook" shape at the bend, the inners have less of an angle. I would pull it apart and try to relace with the posistions changed and see what you get. Can't hurt and in the grand scheme of things, lacing a wheel is not that hard to do. Take some pictures and some measurements and go to it. You have nothing to lose at this point.
T-Bird, I'd say you are going in the right direction. By the time you are done you might recoup some of the expense by getting a part-time gig at the "pro shop" as they obviously need someone to lace wheels that gives a shit. Jack
ha,ha,

I would offer my services to them but they are interstate.
...hello, yes, Buchanan is the best way to go, plenty of help from Angel there.
But you ll do not have any problems with those spokes, I mean, for the normal daily riding is ok
I have a rear wheel in a pre unit 500cc laced by a bicycle shop about 16 years ago, that sports thin spokes in comparison with the Buchanan s then I have a major accident that almost brake the rim! (with a pothole) and after no less than 30 000 kms still are ok.
it wouldn't look that way if those spokes had a "B" on them.
Buchanan's is the place for all things motorcycle wheel related.
Not true, My Buchanan's also have a funky bend to them.
I did however polish the "B's" off all of mine.

I keep a close eye on them and so far there has been no issues.

jeff
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