Topic: Lacing a wheel

[apope930]

I got my hub back from powder coat the other day and decided to true it myself. The hub is off of a 77' K which had a factory 17" wheel however I'm using a 18"x 2.15" that came off a DOHC bike "I think" I ordered my spokes from dime city cycles which are for a 18" wheel with drum brakes. I'm almost positive I have the pattern correct and the inners and outers in the correct position as I had a factory wheel to use as reference. However the outers were a small pita to get into the rim hole almost had bend them a little to get them in. Now I haven't righted any of the nipples, I left about 2 threads exposed. With that said my inner spokes are still loose enough to wiggle around, the outers not so much. The tension used to put them in is trying to pry outward causing it to be tight and not wiggle. Could this be due to the thick powder or is this normal?


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[apope930]

The "outer" spokes are the ones with the 90 degree bend and are installed going from the inside of the hub outward correct?


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[754]

The outers should be a bit over 90 degrees... Easy to spot difference between inner snd outers.

[apope930]

I used the ones on the right for the outers

[apope930]

I put it together again last night and it almost seems like the powdercoat is so thick it's not letting the outer spokes bend all the way into position. Has anyone else experienced this?


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[wowbagger]

Do you have any close up photos of the hub? Its possible your powder coater was a little heave handed with the powder and your spoke heads aren't seating correctly.

[greenjeans]

I'd bet the powder is thick.  I had a set powdercoated that I ended up having to drill out the spoke holes.
I was afraid that the spokes would put enough pressure on the spoke holes to possibly chip /crack the powdercoat.  PITA but it worked.  It seems that every powdercoated wheel I see has a bit of a heavy-handed coat on it.

[apope930]

Idk if you can tell in the last pic but see how much the outers have to bend just to go into the corresponding hole. Also you can see in the second pic that they don't lay flat on the hub like they did when I removed the factory ones.


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[754]

 They look like they are hitting the inner, ... they should not touch like your last pic.
Or you are putting them in the far hole not the row closer to that  side of rim..

[apope930]

It does appear they are touching but they aren't. Also they are in the closet row to the matching side of the rim.


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[Artracing]

I'd bet the powder is thick.  I had a set powdercoated that I ended up having to drill out the spoke holes.
I was afraid that the spokes would put enough pressure on the spoke holes to possibly chip /crack the powdercoat.  PITA but it worked.  It seems that every powdercoated wheel I see has a bit of a heavy-handed coat on it.

I would agree. That's why the outer spokes are bending. Powder coat in holes is far thicker. The first think I saw is the mushroom head on inside spoke is protruding way to much. It would be just a matter of time before powder coat would start to wear away and loosen the spoke. Result......catastrophic
 

[wowbagger]

I agree. Grab a countersinking drill bit and gently get those spoke holes back to metal. You only want to remove the powder though. So, go slow. That should allow the spoke head to seat properly.

[754]

 Its not just the hole its under the head and the spoke where it touches the hub..
not catastrophic in my opinion, but they will bed in, needing some re tightening down the road.
Many stock hubs have marks from the spokes wearing in on the flange, adding the thickness of the coating adds to the problem.

[apope930]

754, my main concern was the spokes not laying flat on the hub like you mentioned stock hubs having marks. So your're saying I'd be okay to go ahead and tighten everything up/true it and re check the spoke every so often? I haven't tightened anything yet because of the outers bending, but will that affects the offset of the hub in relation to the rim or will everything fall into place?


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[754]

Many have done it before you, I am sure it will work..