Topic: Wheel Lacing

[katman]

Has anyone laced there own rims. Have to rims and spokes for my 75 K5 but shops are hesitant around here to do it

[Kenzo1979]

Yes.  I’m sure a lot of people on here have.  It’s not hard, but if you’re not patient in can be frustrating.  You need to true the rim as you tighten.  Best to initially tighten in a star pattern after you have them loosely set in place.  Then you need to tighten by sound by tapping on them, looking for matched tones on the inner laces and outer laces.  Like tuning a drum.  The truing can have you chasing your tail if you’re not careful.  Once you get it close you need to work in 1/16-1/8 turns and watch the run and hop.  Watch some YouTube videos.  I also had to dremmel the threads down inside the rim a bit when I was done before I put the rim strip, tube and tire back on.  Then balance.

[PeWe]

Lacing wheels are described ln this forum. Just search with Google in your browser like:
Sohc forums + lace wheel

[katman]

Thanks guys

[Alan F.]

People call it a dark art but once you've done a set of wheels it'll be much easier when the next set of wheels comes along.

If a Harbor Freight near you still has their Wheel Balancing Stand in stock, you might want to grab one as they've been discontinued or so I hear.

And there are spoke wrench kits on eBay with interchangeable tips, those might need a tiny bit of filing to get a good fit but the aluminum handle is light and easy to use.

[Ujeni]

Lacing a wheel is fun. On your first try, it will go slow. Thats ok. You'll likely start and restart a few times. People told me I was crazy to lace my own wheels, but all the old-school guys said to go for it. Glad I did. Dozens of bikes later, I have built all of my wheels and they are rock solid. Some advice:

1. Insert all spokes into the hub for both sides. This will be a bit unwieldy, but will save you time and headache later.
2. Next, lace the ten spoke on each side of the wheel that wrap "under" the hub and NOT the spokes that wrap "over" the hub. So ten "under" spokes on one side, then flip the wheel over and do the ten on the other side. Just get them in loose. No need to tight down anything yet. Make sure you are using copper grease on the spoke threads!
3. Now do the "over" spokes on one side and then the other. Again, keep everything loose for now.
4. Do you should have all 40 spokes loose on the wheel. Tighten the nipples on the spokes until the spoke threads are hidden. The nipple will still be loose. Thats ok. You want to be tightening everything evenly around the wheel to minimize the chances of over-tightening on one side.
5. Then go ahead and tighten each nipple "finger" tight. Now you are ready for truing!
6. True for lateral wobble and then longitudinal wobble afterwards. In other words, put it on a stand, spin the wheel and get all of the side-to-side wobble out first. The get out all of the up-and-down wobble next. This is what you will spend a lot of time on. Go slow.
7. Once you are done, make sure all spokes are tight. Some people go all the way around the wheel and give each nipple a quarter turn to tighten the wheel.
8. Double-check your work and congratulate yourself on learning a new skill!

Good luck!

[SuperDave]

I used Buchanans spokes front and rear. The rear I laced to a Harley rim. I bought a spoke torque wrench and built a wheel stand with a spot for a dial indicator. You can use an engine stethoscope to tap the spoke to hear which are loose.

[Tim2005]

Great advice from Ujeni there. I've done my own wheels too, it's much easier than I expected. One more tip, if your wheel still has the old rim on it, stick a bit of masking tape on the rim and the hub to write on and and then number where each spoke goes. Copy those numbers onto the new rim to help you get started (you don't need to number the whole wheel, about a quarter of it will make the number pattern obvious).

I've also tried doing bicycle wheels, they are much more difficult/ time consuming as the rims flex so much as the spokes are tensioned- motorcycle wheels don't move much at all in comparison.   

[MauiK3]

I did my K3 and Z1 rims with Buchanan stainless spokes. I used a truing stand, spoke torque wrench, a dial indicator (optional) and a lot of patience. Have some favorite music on and settle in, you will get it. Think of the rim as quadrants and try to imagine which spokes pull, or release, the rim in what direction.

[Kevnz]

And if you are using a dial indicator, when you get to fine tuning, be aware 1\4 turn of the nipple has an effect. Don't turn too much or you'll end up chasing your tail. As others have said, first one will take ages, hang in there and it gets easier.

[grcamna2]

Lacing a wheel is fun. On your first try, it will go slow. Thats ok. You'll likely start and restart a few times. People told me I was crazy to lace my own wheels, but all the old-school guys said to go for it. Glad I did. Dozens of bikes later, I have built all of my wheels and they are rock solid. Some advice:

1. Insert all spokes into the hub for both sides. This will be a bit unwieldy, but will save you time and headache later.
2. Next, lace the ten spoke on each side of the wheel that wrap "under" the hub and NOT the spokes that wrap "over" the hub. So ten "under" spokes on one side, then flip the wheel over and do the ten on the other side. Just get them in loose. No need to tight down anything yet. Make sure you are using copper grease on the spoke threads!
3. Now do the "over" spokes on one side and then the other. Again, keep everything loose for now.
4. Do you should have all 40 spokes loose on the wheel. Tighten the nipples on the spokes until the spoke threads are hidden. The nipple will still be loose. Thats ok. You want to be tightening everything evenly around the wheel to minimize the chances of over-tightening on one side.
5. Then go ahead and tighten each nipple "finger" tight. Now you are ready for truing!
6. True for lateral wobble and then longitudinal wobble afterwards. In other words, put it on a stand, spin the wheel and get all of the side-to-side wobble out first. The get out all of the up-and-down wobble next. This is what you will spend a lot of time on. Go slow.
7. Once you are done, make sure all spokes are tight. Some people go all the way around the wheel and give each nipple a quarter turn to tighten the wheel.
8. Double-check your work and congratulate yourself on learning a new skill!

Good luck!

Excellent,concise information,thanks Ujeni 

[PeWe]

Remember that spoke ends are sharp and can scratch the rim.
The hub needs to be moved to make place for the spoke to enter the rim hole.

I finally play on each spoke to hear its clean sound. If rattling or not clean sound, tighten it.

A forum member recommended to tap on each nipple from rim side to ensure it has fully entered the rim hole and not locked up.

My last wheels got alu rims where spokes sat really tight, rear extra tough.

They all had to be retightened rather hard  around the wheel.
Spokes were also thicker stainless version.

CB750 stock rims and spokes are easier.
When you need to tighten one side to cure wheel wobble, the other side might need to be loosened. Rim must not be bent.
 If doing it in small steps around the wheel, it will go well and straight. If too hurry doing to big adjustments, there is a risk you need to loosen the spokes and start over.

I see spokes  in 2 rows around the wheeel stretching towards each side of the hub.

Stock rim (and most others) have a weld where it will bulb out. That will be seen when rotating the wheel and let a marker pen come closer until it just touch and make a line on the stick-out. You can not fix that.
Wheel is straight if you measure same before and after that bulb that can be an area around 20cm, 10 cm (4") on each side of the weld.

The marker pen method was my only way to see the wobble sideways and up-down in the 80's. Clean with acetone or use another color next time after adjustment. I use overhead plastic markers.

I later added a dial indicator on magnetic base to measure it in numbers. Start with marker pen.

Stock rims (D.I.D) weld are often very sharp with burrs on rim inside where welded and grinded.
I sand the worst sharp burrs down a little and spray paint that area to make it smoother and as rust protection.
I used what I had, motor spray paint that color matched  really well.

There is a risk that it will wear the tube if sharp burrs are left.

I start to lace where hole for tube valve is located. I have photo of old wheel before or finding on internet to be sure I get it right. I lace hub as it was laced before.

I let the hub's outer marks of old spokes guide me. I do not sand hub to remove all old marks. Spokes will cover it anyway.

It is easy to get confused when you have got the 10 first spokes in, one side or both and hub is rotated wrong. Just turn it right and do the other spokes.

The holes in rim are aimed to one direction, left or right side of hub and "backward forward".

Photo of other complete wheels is a good help.



Above job done in my living room.

[Doobie]

Lacing wheels are described ln this forum. Just search with Google in your browser like:
Sohc forums + lace wheel

For sure! I learned how to lace wheels years ago reading this forum. There's lots of info here. You'll find out it's not as hard as it looks.

[BenelliSEI]

Go for it! I took forever on my first try, but 15-20 later it’s one of my favourite jobs. Clean off the bench, make sure you have the time, and enjoy the process!

[bryanj]

I find it way easier to split the spokes into the two sorts and sart with only the 20 thego through frm outside to inside(you can see the heads on outside of hub). This means you are only dealing with 20 spokes to true the wheel and the other half fit easily.
Also you DO NOT need a dial gauge to true the rim, the tolerance from Honda is 1/8 inch both side to side and hop.
Also notice where the weld is as that will kick a lot and you just cant get that true

[Don R]

 The harbor freight balance stand can be used as a truing stand with a few commonsense modifications. Then you can balance tires too. You can also use an old swingarm and solder for a pointer wire.
 I like to have a photo of a laced wheel to refer back to, or another wheel that's still laced. I do all of the innies first.

[katman]

I'm going to give it a go. I pumped up now. Thanks Guys. These shops around here are weenies

[CycleRanger]

I did the wheels on my CJ360T.
I went by one local shop to ask about having them done and I don't think the kids there had even seen spoked wheels.

I used the Harbor Freight truing stand and a spoke wrench with new spokes from DSS and new rims from Thailand. I tuned the spokes by ear. Seemed to turn out pretty good.

The only hitch was DSS initially sent me (longer) front spokes for the Euro disk brake version of the CJ but they were quick to correct the error.

[BenelliSEI]

I find it way easier to split the spokes into the two sorts and sart with only the 20 thego through frm outside to inside(you can see the heads on outside of hub). This means you are only dealing with 20 spokes to true the wheel and the other half fit easily.
Also you DO NOT need a dial gauge to true the rim, the tolerance from Honda is 1/8 inch both side to side and hop.
Also notice where the weld is as that will kick a lot and you just cant get that true

This is REALLY GOOD advice, it’s what I do every time. The 20 that come in from the inside (spoke head ends up inside the hub), can be pushed through after you get the first 20 very loosely started to the rim.

I also just use a fixed pointer and if the hop and runout are with in 1/8” to 1/16” stop there. Anymore is unnecessary and will just make you nuts. Also beware of where the rim is welded. There is usually a “lump” at that location. Just ignore it and work the rest of the rim.

The last one I did took about 1/2 an hour. Also, after a few rides, go once around each rim and pull every spoke a quarter turn.

[jgger]

If your wheel is still together lay a straight edge across the rim to see how the hub centers up. There some odd ones out there that do not have the hub centered.only takes a minute and can save you a ton of headaches.

[Alan F.]

I'm noticing the quality of advice posted in this thread, not just encouragement to look up old threads & videos, but some tips learned through experience and experimentation. Some of these I'd tried myself, some I hadn't considered, but all really good stuff.

This is the best forum.

[PeWe]

This is the power of the forum
I have read many threads that starts with a simple question.

The answers and following discussions add extra knowledge and experiences that continue and widen the original question.

[enwri]

I do them horizontally, resting on my knees for the first bit. Screwed a little vice to the coffee table in front of the TV.

 Thread the hub, do the "top flange overs" into the set of holes in the rim angled up the most.
Very loosely, just a few threads.

Do all the "top flange unders" next. make sure you get the right set of holes, rotate the rim to tighten the "top overs" to set where the unders start.
Once you have a few in it starts to support itself and hang level.

Lower flange "overs" next. Takes a bit of loose jiggling and rotation to get the rim to give enough slack to get the spokes in the holes, but there's never a need to bend or force anything. There's a way to get slack.
 
Once they're all in loosely, If you've done it right, the nipples will all thread almost all the way in by hand. Get them all about the same.

By now you've been able to spin it and see where some need to be loosened to give slack for the opposite side to move in. Most of trueing can be done before the spokes are too tight to move by hand.

You'll have to pick out spots that need a bit of force to move. Usually around the welded joint.
Once it's straight tighten everything evenly around a few times.

That took about 2.5 hours after having to undo it all once because I missed the second row start point by one set of holes.

Then I broke a disc bolt putting it back together. Did this just yesterday, had to add to this post when I saw it.