truing 66 and earlier wheel while maintaining hub offset

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panhead_kicker
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truing 66 and earlier wheel while maintaining hub offset

#1

Post by panhead_kicker »

HI all,
I'm having a heck of a time tightening spokes /truing while trying to maintain the 1 7/8" offset. Per the manual for a 16" wheel, the offset should be measured from the bottom of a straight edge laying across top of the brakeside hub flange, down to the top edge of the drop center of the wheel, kind of? Does anyone have any tricks in accomplishing this? By the time I get it relatively true, the offset is a good 3/16 out of whack.
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Re: truing 66 and earlier wheel while maintaining hub offset

#2

Post by NYFB »

You should just be able to loosen all of the spokes on the one side by the same amount - say 1/4 turn, then tighten the opposite spokes by the same amount. Should stay pretty true that way. Are you truing with 4 sets of 4 spokes? I believe that's how the manual tells you to do it and what I have done in the past. Then once you get it where you want it, you tighten the rest.
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Re: truing 66 and earlier wheel while maintaining hub offset

#3

Post by Underdoggie »

panhead_kicker wrote:HI all,
I'm having a heck of a time tightening spokes /truing while trying to maintain the 1 7/8" offset. Per the manual for a 16" wheel, the offset should be measured from the bottom of a straight edge laying across top of the brakeside hub flange, down to the top edge of the drop center of the wheel, kind of? Does anyone have any tricks in accomplishing this? By the time I get it relatively true, the offset is a good 3/16 out of whack.
Put all the spokes in real loose, set the assembly on its side and using some pieces of wood trim and some door shims, place them under the hub and the rim edge, until you have the right offset, then take the slack (just using your finger) out of a pair of opposing spokes at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock position. I always use the valve stem hole for one of the positions and mark the other three with a marker. At that point you have the offset and concencricity roughly set and can then put the assembly into the truing stand. Then bring the rest of the spokes up, just take the slack out by finger. The offset is now there and the rim should about 1/8 inch out axially and radially. You can start tightening up, I take one side of the rim at a time and turn each nipple a quarter turn, then the the same on the other side, alternating until everything is tight. When I am done, I always tap each spoke with a spoke wrench, they should all sound the same, if you hear a flat note, you probably missed that one along the way somehow, and as your tightening keep an eye on the spoke head and how it is resting in its socket. As they tighten up sometimes you have to set the head to get them into the seat. I use a piece of brass. I use two dial indicators, one axially and one radially. I have done hundreds of them this way. At one time I used to do so many 74 rims I made some custom shims so I would not have to screw around with the door shims. They probably wound up in the wood stove over time I guess. There are some other fine points about truing but if you get this far you can figure those out.

Underdoggie
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Re: truing 66 and earlier wheel while maintaining hub offset

#4

Post by FlatHeadSix »

Excellent Underdoggie!, I could not have said it better myself.

I'll add just a couple of things. Make sure you lube the spoke threads before starting the nipple, this will help with the "finger tight" and will also ensure that they all draw up evenly. Lube is even more important when lacing with stainless spokes and nipples to prevent galling.

As underdoggie said above you should also "pop" each spoke at the head where they insert into the spool holes to seat them, I also use a brass drift punch, it will seat the spokes without marring them and it will also make them "sing" so you can see if they are all tightened to the same degree.

good luck!, let us know how it turns out.

mike
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Re: truing 66 and earlier wheel while maintaining hub offset

#5

Post by panhead_kicker »

Thanks guys. SO if I understand, then once you get the offset right, and a few stategic spokes relatively tight, then the offset should remain throughout the truing effort. The shims to get the offset sounds like a good idea. I'll give it another shot and let you know how they turn out.
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Re: truing 66 and earlier wheel while maintaining hub offset

#6

Post by FlatHeadSix »

panhead_kicker wrote:a few stategic spokes relatively tight, then the offset should remain throughout the truing effort.
kicker,
As underdoggie said 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock, 4 groups of a few spokes evenly spaced. Keep the most tension on the offset side as you tighten them and you should be good. Then tighten the remaining spokes, a 1/4 turn at a time working opposite and even around the rim. Patience is the key!, don't try to do it all at once.

mike
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