Wheel Building

[Seamus]

From memory, Honda wheels are easier to build as the inner hubs are equal width, unlike sfound the nearestome Brit bikes with a brake drum on one side only. As above, take pictures and measure offset from the flat face of the hub  and the rim. It helps that there will be witness marks on the hub from the original spokes, so that is a big clue.
When I did mine, I used a magic marker to indicate the offset of the rim. I marked in 0.2 mm steps. Gives a good guide to which way the wheel needs adjusting.
Think the spokes work in every 4th rim hole from the hub, once you get the orientation of the dimple to hub sorted.
HTH

[philward]

Look at the bent end of the spokes and sort them out into the two different sorts.

Look at one of each spoke plus the hub, one type of spoke goes from outside to inside(you can see the head of the spoke from the outside), the other type has the head on the inside of the hub flange you will normaly find witness marks on the hub flange.

Take the set that go from outside to inside and fit to the hub.

Lace these 20(if its a 500/550/750--16 if 400) to the rim tighten evenly and true the wheel using a stand or whatever remembering that the rim will "kick" where it is welded and that a DTI is way too accurate, both Honda and VOSA(MOT) state 3mm(1/8 inch) for both ideways and radial max limit.

Because there are only 20 spokes to work with its easier to true but do get all 20 at even tension, the ding test is fine,

You can now easily fit the other set of spokes one by one and tighten evenly.

NOTE:-

You must get the type of spoke in the correct order as you can not fit the outside to inside spokes second without bending them!!!

Just preparing to start rebuilding the wheels having just received the rebuild stand (thanks Alan). Just a basic question. The 2 sets of 20 spokes are obviously different at the angled end. One is a clear 90 degrees and the other set is a gentler bend. Which one goes outside to inside?

[Bryanj]

Cant remember but if you try it it becomes obvious, i thinkthe "short" angled end is outside to inside

[AndyD]

Just finished initial lacing up of the newly arrived DID rims and Bryan is correct, the slightly angled ones go from the outside to inside of the hub.
Having a spare original wheel for comparison was a godsend!

Starting on the fun bit of truing the wheel and having 'enjoyed' time watching a few videos on line I've got a couple of questions hopefully someone can help with...
Should the spokes be tightened up at all before starting to true the wheel?
Seems most recommend truing the radial direction first and this is done by tweaking the inner spokes only (the outside to inside ones)
For the sideways truing is this also done just with the inside spokes or does this need the outer ones also fitted?
At what stage do you tighten all the spokes to the correct tension - if after truing does this throw the wheel back out of true?
Is there any explanation of the ding test or how to know how tight to do the spokes?

Finally it looks like the new DSS spokes will have a bit of thread showing once tightened, where the original ones seemed to have all thread inside the nipples - is that correct?

Cheers,
Andy

[Bryanj]

Any thread showing inside needs gring off or they are punctures in progress and as long as all are even that is a good start

[AndyD]

Thanks Bryan,
The visible thread is on the other side, i.e. towards the hub - on the old wheel all the thread seems to be inside the nipple, although I haven't tightened anything very much yet so guess it may change then.

Cheers,
Andy

[AndyD]

Got both wheels laced and trued without any real drama - happy so far.
My nervous gremlin is just wittering on in my ear that I have no idea if the spoke tension is right as these are the first wheels I've built.
Is there any way to check this myself or am I best taking the wheels to someone to do a once over for peace of mind?

Cheers,
Andy

[AshimotoK0]

Got both wheels laced and trued without any real drama - happy so far.
My nervous gremlin is just wittering on in my ear that I have no idea if the spoke tension is right as these are the first wheels I've built.
Is there any way to check this myself or am I best taking the wheels to someone to do a once over for peace of mind?

Cheers,
Andy

I would tap each one lightly  and make sure they make the same 'ting' sound .. If any  go 'tong' they are not tight enough  Just my two-pence worth,  as that's what I do.

[AndyD]

Thanks Ash,
That's as technical as I got so far and is probably all that's needed.
All spokes sound similar and none are 'tonging'.
Having never done a wheel before I have no experience of the right sound but guess if the spokes are all tight and sound similar it's probably OK.

I often think too much these days - can't help smiling when remembering the stuff we did to our bikes back in the 80's without any thought or fear.

Cheers,
Andy

[philward]

Thanks Ash,
That's as technical as I got so far and is probably all that's needed.
All spokes sound similar and none are 'tonging'.
Having never done a wheel before I have no experience of the right sound but guess if the spokes are all tight and sound similar it's probably OK.

I often think too much these days - can't help smiling when remembering the stuff we did to our bikes back in the 80's without any thought or fear.

Cheers,

I built my wheels this weekend too and it was the first time building wheels completely (I have built a set before but I took them to a local ex Honda mechanic to do final allignment). I could of wrote your post word for word and still pondering whether to take them to a wheel builder in Southport to have them checked - as I need tyres fitting anyway
Andy

[AndyD]

I guess it's just a lack of confidence really and I'll bet 90% of wheels are not at the right tension but don't even get considered.

As a comparison I thought I'd ping the spokes on the spare set of wheels but that just showed how bad they were as the variation in note was massive - yet I'd have happily ridden the bike without checking them if it wasn't being restored.

I've no idea who would be able to check the wheels around here - maybe I'll try the tyre places and see if that's an option.
Cheers,
Andy