Wheel spoke replacement.

[bobh41]

I've been toying with the idea of attempting to rebuild the wheels on my R90. Several of the rear wheel spokes are showing rust. Although I've trued bicycle wheels, I've never undertaken a major wheel rebuild.

A local re-builder comes highly recommended, and the price for a rebuild with new stainless spokes is reasonable.

"Do-it-myself" or send it out:? - safety is the concern. Also, are the stainless spokes really superior to OEM replacements?

[DennisDarrow]

To go along with the above. If one replaces them oneself, how is the technique of removing the tire from the rim and replacing the spokes one at a time using the "ting" sound as something to judge if you have it right or not?..........Dennis

[riderR1150GSAdv]

An advantage of rebuilding your wheel is you could get the hub and rims re-coated with either powder coating or anodizing them....Just a thought. The technique of re-doing spokes on a motorcycle rim is similar to that of a bicycle. In the GS repair manual it states that all spokes should sound the same. Patience pays...Good luck!!

[20774]

This is THE site/person when it comes to rebuilding wheels:

http://agwalker.com/wheelbuilding.html

Read through this and see if it's something you want to tackle. I think the critical thing is making sure that the hub is offset correctly with the rim (measure before taking it apart) and having a truing stand to make sure you've got the spokes all pulling properly.

Here's other sources for wheel building:

http://members.aol.com/VechBMW/index.html
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/WireWheels/

[PGlaves]

My opinion is that relacing and truing a spoked wheel is an art - not mechanics. I suspect any diligent person can do it - maybe - with a bunch of photographs, a miniature torque wrench, and a good ear for pitch.

I wouldn't hesitate to replace a broken spoke or a few broken spokes, tensioned to sound like the rest - but redoing a wheel would task my patience and time more than I'm willing to suffer.

I'd hire the guy with the good reputation and reasonable price. YMMV

[riderR1150GSAdv]

My opinion is that relacing and truing a spoked wheel is an art - not mechanics. I suspect any diligent person can do it - maybe - with a bunch of photographs, a miniature torque wrench, and a good ear for pitch.

I wouldn't hesitate to replace a broken spoke or a few broken spokes, tensioned to sound like the rest - but redoing a wheel would task my patience and time more than I'm willing to suffer.

I'd hire the guy with the good reputation and reasonable price. YMMV

Totally agree! I should have said tis in my previous post. :doh You really need to know your stuff. An occasional tensioning on the road is one thing, redoing a wheel?? www.woodyswheelworks.com is another great shop.

[manicmechanic]

I re-lace a few dirt-bike rims a year, for various reasons. Once I get the new spokes attachec and run down kinda even, then the rim goes on a truing stand and I use a couple dial indicators. On new rims it's pretty easy to get within .010"-.015". But when replacing spokes on a used rim, you pays your money and you takes your chances. There are times it's takes a half-hour, and other times.....

[Bill Burke]

http://www.buchananspokes.com/

[bobh41]

"Pride of ownership" is motivation for doing my own maintenance, plus it's just inherently rewarding to do the work. But in this case, I'm unable to shake the mental image of the wheels coming apart at top speed on the freeway in heavy traffic. In other words, I'm "chicken". I'm going to send them out.

[Jamming]

My opinion is that relacing and truing a spoked wheel is an art - not mechanics. I suspect any diligent person can do it - maybe - with a bunch of photographs, a miniature torque wrench, and a good ear for pitch.

I wouldn't hesitate to replace a broken spoke or a few broken spokes, tensioned to sound like the rest - but redoing a wheel would task my patience and time more than I'm willing to suffer.

I'd hire the guy with the good reputation and reasonable price. YMMV

I'm with Paul...it's an art...back in my chopper building days in the late
70's :whistle I learned to build wheels. Came in handy as I ALWAYS rode a BMW so I could do my own wheels.

You could always give it a shot, if it doesn't work out, take it to the shop. A wheel trueing stand is a must. It's hard but not impossible to build one.

[swall]

I've done a couple re-lace jobs on R bikes and a couple on a '52 Indian. BMW wheels use straight pull spokes, all the same. That is as easy as it gets. Make sure you measure the hub to rim offset before you start. Take you time. I usually put it all together, do some rough truing and then quit. Go back the next day. Also keep in mind that once you get to the point where you are using a dial indicator to get to about 1/32" run out, you kind of have to fudge things where the weld is, as the welded joint is not perfectly true with the rest of the rim.