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broken spoke

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I just discovered a broken spoke. Can the threaded portion be removed or drilled out? I rather not remove tire as the wheel has just been trued and new tire mounted by Hendrix. I'd rather not mess with their fine work. Then the spoke can be removed via the hub.
Thanks
TH
 
tahoe healey said:
I just discovered a broken spoke. ... the wheel has just been trued and new tire mounted

Is there no relation between the two ?
Is going back to them an option ?

Hans
 
TH, are you not going to replace the spoke?
I believe the tire can be marked, so as to put it back on where it was.
Do you have tubes?
 
Hi TH,

I understand the reluctance to ship the wheel back to Hendrix as the 2-way shipping charge is not inexpensive….especially after already incurring those costs. You will have to replace the broken spoke and, as Roger mentioned, marking the rim and tire will get things reasonably back to prober balance (tube will index itself with the stem).

It seems to me that if the wheel was trued recently and you haven’t hit a major pot hole or encountered any other wheel-deforming hazards, a single spoke replacement should not alter the truing work Hendrix did. However, I would definitely call Hendrix for their suggestions and some ideas as to the possible cause of the problem to investigate.

Good Luck,
Ray (64BJ8P1)
 
Our roads take a beating with tough winters and therefore lots of potholes and no money to fix them. We drove way out into the mountain/country last weekend and as we hit a pothole my wife ask if I heard the "klunk". Not Hendrix fault. I blame Caltrans (DOT). I slipped a length of clear plastic tubing tightly over the spoke and nipple to keep it from banging around and removing paint until I can get to it. I use to replace chrome spokes in my MGB all the time. My question is can the broken off stub be drilled out or some other device used to get the stub out of the nipple with out taking the tire off.
Thanks
TH
 
TH,

First, please stand corrected if you thought I was suggesting your problem was related to service provided by Hendrix. My suggestion to call Hendrix was based upon the fact that they are experts in servicing wires and could possibly provide some knowledgeable recommendations.

As I understand, you would like to slide the spoke through the wheel hub and install it into the existing nipple. However, you would first need to extract the stub of the original spoke.

If the original stub broke flush with the nipple or close to flush, I would carefully grind the stub level & flush and then drill a pilot using a Dremel and a very small drill. With the pilot in place, I would then take the chance of expanding the hole with progressively larger drills until I could chase the threads with a new spoke.

The problem with my suggestion is that drilling a pilot and widening is both very difficult and places the drill tip too close to the tube for comfort. Also, the debris resulting from chasing the threads would be pushed into the wheel and might result in tube ware or a puncture.

Sorry, but I would dismount the tire and install a new nipple and spoke.

Good luck,
Ray (64BJ8P1)
 
I had called Henderix and they told me I'd have to take off any weights (marking position), remove the tire marking its position in relationship to the valve stem and remove the tape liner to get at the nipple. I was just wondering if it would be easier to get the broken piece out but it sounds like that is not an easy task.
Thanks for the help. New spoke and nipple on the way from Moss.
 
Hello TH, What many people don't know is that when you hit a big pot hole in a public road, You can call the poilce as you wait near that pot hole, And make out a report with the police. The city will then pay for damages, One of my family did just that here in chicago last winter. Just go back to where you hit that big hole, Pull over and call the police to make out a report!
 
tahoe healey said:
I just discovered a broken spoke. Can the threaded portion be removed or drilled out? I rather not remove tire as the wheel has just been trued and new tire mounted by Hendrix. I'd rather not mess with their fine work. Then the spoke can be removed via the hub.
Thanks
TH

------------------------------------- :savewave:

------------------------------------NO!!!

---------------------------Just remove the main part of the spoke and let the nipple alone.

----------Nest time do not be so fruegal and have SS Spokes installed.-------Keoke-- :laugh:
 
howdy all,
you did not mention, spoke, material-finish but
if it is unpainted-chromeless,i have replaced many by referencing componets,
then threading new spoke through hub & at adjacent spoke intersect apply slight
bend [7mm box end will do] to clear companion spoke then into nipple.
the spoke is soft enough that the slight curve applied will become true as the nipple is tensioned.
or you can remove conflicting spokes all day long...
with respect 59er

p.s. wish i had a $ for every one i replaced
 
drambuie said:
Hello TH, What many people don't know is that when you hit a big pot hole in a public road, You can call the poilce as you wait near that pot hole, And make out a report with the police. The city will then pay for damages, One of my family did just that here in chicago last winter. Just go back to where you hit that big hole, Pull over and call the police to make out a report!


Usually the city is not held responsible unless it has previously been informed about the hazard.

Richard
 
I recently found several broken spokes on one of my 16" Daytons. Hopefully my experience might apply to 15" as well. The spokes all broke right at the head, which made it easy to remove the old ones.

Alan Hendrix put me onto Buchanan Spoke in SoCal, who had the spokes I needed. I was able to install the new spokes via the hub, and (with only a little bending) stick them into the old nipples to get them started. I did have to deflate the tire and break the bead, so that the nipples could be pushed in far enough to insert the spokes.

Bob Frisby
Boise, Idaho
BT7 Tricarb
 
No, I wouldn't think you could remove the nipple at the outer rim without removing the tire. Also If you try to unscrew the spoke the nut/nipple would turn. You might try holding the outer rim nut/nipple with a wrench and try unscrewing it but I doubt it would come out. The big question is the spoke threaded portion broke off inside the outer rim nipple.
 
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