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Please, someone make a decision for me. The question is whether to rebuild/professionaly true/paint my 48 spoke wire wheels for my TR3 or just buy new 60 spoke wheels. I haven't totally priced it out, but I'm worried that I will wind up spend hundreds on the 48's and still just have a marginal wheel when I'm done. Does it make sense to buy a new set of 60 spokes now, and forget about the 48 spoke set? Anyone with any experience here?
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Rebuild or buy new?
- Thread starter Mkutz
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Geo Hahn
Yoda
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There are many parts on the TR3 that make a great deal of sense to rebuild rather than buy new (better quality, original look, genuine British, etc) but IMO wire wheels are not one of them. All the moreso when it is a choice between 48 & 60 spoke.
I went with Dunlops and have been 100% satisfied. At least one source of Daytons makes it a point to bad mouth the Dunlops but in my case I have had no problems. You will want to examine your hubs as it would not be wise to put new wires on hubs with badly worn splines.
I went with Dunlops and have been 100% satisfied. At least one source of Daytons makes it a point to bad mouth the Dunlops but in my case I have had no problems. You will want to examine your hubs as it would not be wise to put new wires on hubs with badly worn splines.
Banjo
Yoda
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Buy new! It costs almost as much to have them rebuilt/ trued as the new ones will be and you still have the worn out splines in the old hubs.
If you do go with new wheels, then spend the extra to get new wire wheel adapters (the bolt on hubs). New splines agenst old splines causes accelerated wear.
I'm currently rebuilding and truing my own 60 spokes ('cause I'm a cheap blankity-blank) it's not at all fun, but I can't afford the new set right now (or probably ever with my budget). If not for the $$$ factor It woulden't even be a question to get new over having them redone by someone else.
If you do go with new wheels, then spend the extra to get new wire wheel adapters (the bolt on hubs). New splines agenst old splines causes accelerated wear.
I'm currently rebuilding and truing my own 60 spokes ('cause I'm a cheap blankity-blank) it's not at all fun, but I can't afford the new set right now (or probably ever with my budget). If not for the $$$ factor It woulden't even be a question to get new over having them redone by someone else.
When I was in college in the late sixties my best friend and I had our 3's. His had 48 spoke and mine were steel. He drove everywhere like Jim Clark and like clockwork, one Saturday every month was devoted to rebuilding his wires. Boy did we ever get good at it. At least he kept rotating his tires that way. Moral, if it's for concours save the 48's, but do your daily driving or autocrossing on 60's.
gsalt57tr3
Jedi Warrior
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I got lucky with replacing my 48 spoke wheels. One of my rear wheels had 46 spokes, my right front had 47 and one of them was welded.
As a cyclist, I fully understand the function and complexity of trueing your wheels. Get the 60 spoke!
The really lucky part is that British Wire Wheels, while their office is in Santa Cruz, their warehouse is here in Fresno. I had new wheels that afternoon.
As a cyclist, I fully understand the function and complexity of trueing your wheels. Get the 60 spoke!
The really lucky part is that British Wire Wheels, while their office is in Santa Cruz, their warehouse is here in Fresno. I had new wheels that afternoon.