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Second hand spoked rims

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K

KSIS

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I have the chance to buy four spoked rims for the spit. How can I check trueness without having the mounted and balanced?
 
I'm far from being a wire wheel expert but here are a few of my shade tree suggestions. Check the depth and appearance of the hub splines against a known good wheel or good hub. Check for loose, rusty or broken spokes. Mount the wheel on a hub jacked off the ground. Put a pointer (I've used a screwdriver clamped to a jackstand) against the outer part of the rim and spin the rim. These are only rough indicators of rather obvious problems not a substitute for professional balance and testing.
Tom
 
My pseudo-scientific method... since the degree of "trueness" is probably different in each wheel, you can look for sameness. In other words if 3 wheels are identical it is the fourth that is bent too much. Try this...(1) Remove the wheel weights and lay the wheel right side up on a flat surface. Trace a pencil line around the wheel. Turn the wheel and see if it still fits in the circle. If it does put a carpenter's square on the flat surface against the rim and see if the outside rim is square to the inside. (2) On the same flat surface lay a yardstick across the center and measure the height of the ends of it from the flat surface (same?). Turn the yardstick and repeat. I think there will be some minor variance, but all of the wheels ought to be in a ballpark of each other. This is just my method. The real problem is what to do about it if you want to change the answers.
 
Put the rim on a car. Jack it up and put some type of constant level or gauge at the bottom of the rim and spin the rim. The gauge should stay touching or close to touching the rim at all times and in any spot it moves away from the rim it is telling you that the other side of the rim is most likely to tight.

I use to straighten bike tires all the time with this type of method. You would do this on the inside and outside of the rim but there is a few tricks to straighten rims. But the principles are the same from bike tire to car tire in at least getting them straight or checking for straightness.
 
Plus---Take a quality chopstick or such [a length of hardwood dowel]... run it around the spokes while listening for a change in pitch [tension] as the stick contacts the spokes. A nice even sound is preferred. Loose and broken spokes clack or sound dead.
 
Aloha,

In addition to checking the splines (bad splines will ruin a good hub in no time), roundness and tracking if tires are not mounted on the wheel look at the spoke nipples. Older wheels often have a lot of rust on the inside of the rim where the spoke nipples go through it. If the nipples are rusted in place you won't be able to make adjustments. That is not totally acurate, but major spoke and nipple replacement will usually cost more than a new wire spoke wheel.

When comparing spoke notes, I find you need something beefier than a chop stick. I use a wrench and compare spokes of the same length and running in the same direction for the same tone.

Good luck.
 
If you can get them on a hub and spin it, check the bead with a dial gauge (Or just a simple stick like was said above). Short of being able to spin it I don't think you can do much more that the "spoke tuning" test
 
Viewed from the side, the splines should not come to a point, they should be squared off somewhat. The squared off edges wear and become a sharp v, then one side of the v wears in. The best is with a squared edge , then the soft v [acceptable]. Then the sharp v [worn] Then the worn in sided sharp v [shot].
 
I'd be worried about the wheel hub mating as well if not more. The hub splines and the wheels will wear together. If the wheels have not been rotated to different hubs on a regular basis then they begin to deform in equal ways to each other. If there is a problem with the splines mating up, balance will be the least of your worries. Used wire wheels without matching hubs is generally not a good idea. IMHO.
 
Thank you all for the info. Luckily the rims are coming with the hubs and knock offs. I currently have three. I will check all aspects as stated above. The rims I currently have, have new hubs so I can use those for fitting.
 
Be careful mixing new and used wheels/hubs. The different wear patterns can cause the new components to age faster than normal since the pressure on the splines from old to new may not be correct.
 
elrey said:
Viewed from the side, the splines should not come to a point, they should be squared off somewhat. The squared off edges wear and become a sharp v, then one side of the v wears in. The best is with a squared edge , then the soft v [acceptable]. Then the sharp v [worn] Then the worn in sided sharp v [shot].
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the next step beyond that is once again having the splined squared off; by slipping. My previous TR3A came to me with the wheels being held from turning on the hubs only by the (overtightened) knockoffs. Big surprise the first time I changed a tire and got a loud WHIZZZ when I tried to take off. Fortunately it was only one, so the brakes still worked.
 
Sorry I am late responding but I have a suggestion for a simple test which will give a VERY rough idea of how straight the rims are, and if they are out of round.

With no tyres (tires) mounted, just roll the rims on a flat surface, watch carefully to see if the rim wobbles or if the centre (center) moves up and down as the wheel rotates.

If they pass this test then continue to the more advanced stuff.
 
I do believe the Mechanic General is studying the effects of second hand spokes...
 
Thanks again all for the information on the rims. Went yesterday and looked at them. The gentleman I purchased them from as the original owner of his 65. He purchased a set of pansports back in the day and had these sitting. The spindle was attached to the rims with the knock offs.
I removed then for inspection and they were as if new. I was very happy. There is no rust on the inside of the rims and just minor chips and dings on the outside. I ran a screw driver round the spoke and they all "pinged". He assured me they were true and I would have no problems.
I will be going some time this week to have them mounted and balanced. Now I need to find some inner tubes and the special tape for the spokes....any leads?

Thanks again all!
 
:cheers: Moss [one of our sponsors!] has what you need. Rim bands and tubes.
 
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