wheel spoking

[Indian Dude]

Does anyone know of a book that shows how to set the spokes in the wheel of a 1946 Indian Chief. Any info on this subject would be appreciated.

[T. Cotten]

Dude!

Most books on Indians these days are for coffeetables.

Try this instead:

http://virtualindian.org/6techwheels.htm

Good luck!

[AdminGuy]

VI and Amer Iron. --acid CAD recipe?

Yup, A fair plug indeed. Good stuff. I refer to that as a "four spoke - double cross pattern". Is that the proper term? Beats me. I just bead blasted some SS spokes for the cad look. plastic hose covering threads. They look OK. Same as always. BUT!

I was reading in American Iron (sept03) of all places, that Randy Walker dunked some in acid for that cad look. Does anyone have a recipe that they could share with me. I'm curious. Maybe just a bath time interval? Would I put something on them (mask) for an uneven texture? Double dip?

And, I THANK Am Iron for the antique coverage. Thanks guys--Buzzzzz......good job.

[pninaud]

Howdy,
I just laced and trued the wheels on my 53 chief, and my friend (an old-timer indian expert) said to build the front and rear wheels in the rear of the frame, that way you can be sure that the wheels are interchangeable:

1. Get a good quality rim! Spoke the wheels on the bench (use plenty of the lubricant on the nipples for stainless spokes).

2. When installing the spokes, you may have to use a mallet to get the inner spokes past the opposite flange on the hub.

3. Wheel offset - This is handled by truing both wheels in the rear of the frame. With the rear fender off, install the wheel with all brake parts, bearings and spacers. Tighten the axle and wheel lug nuts. Scribe a line in the center of the rear frame tubes that go into the top plungers. With a good ruler, center the wheel from the outside of the rim to these lines.

4. Final truing - Clamp a dial indicator to the fender support in the frame and dial in the wheel. Checking often, that the rim is still centered on in the frame. When they are true, the offset is built-in.

5. It took me a few nights after work to do my wheels, and I settled for getting them to plus or minus .010 true. Here is a photo.

[AdminGuy]

I suppose interchangeable so that you could switch when worn or bald? Why not just buy a new tire? Why not use the proper offsets? Why would you WANT them interchangeable??? I don't get it.

I use a horrible 2x4 constructed wheel jig and get very accurate results when dropped into a proper purpose built cast jig. My dial indicator is a pencil. Tires are usually out so far -it really doesn't have to be dead on.

Loose assemble with nipples two turns should give you enough clearance to shift the rim for opposite spokes. Laying it flat w/ rim lifted helps alot. Taverner jig. For guys like me that are not tallented enough to do it mid air w/ one hand. MAN! That's an art. have you ever seen a guy do that!

I've found doing it in the frame really ackward.....but then again, I make loud grunting noises all the time.

The last one I did I whacked it a few times w. a dead blow hammer to settle it. It did settle. TWANG! (a hard pounding simulation) So the retrue was that much more accuate before the tire went one. I grease the treads and the nipples at rim contact point.

White lith for SS lube? Eh -oh well, that's what I use.

Good job for doing your own spokes!

[pninaud]

Howdy,
The using my method the offset is the same for the front and rear wheels. When mounted in the forks the front wheel is inline with the rear wheel. The actual dimension of the offset is moot.

I thought that from the factory, indian wheels are supposed to be interchangeable. One benefit is that you can rotate your wheels to make your tires last longer. I have had the same wide white walls on my Duo-glide for 10 years because I rotate them to even out the wear. If you wait until the rear is worn out, it could be hard to find that exact tire to replace it. It seems that there are fewer 5.00 X 16 tires available these days.

I realize that tires have run-out of their own, so it might seem pointless to try to get the rim close to perfect. I also understand that there are some really poor quality new rims that can't be trued.
But, I want to build the best handling Chief that I can, and I think that keeping tolerances close (re-bushing the rear plungers, rebuilding the forks, truing the wheels, new hub bearings) on all the chassis items will make for a better bike.
Some people may think I am too fussy, but after riding this old junk for 25 years (and racing modern junk) how a bike handles is imortant to me. I like getting a bike to feel as good as possible when riding it.
Cheers, Patrice

[AdminGuy]

OK - I get it.

For me now it has boiled down to a philosophy of you can do it now -or you will end up doing it later. Do it now- do it right.