[Healeys] Spokes and Truing Wheels

[Laurie Wilford]

I have rebuilt and trued a number of wire wheels over the past thirty years, starting with replacing  spokes on my Made in India Dunlop chrome 60 spoke set.
I broke so many spokes on those wheels that I ended up purchasing spokes and nipples in bulk  direct from Dayton.
The information I was given by them was that truing wheels to plus or minus 0.030" was the best they could expect when building new wheels!

Laurie Wilford

Sent from my Galaxy



-------- Original message --------
From: Henry G Leach via Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net>
Date: 2021-05-03 1:40 p.m. (GMT-05:00)
To: 'Harold Manifold' <manifold at telus.net>
Cc: "'healeys at autox.team.net'" <healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Spokes and Truing Wheels

Hi Harold- yes, I also used a dial gauge and that, unfortunately, is too fine an instrument for the crude wheels that we have. It will drive you crazy to try to "0" out the wheel. Looks like you got close and could not effect a change. Me too.  That is probably as good as it will get.  I think the eye is a better judge of the "quality" of the wheel-if you see runout try to move it to be less. Of the five wheels I did I rated them as the best-worse and used #5 for the spare, putting the best on the fronts. They are very close to "good" as round goes. A wonderful theory that in practical use has some forgiveness.

You could send them assembled, off to Hendricks Wheel service and they may be able to do a tighter finish.  Folks swear that their trued, shaved, rebuilt wheels from them are the cats meow.

A couple of things I did in assembly: I used anti seize compound on all the spoke threads-just enough to make so you could possibly undo them later. Then at the other end, I used marine sealant on the hub nubs to seal in grease and seal out water.  May work for awhile. I also ran a 2" duct tape seal over the nibs in the rim, in addition to the rubber rim seal (which does not cover them well.)

The only secret sequence I found was when you tightened one nib, you needed to go to the exact opposite nib to compensate for the "pull" on the shape of the wheel. Remarkable how much they will distort. Fun experience to do ONCE. Best of luck, Hank


-----------------------------------------

From: "Harold Manifold"
To: "gradea1 at charter.net"
Cc:
Sent: Monday May 3 2021 8:44:09AM
Subject: RE: [Healeys] Spokes and Truing Wheels

Hank,

Thanks for the reply. Did you find any secret sequence for loosening and tightening the spokes. I have a dial gauge and can find the high spots and low spots but I seem to be able to just move them around.

I agree this will tedious no matter what.

Harold

From: gradea1 at charter.net
Sent: Sunday, May 2, 2021 6:21 PM
To: Harold Manifold
Cc: healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: RE: [Healeys] Spokes and Truing Wheels

Harold- I made up this table with an axle hub mounted vertically and a fixed post each side using two coffee stir sticks as markers or guides.  After  lacing the wheel, rotate to first get rid of up/down wobble and then tighten to keep wheel round-equally from each post. (photos)

You are correct the spokes and nibs are 10-32, but the thread angle is Whitworth (55 degrees-I believe) Use a British tap to clean up threads. Don't use SAE.

Its a tedious task but I did all 5 wheels for my 100, and they run perfect. Check a bicycle/motorcycle shop for procedure. Have fun, Hank

-----------------------------------------
From: "Harold Manifold via Healeys"
To: "healeys at autox.team.net"
Cc:
Sent: Sunday May 2 2021 4:35:21PM
Subject: [Healeys] Spokes and Truing Wheels
Hello,

What is the thread size for the spokes and nipples It looks like 10-32 but a threading die doesn’t seem to fit. Also, does anyone have a good procedure for truing wheels? I was told Out of Round first then Wobble. I did the Out of Round on one wheel and could get to 0.050” but no better.

Harold


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