I don't know how much of a call there is for truing up wires on the Hamb but years ago I tried to get Dayton to lace up and true some wires and they put me on a waiting list for months. Decided to build my own stand. The stand was made from some scrap c-channel and a couple of braces. The most important part of the stand was centering the axle and hub so that it ran pretty true. If you look at the laced wheel you will see a plate with a bushing. I first cut the holes for the lugs in the plate and then scribed the center of the hub with north south and east west marks which found me dead center and then made sure my bushing was welded dead center. Then the axle was placed in the jig and was leveled with the bushings yet to be welded and I did not weld the bushings until the axle was level and true. When that is dead nuts then I moved on to the top portion which is some strapping with nuts welded in place and the bolts act as truing points. On the ends of the bolts I put rubber firewall grommets so they would not scratch the painted wheels. I did not have a clue on how to true a wire wheel but waiting was out of the question. After playing with the adjustment on the first wheel it is not rocket science and surprisingly it did not take me long to true six wheels. I also trued a couple other sets on this jig and it is more the jig than my talent. If you have never laced a wheel pay attention to how the spokes naturally lay in relation to the wheel and I placed the hub in the correct plane to the outer wheel (rim) and installed all of the spokes an equal amount a little at a time until the hub did not move in relation to the rim. Then when it runs in the jig or stand, back off the truing points so they do not rub and as you true the wheel you can keep moving the points in until you have the wheel true. The wheel will have high and low spots and as you play with it you will see that a high spot generally responds well if you pull the rim in by adjustment. Sometimes you have to play with the spokes 180 degrees opposite but I found that to be rare. To pull it to the right or left look at the spokes themselves and playing with it will show you what is going on right away. By having the adjusting points like this it will show you that if you make an adjustment you can roll it back immediately and see if you went the wrong way or not. I trued a set of larger diameter wheels and they were even more sensitive but still easy to figure out. The only bad part is that I sold the stand to a guy that had to have it and now I will have to build another for a future project. By the way, newer spokes work well- I trued a rusted up set of spokes one time and almost lost my religion._Jim
Laceing and trueing wheels should be left to the pros.....ALTHOUGH....that is a verry nice stand you made. Good tech on that for sure... I useto true wheels when working as a bike (bicycle) mechanic. Every know and then a dirt biker would bring in a wheel and we would true them up. PAIN IN THE ASS...but we would do it....My boss made a similar stand to yours. Based off of a Park Tools stand...Worked great.
Thats pretty cool. Where did you get the replacement spokes or did you make them yourself? Over here in my neck of the woods when we get lucky enough to find wire wheels they are always rusted out. Thanks
It was a few years ago but they are stainless spokes and they were and I imagine are still pretty available. I have bought some (larger) from a place called Buchanan (sp?)-they are probably still around. I remember the box they came in more than I remember exactly who I bought them from although I have seen ads in various classic car publications. I spent three times the amount of time polishing them than I did lacing and truing because I made some tooling to hold the spokes and nipples (around that time I guy I knew lost his nose when a wheel lock ring came up and hit him during polishing). Ever since then I have had a bit more respect for high speed turning wheels.-Jim
Cool post, good pictures. Very useful. I've only got 5 wheels in my shop to strip and relace. Your timing is perfect.
Buchanan has a great tape (must be CD by now) on lacing and spokes.........It's all motorcycle but the information is the same, very good stuff.........They sell great stuff too. By the way great Tech!!
Hey Jim, What is the wheel in your pictures? It looks like a '35 Ford style. I'm a littlle new to this and thought the early Fords like the '35's were welded spokes and therefore not replaceable. Are there sources for centers and rims (and spokes) where I could make up my own wheels? I'd appreciate help here as I'd love to make (assemble) my own wheels.... I think. I built a primative truing stand several decades ago for my Triumph bike wheels as it seemed curbs used to get in my way after leaving the tavern. It took some ass-ache but worked well. I've since confined my drinking to a glass of wine at home before dinner.
Dugg, they are thirties Packard wheels for the senior cars. I am on the hunt for 24s for a racecar-Rudge Whitworth so if I run across some centers and rims I will let you know.-Jim
Lacing a dirt bike wheel is easy, I used to be the mechanic in a primarily honda off-road shop and have built a ton of wheels. I just hated the spline-drive nipples that some guys want, the standard square nipples take way less time. It's funny you say that because I have laced a couple of bike wheels and I think THOSE are the hard ones. I used to use a stand made specifically for motorcycle wheels sold through K&L tools.
Thanks Jim, I'm continously on the prowl for a new business venture that I can use to justify the purchase of a CNC mill for my shop. Don't you agree shop sounds more professional than two car garage? CNC'ing wheels ain't it but, I would like to find a source of rims and centers to make wire wheels.
Hunhhh? Why? Are you scared? I used to have this one they sold... Worked great, but I do really like the multiple trueing points on Jim's stand.... A also used it for balancing bike wheels.... I think I may have to build one for giggles...
This IS good tech,along with bitchen homemade tooling. My only question is,once you get the wheels 'true',how do you know if/when the spoke-nuts are tight "enough"? I bought some 19" spokers from Garlits about 8 months ago,& Buchanans will be fixin' em up this summer.They came off of a rocket dragster that MOON built & never ran,,,"Baby Mooneyes". The spokes,hubs,rims & all are painted MOON yellow. Thanks tc
There is a torque wrench for spokes but I use the "clunk" method, hit the spoke with the spoke wrench, if it makes a clunk sound tighten it alittle 'till it makes a more pleasing "clink chime".......easy to do, hard to explain!!!
I have never run into any loose spokes once they are tightened up and the wheel is true. The spokes seem to have enough adjustment either way without having a bunch of additional threads. In fact all of the spokes I have run into by that time are pretty damn tight. If I ended up with loose spokes I would start believing that I had the wrong spokes. Hope to see those spokes on a car in the not too distant future.-Jim
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