Wheel Lacing question/vintage

FreshTopEnd
Profile picture for user FreshTopEnd
Posts
13361
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Sacramento, CA, USA
FreshTopEnd
Edited Date/Time 1/26/2012 12:42am
This relates to some difficult to find NOS Sun rims. Almost all of the bikes from the mid to late 70's (pre-disc) ran conical hubs and, with a few exceptions, 36 spokes. Although the spoke lengths vary by brand, they basically all run two lengths for a wheel: short on the drum side and long on the other.

The issue I have is that the parts numbers for the Sun rims back in the day show different applications for different brands. For example, Yamaha/Maico are different from Honda, yet all run conical hubs and the same number of spokes.

I realize this calls for some speculation, but is the issue here that the spoke angles the rims are drilled for may be slightly different? If so, can they be redrilled to alter it a bit? I may need to have this done anyway given that the wheels I want to relace with the Sun's have already been built with larger spokes/nipples.

Looking for thoughts, experiences. Thanks!

|
xnationalwrench 2/8/2010 12:41pm
2/8/2010 12:41pm Edited Date/Time 2/8/2010 12:43pm
There could be actually 4 different spokes for each wheel: long,short, and then inner and outers. long and short would be brake side and smaller side then inner and outer are the different angles of the head of the spokes. Back in the day it was standard practice at least for the rear spokes to be replaced with larger spokes. You could redrill them but be real careful that you don't go too large, wrong angle and of course cracking or splitting the rim.
indy_maico
Profile picture for user indy_maico
Posts
5103
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Indianapolis, IN, USA
indy_maico 2/8/2010 2:29pm
2/8/2010 2:29pm
FreshTopEnd wrote:
This relates to some difficult to find NOS Sun rims. Almost all of the bikes from the mid to late 70's (pre-disc) ran conical hubs and...
This relates to some difficult to find NOS Sun rims. Almost all of the bikes from the mid to late 70's (pre-disc) ran conical hubs and, with a few exceptions, 36 spokes. Although the spoke lengths vary by brand, they basically all run two lengths for a wheel: short on the drum side and long on the other.

The issue I have is that the parts numbers for the Sun rims back in the day show different applications for different brands. For example, Yamaha/Maico are different from Honda, yet all run conical hubs and the same number of spokes.

I realize this calls for some speculation, but is the issue here that the spoke angles the rims are drilled for may be slightly different? If so, can they be redrilled to alter it a bit? I may need to have this done anyway given that the wheels I want to relace with the Sun's have already been built with larger spokes/nipples.

Looking for thoughts, experiences. Thanks!

Vintage Iron drills the correct angle for your spec

from their website:

What goes around doesn’t always stay round when it comes to rims on motocross bikes. That is why we carry the best replacements available by Excel, Sun and Akront , ready to be drilled for your application.
FreshTopEnd
Profile picture for user FreshTopEnd
Posts
13361
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Sacramento, CA, USA
FreshTopEnd 2/8/2010 2:40pm
2/8/2010 2:40pm
Appreciate the reference to new supplies, but want the NOS Suns, which are a bit different, as first resort.
MOgle80
Profile picture for user MOgle80
Posts
118
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Lees Summit, MO, USA
MOgle80 2/8/2010 6:35pm
2/8/2010 6:35pm
I bet the guy at Buchanan Spoke and Rim, Inc. can help you with a phone call. Those angled holes are in various combinations . I have done Yamahas and they differ from the Kawasaki that needed a rim. Not to mention the whole YZ Z-spoke thingy. Need more info . What were the rims on before? What will they be going on?

The Shop

See All »
newmann
Profile picture for user newmann
Posts
24437
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
USA
newmann 2/9/2010 3:41pm
2/9/2010 3:41pm Edited Date/Time 2/9/2010 3:43pm
I found a set of 36 hole Akronts at a salvage yard and laced them to my 80 CR250 hubs and spokes. No idea what they were drilled for, but all went well until I got to trueing the wheel and torqueing down the spokes. You could see the angle was a hair off and starting to put the spokes in a bit of a bind. Never had any issues with them though! If you end up with a NOS set, check the angle of the holes first and lightly redrill if necessary. If you feel uncomfortable drilling them, maybe Buchanan's could do that for you?? I do know that new Sun rims from Buchanan's are not drilled and do not have dimples where the spokes go. That's the downside and exactly the reason you lust for the old NOS ones. I understand your pain.......
deathgrip
Profile picture for user deathgrip
Posts
13
Joined
2/10/2010
Location
USA
deathgrip 2/10/2010 11:42am
2/10/2010 11:42am
Buchanan Spoke and Rim in California sells SUN rims but they only sell silver color so if you want them anodized gold you need to do that on your own.

Buchanan will then punch the nipple holes in the rims to the number required.

I had a set of rims made, DID, and then sent them to the anodizer for gold anodizing.

Buchanan has some old tech books with hand sketches in them so they have all the info you could ever want.

FreshTopEnd
Profile picture for user FreshTopEnd
Posts
13361
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Sacramento, CA, USA
FreshTopEnd 2/10/2010 5:14pm
2/10/2010 5:14pm Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 8:42pm
The sketches may help; thanks! I have the NOS gold Suns, but they are not the direct application to the CR's beyond having the same number of spokes and being for conical hubs. The old Fox catalog I have lists a number for the CR's different from other bikes.

The new style Sun from Buchanan's go for over $200 a piece if you have them anodize them, and then they still have a different marking from the old ones, so I'd really like to make these work if possible. Already have a pretty nice wheel set with heavy spokes as it is (arrived via Ebay with black powder-coated rims), so I'll need to do a little drilling in any event. That looks like the path I guess unless I find some specific CR application soon.
captmoto
Profile picture for user captmoto
Posts
5925
Joined
4/22/2009
Location
Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA
captmoto 2/13/2010 11:46pm
2/13/2010 11:46pm
Do you know what the rims are for? Is there a part number? I have a pretty clean 18" rear wheel for a 79/80 RM250. I'd like to find a matching front rim for it.

Post a reply to: Wheel Lacing question/vintage