Spoke Selection is the Key to Changing Inch Size of Spoke Wheels

The beauty of a spoked wheel depends on the "sparkle" of the undercarriage. One of the characteristics of spoked wheels is that you will be surprised at how beautiful they can look just by changing the shine of each individual wheel. When replacing the spoked wheels, have you ever thought of "changing the inches" to have a wider selection of tires? Here, let's hear from a spoke wheel professional about the specific direction and method to realize such ideas.

Don't think too hard about it, but start by checking the dimensions.

This is a sample of an order to change 16-inch wheels to 18-inch. It seems that this kind of request to change inches is an everyday occurrence. If the hub, spokes, and rim are a set combination, it is only a matter of incorporating them, but if you want to stretch the spokes in an unmatched combination like this, first prepare a flat workbench. Next, place the pub and rim on the workbench. Use a convex or a ruler to temporarily position the rim so that the hub is in the center of the rim.

If you insert the unwanted spokes from the rim side

Prepare unnecessary spokes & nipples with the "hollow" side (hooked to the hub) of the nipple cut off, and insert them from the rim side. By doing this, you can determine the spoke angle to the rim hole. The length between the hub side hole and the rim side dimple is the approximate spoke length. The direction of the barnacle-shaped hole on the rim side is important for the spoke tension.

You can also judge the length by the temporary assembly.

Since the full width of the hub and the width of the rim are different, it is recommended to prepare a rim stand when placing the rim on the workbench. While placing the rim on the stand, try to match the hub center and rim center by eye measurement. You can adjust the thickness (height) of the stand to align the centers. If you have some spokes at hand, you can determine the spoke length to some extent by inserting the spokes into the hub and pointing them toward the rim hole.

The combination of hub diameter and rim size is, so to speak, infinite. Different models have different spoke lengths, and different rim manufacturers have different characteristics. If there are spokes that fit within the acceptable range of dimensions, they can be used. However, all genuine manufacturer spokes are managed by part number and not by "spoke thickness", "length under the neck" or "nipple outer diameter". Therefore, when considering the use of genuine manufacturer's spokes, it is not possible without knowing the various dimensional data. The spokes for internal use shown in the photo are almost the same in thickness, bending angle, and the upper dimension of the neck, but the lower length of the neck is 2mm different. Both spokes are interchangeable, but if the long spokes are used, the tip of the spokes may stick out, and if the short spokes are used, the threads may be exposed at the nipple.

Example of the same thickness but different nipple outer diameter

There are many different types of spoke thicknesses. If you think about the difference between the thin spokes of a moped and the thick spokes of a motocrosser, anyone should be able to understand. Also, if you compare the front wheel and the rear wheel, which is the drive wheel, the rear wheel is thicker than the drive wheel, even on the same model. Some nipples have the same spoke diameter (thickness) and the same thread size, but have different outer diameters due to the difference in the "dimple hole diameter" on the rim side. In the case of customization, this type of nipple is often helpful.

Yamaha Serow and Bronco rear wheels

The part numbers for the rear drum brake hub for the early Yamaha Serow and the rear drum brake hub for the Bronco are different. However, when the actual products were checked, the dimensions were almost the same. In other words, the part number was managed by the difference of paint finish or buff finish. The rear wheel size of both Serow and Bronco is the same, 18 inches. So you would think that the spokes would be the same, but actually, the length is different. The aluminum rim was used for the Serow and the steel rim was used for the Bronco, so there was a difference in the thickness of the rim to ensure the strength of the aluminum rim. The only difference between them is that the spoke length differs by 2mm. Knowing this reality can be helpful when using stock diversions.

The 18-inch conversion was accomplished with minor modifications.

Mr. Suzuki, the representative of Faith Company, said that there are many cases where the manufacturer's genuine spokes for other models are diverted for assembly. After confirming the spoke length, we pulled out two types of OEM Honda spokes from the parts bin, both 3.2mm thick. The best length was 161mm for the inner hanging and 163mm for the outer hanging from the bend under the neck. In this case, the bending angle of the neck was deepened slightly to adjust the set angle, and then it was used.

Rust on the spokes is an important point of concern that can greatly affect driving stability. It is surprisingly common for spokes to break as a result of impact during driving, for example, when landing after a slight jump, or when riding up on a curb. It is also important to know that once a spoke breaks, the negative chain of events can lead to one spoke breaking after another. Rust-free spokes are tough and resistant to external forces, but rusty spokes can easily snap.

When replacing a tire on a spoked motorcycle that has been used for a long time, check the runout of the rim after removing the tire, and at the same time, check the spokes for looseness and sticking. Are the spokes loose or sticking due to rust? Be sure to check them. It is not uncommon to find that the spokes are loose and the rim is swinging from side to side. The other day, I changed the tire on my Super Cub and found that the spokes were broken. While it is important to replace the spokes, it is also a good idea to center the spoke wheel and remove runout when the spoke wheel is used alone when changing the tire. There are many fans of old motorcycles who are particular about period parts, but I hope they will not forget to be particular about the condition as well as the parts.

In this case, instead of simply replacing the spokes, we practiced customizing by changing the rim size. I talked to Mr. Suzuki, the representative of Faith, who has a wealth of knowledge and know-how about spoke wheels and took pictures of the spoke measurement work.

There are many requests for size change. The chopper custom of changing Harley to 16 inches front and rear or Yamaha SR to 16 inches front and rear is also popular. There are many requests for Yamaha SR customization now and then. There are various types of customization such as classic style drum specification and high-performance disc brake specification. When supermotards were popular, there were a lot of custom 17-inch wide rims on off-road vehicles. In the customization movement, Face has always been the one supporting undercarriage. As for restoring old motorcycles, "I get a lot of requests to reupholster Kawasaki Z1/Z2, Honda CB750K series, and CB400FOUR.

We receive requests to reupholster wheels that we have never seen before, and in such cases, it is best to send us the wheel assembly before disassembly. After measuring the rim offset, etc., we disassembled and measured each spoke and nipple as single pieces before arranging for new parts.

In some cases, "We send the disassembled parts back to the user, and the owner polishes the hubs and rims and sends them back again," said Mr. Suzuki. We can take care of all the work, but it's better to leave the polished parts with us," said Mr. Suzuki of Faith. Consultation is the first step.