Wheel Lace and True - How Difficult? Have it done?

I finally have my rear hub ready to lace up to my RK/Excel 3.5" x 18" aluminum rim. I need a set of buchanan KKAW602SS spokes and I'll be ready to lace it up. My questions is, should I try this myself or just send it out to be done?

I've been trying to send it to Buchanan's but I guess they don't want my money. Makes me wonder if I can even get the spokes I need from them if I do decide to lace it up myself.

Can anybody recommend a good place to have a wheel laced and trued? Thanks

My son did his own for honda dirtbikes and was straight forward and went pretty easy. Just need a few tools and a fixture to spin it on to get it tight and true

Dave

Bucannans charges $99

You have to ship out rim and hub $30

They have to ship it back to you $30

If you need spokes $125

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You do it.

Harbor Feight truing stand $59.99 maybe less

Spoke wrench $7.99

That hub look very sweet 79MKll. I have seen a few good videos on lacing your own wheels on YouTube and it didn't look too much like brain surgery, good luck with that and post some pics if you decide to go for it!

You can always make a stand, this one was made from parts of a weight bench that never got used :blush:




It's not that hard to lace a tire and youtube has videos, before you start,check you rim on something flat to make sure that it is in good shape , if it is wobbly or has a real crappy weld it gets a little tougher.

After you put some miles on the bike I suggest that you give the spokes a tap test to make sure that they are all still tight.

JD

We true wheels here at the shop I work at. It's not to difficult though. The spokes pretty much will fall into their own spot on the rim. It is a little more technical than most people think though. Lacing is definately easier than trueing. You don't want to make an egg out of it.

Buchanan's recently raised their price to $107 for a lace and true. I've seen the videos on youtube and it looks like something I could do but as was mentioned above, the truing part is where I get worried. I really want this right for a street bike.

Boyd825, I'll keep that in mind...thanks.

I have an extra swingarm and axle that I was thinking I could use for a stand. I also have a magnetic base and a dial indicator for truing. I was thinking about lacing it myself and then having Buchanan's true it but the price for trueing is $88 and lace and true is $107...not really worth the trouble to save only $19.

I would like to learn how to do this though for future needs. I don't know why Buchanan's won't get back to me...they must have gotten slammed with work?? I've called a couple of local shops...mostly HD and chopper places....didn't get a real good feeling speaking with them.

Yeah, I've dealt with Buchanan's for several years now. They are out of california and as every business out there, they don't get in a hurry and don't readily return calls. Keep it in mind. I've been trueing wheels since 1993. Started on bicycle wheels and then motorcycles. Motorcycles are way easier than bicycles.

I have done mine. The shorter the spokes the harder I think. You wont end up with an egg with a little care. It is a little repetitive and tedious. I will do any I need done myself. Like mentioned check them now and then. I used a dial indicator for side runout and had guide on the top to watch for roundness.
Wayne

I just (10 minutes ago) got done doing my front wheel. It was the first one I've done and it took me the better part of 3.5 hours. I think I got it right as the vertical wobble is ~.050" and the horizontal wobble is ~.032". It is just very tedious and I got turned around a couple of times.

Now if someone could just explain the procedure for tightening the spokes down after it is trued so I don't screw it up it would be much appreciated. :blink:

2 shops in town quoted me 60 bucks lacing, 1 of em gave me buchanans phone number to get them
naturally I would use the guy who looked the number up but I'm thinkin an hour labor for experienced guys and the shop will make sure its true ballanced or whateever

I have a few friends (through this site) that will be the only ones who do my engine or carb work
or even certain custom sprocket work but wheels and tires that is a shops bread and butter amd seriously its way easier for them to lace a tire than it is for an engine guy to adjust the valves
or ad a 1075 kit so if you have a shop close let them have your businesss

hot rods cost allot wheels and tires they all do

Another option.


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