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Spokes

barron_williams

Monza Blue 1974 R90/6
One of my spoke nipples (front wheel) broke this summer. Not bad for 38 or so years.

I'm going to send the wheel off for new spokes while we are in the January doldrums. Looks like Buchanan's unless somebody has a better idea.

Stainless steel seems to be the spoke choice, but they offer nipples in stainless steel or nickel plated. Anybody know the difference? Pros/cons?

Barron
1974 R90/6
 
One of my spoke nipples (front wheel) broke this summer. Not bad for 38 or so years.

I'm going to send the wheel off for new spokes while we are in the January doldrums. Looks like Buchanan's unless somebody has a better idea.

Stainless steel seems to be the spoke choice, but they offer nipples in stainless steel or nickel plated. Anybody know the difference? Pros/cons?

Barron
1974 R90/6
Lets get a few fellow airheads together, a bottle of Buchanan's master blend or Johnny Walker blue and have a tech session on how to spoke a wheel:clap!,, i:buds!,,,
Stainless is a little better, but look how long the ones you had on there last...if your going with stainless spokes then stay with stainless nipples, my own opinion. :bikes
 
Stainless steel seems to be the spoke choice, but they offer nipples in stainless steel or nickel plated. Anybody know the difference? Pros/cons?

Nickel plated spokes cost less, stainless steel spokes won't rust.

If bicycle spokes are any indication, the metallurgy of stainless steel spokes is excellent and there's no good reason for an individual not to pay the small cost premium for them.
 
Stainless steel seems to be the spoke choice, but they offer nipples in stainless steel or nickel plated. Anybody know the difference? Pros/cons?

Barron
1974 R90/6

I have absolutely no experience with stainless steel spokes, but as a mechanical engineer with many years of industrial experience I do know well that stainless steel on stainless steel is an open invitation to galling. Stainless spokes and plated nipples might be a good combination to prevent that. In any event use anti-seize.
 
I have absolutely no experience with stainless steel spokes, but as a mechanical engineer with many years of industrial experience I do know well that stainless steel on stainless steel is an open invitation to galling. Stainless spokes and plated nipples might be a good combination to prevent that. In any event use anti-seize.
Yup!
 
Buchanan's include a bottle of their preferred lubricant with purchase of a set o' spokes. Looked like linseed oil to me. The Airhead wheel went together quite easily for me, a former pro bicycle mechanic:

Lacing:

BMW98.jpg


Initial tensioning:

BMW99.jpg


Final tensioning and truing:

BMW108.jpg


Good luck!
 
Buchanan's include a bottle of their preferred lubricant with purchase of a set o' spokes. Looked like linseed oil to me. The Airhead wheel went together quite easily for me, a former pro bicycle mechanic:

is there a jobst brandt of motorcycle wheels?
 
I have absolutely no experience with stainless steel spokes, but as a mechanical engineer with many years of industrial experience I do know well that stainless steel on stainless steel is an open invitation to galling. Stainless spokes and plated nipples might be a good combination to prevent that. In any event use anti-seize.

On bicycles, the spoke nipples are either plated brass or alloy. Boiled linseed oil is a traditional lubricant/locking compound. Some folks use Spoke Prep, SpokeFreeze or purple loc-tite. I've had good luck with Nevr-Seez on my bicycle wheels.
 
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