Front and Rear Wheel Spokes 1976 BMW R75/6

Evening,

Have several questions as I finally got the tires off the rims and am about to take all the spokes of, remove the grease and bearings then plastic bead blast the hubs to clean up before I install new spokes. I have about 5 - 6 spoke wrenchs in the drawer, but none fit the shoulder nipples. Does anyone have any idea what size of spoke wrench I should be looking at.

Second question is there was a green, almost like a duct tape used in place of the rubber inner band that protects the inner tube from the top of the nipples to prevent it from pinching or causing a slow leak in the inner tube. My question is what is this tape and how do you clean the inner rim after all these years of tire crude?

I don't have the answer for you on the spoke wrench size, which is probably your most important question.

But, for the rims - sounds like somewhere down the line somebody saved a few dollars and used tape instead of replacing the rubber strip that protects the inner tube from the spokes. As far as I know, it should be a circle of rubber, probably 3-4cm wide, about the same thickness as an inner tube. I get mine from the dealer (I bring them the cleaned up wheel to mount and balance tires and ask that they replace the protector strip along with the tube).

For the clean up inside the rim, I initially used some solvent, a stiff brush, and a lot of elbow grease. I had to use a brass brush in a couple of places. It is amazing how much crud builds up over 30+ years. After that first serious clean up, a quick revisit at tire changes is all it takes to keep the the inside of the rim nice and bright.

Barron

My father, who started riding in the '30's, and still rides sidecar outfits, taught me to use electrical or duct tape on rims when changing tires.

Fabric Rim Tape

My wheels had fabric rim tape that I replaced with the last tire change. On bicycle wheels, fabric rim tape is the norm. The rubber rim strips don't last as long, especially with high pressure tires. Motion Pro makes a motorcycle version which I'll probabbly use next time I change tires.

Just cut the spokes out. If you are worried about a sudden drop in tension distorting the rim, just use a small crescent hammer (some call it a wrench) to take a turn or two off all the spokes before you cut.

The tape rimstrip is thinner than a rubber rimstrip and will make tire changing just a tiny bit easier.

Not only that, but it doesn't move around, thereby making lining up the hole for the valve stem so much easier.

b25bsaboy said:

Evening,

Have several questions as I finally got the tires off the rims and am about to take all the spokes of, remove the grease and bearings then plastic bead blast the hubs to clean up before I install new spokes. I have about 5 - 6 spoke wrenchs in the drawer, but none fit the shoulder nipples. Does anyone have any idea what size of spoke wrench I should be looking at.

Second question is there was a green, almost like a duct tape used in place of the rubber inner band that protects the inner tube from the top of the nipples to prevent it from pinching or causing a slow leak in the inner tube. My question is what is this tape and how do you clean the inner rim after all these years of tire crude?

Click to expand...

Thank you to all that responded to my questions with regards to the tape and spokes wrench.

Here is what I know so far.

1. The tape is from the Canadian Armed Forces. That's explains the military green as the former owner was a civilian technician for many years and had access to the tape.

2. The spoke wrench was another matter. It seems the spoke nipples are about smaller than a 5mm wrench size. So I took matter into my own, found a spoke wrench that I bought years ago put the Dremel to the internals and custom made a wrench that would fit, thus I was able to get the spokes off without having to cut or butcher the spokes. Some of the spokes were almost welded in place, but with a little luck and good rust penitate thread solvent, all came away. Some of the shoulders weren't pretty, as they are going to the recycle bin anyways.

Now it clean the rims, remove some of the tire changing in the past rim marks and to be polished out too a lustre shine. Will be soaking the rims in solvent to lossen the internal crude that has built up over the years.

The hubs will be plastic bead blasted to get rid of the aluminum oxide that has built up over the years, new bearings. Then relaced, trued and tires remounted.

The next step is to rebuild the front forks and hopfully we will have a rolling frame, ready for the wiring. Engine and transmission are next winters project.

Best Regards,

A couple wraps of electrical tape

I have always put a couple wraps of electrical tape around my rims as opposed to the rubber strip, No reason other than its handy and my local independent shop has done it for 20 years with no bad results.
On the subject of using a Dremmel to cut the old spokes out, I would steer clear of that if possible as I warped a nice set of OEM alloys a bunch of years ago doing that very thing. I'm stubborn and self punishing so I am reminded every time I take a ride on my R 60US.

69zeff65 said:

I have always put a couple wraps of electrical tape around my rims as opposed to the rubber strip, No reason other than its handy and my local independent shop has done it for 20 years with no bad results.
On the subject of using a Dremmel to cut the old spokes out, I would steer clear of that if possible as I warped a nice set of OEM alloys a bunch of years ago doing that very thing. I'm stubborn and self punishing so I am reminded every time I take a ride on my R 60US.

Click to expand...

The dremmel was used to open the spoke wrench so that it would fit the nipples thus being able to remove them and NOT cutting any spokes. Would never cut or butcher spokes as they can be reused by someone else.