CB160 Racer

Okay, got some more done.

Got a clean CB450 wheel on ebay. No pics but it had a really cheesy ribbed tire on it.

Got the frame and tank back from a friend who’s a bitchin’ welder.



Latch from McMaster-Carr, welded in place.


A little cutting and fab work on the front tabs of the Riverside tank:


Keepers and re-tasked shock bushings hold it all in place up front:




Sandblasted the headpipes and exhaust collars:


Tires and shocks on order, triple tree and poor man’s clip-ons on deck. Tally-ho.


Honda go sideways!

Waitin' for parts to come in and toolin’ around on a cold Saturday afternoon…


Got some new (cheapo) shocks (feh…they’ll do for now):



Oh yeah, check the sexy Tarozzi rearsets and the one-off, resin-bonded, organic fiber (a.k.a. plywood) tailpiece base.


Gonna lace the original 160 hub up to this fine D.I.D. rim (got it at Mid-Ohio years ago and have been waiting to find a use for the damn 36-hole thing ever since):






Honda go sideways!

Eric,
These are laser cut stainless rearsets specific to the 160s for $25 a set. They are available from Vicious Cycle at 503-285-8824




More photos are here on the Group W Racing website:

http://www.groupwracing.com/additionalphotos.html





Cheers, Bret @ Glass from the Past

Okay. So, after taking my time and doing everything WRONG on the first attempt, I got the 160 rear hub laced up to a brand spankin’ new D.I.D. rim.


Started with this:



Stripped the old clear coat and wet sanded down the hub with 400 grit paper.



Cleaned it up with further wet sanding, 600 grit then 1000.



Buffed it on the wheel:



Finally, hand polish it (here’s a shot of the paint stripper and polish, quality products both). Still needs some finish polishing, but it looks a damn sight better than before.





Honda go sideways!

Okay. So, after taking my time and doing everything WRONG on the first attempt, I got the 160 rear hub laced up to a brand spankin’ new D.I.D. rim.


Started with this:



Stripped the old clear coat and wet sanded down the hub with 400 grit paper.



Cleaned it up with further wet sanding, 600 grit then 1000.



Buffed it on the wheel:



Finally, hand polish it (here’s a shot of the paint stripper and polish, quality products both). Still needs some finish polishing, but it looks a damn sight better than before.





Honda go sideways!

Okay, now for the lacing.

I’ve posted pics of the whole process for the benefit of anyone who’s never laced a rim. It’s pretty tricky to do without tangling/mixing up the spokes or scratching the crap outta your fancy new rim…anybody who has a better way, please post up (I’m going to lace the front hub to a new rim too).

Side by side with a junker 160 wheel for comparison:



Sort the spokes. There are two different types, I called them “over” and “under.” The “over” spokes run up from the inside of the hub and lay over the flange. “Under” spokes run opposite. Second pic shows the more rounded angle of the head on the “over” spoke on the right:



Side by side comparo of the spokes. (Sorry about the image quality, cheap ass camera and a dumb ass photographer):



Alright, the spokes are run over and under. Tape the pairs together or get really baffled really quick. Half the hub laced:



And both sides laced:



By the way, don’t try to lace the spokes to the rim one at a time. Trust me.

Now, lay the rim over the hub and spokes and slowly, gently screw each nipple (!!!!) on the spokes. The spokes run in a predictable pattern; just stare at a finished wheel for a minute and you’ll see it. Install the nipples on the “under” spokes first, then go back and “nipple” the “overs” (I have no comment). Also, only run each nipple on about 3 or 4 threads so you have some slop to move the rim around as you line up the spokes. Here’s the finished deal:



There she is.

Swamped 160 hub: Free. Hell, I almost pitched it.

Paint stripper and polish: $10

Swap meet aluminum rim: $10

Set of spokes from Buchanan’s: $75

Sexy new wheel: Priceless




Now I gotta figure out how to true it….


Honda go sideways!

Okay, now for the lacing.

I’ve posted pics of the whole process for the benefit of anyone who’s never laced a rim. It’s pretty tricky to do without tangling/mixing up the spokes or scratching the crap outta your fancy new rim…anybody who has a better way, please post up (I’m going to lace the front hub to a new rim too).

Side by side with a junker 160 wheel for comparison:



Sort the spokes. There are two different types, I called them “over” and “under.” The “over” spokes run up from the inside of the hub and lay over the flange. “Under” spokes run opposite. Second pic shows the more rounded angle of the head on the “over” spoke on the right:



Side by side comparo of the spokes. (Sorry about the image quality, cheap ass camera and a dumb ass photographer):



Alright, the spokes are run over and under. Tape the pairs together or get really baffled really quick. Half the hub laced:



And both sides laced:



By the way, don’t try to lace the spokes to the rim one at a time. Trust me.

Now, lay the rim over the hub and spokes and slowly, gently screw each nipple (!!!!) on the spokes. The spokes run in a predictable pattern; just stare at a finished wheel for a minute and you’ll see it. Install the nipples on the “under” spokes first, then go back and “nipple” the “overs” (I have no comment). Also, only run each nipple on about 3 or 4 threads so you have some slop to move the rim around as you line up the spokes. Here’s the finished deal:



There she is.

Swamped 160 hub: Free. Hell, I almost pitched it.

Paint stripper and polish: $10

Swap meet aluminum rim: $10

Set of spokes from Buchanan’s: $75

Sexy new wheel: Priceless




Now I gotta figure out how to true it….


Honda go sideways!

Hate to tell you...but I lace every wheel I've ever done one spoke at a time, and I've laced and trued dozens. No reason to scratch the rim, nothing should have to be forced into place.
Usually you can just eyeball the rim hole and where it's pointed and hook it up to the right hub hole...and the wrong (over/under) spokes won't go in the wrong place (without forcing them) so that's not a problem. And each over spoke and under spoke is spaced with three holes between it and the spoke of the same type on the same side.

Anyway you look at it, nice job...I still feel pround when I spoke a rim, it's cool taking all the parts and making a wheel. And..best advice is to spoke them whatever way you are most comfortable with...assuming it gets done right....or else confusion will ensue.

I start by installing four spokes...two crosses (one set of over/under) on sides 180 degrees apart...thats enough to hold the rim and hub in place while you do the rest. I do one whole side of the wheel then the other....although I do always end up removing about 9 spokes to get the last 9 spokes in....hard to explain...but it's because I don't install them in the proper sequence...and since I'm "comfortable" with my method that's what I stick with even though it takes ten minutes longer.

Truing is easy...buy or build a stand with four little bearings that support the axle...get a dial indicator and go to town. Start by getting it very close to true perpendicular to the axle "up and down" by of course tightening spokes on hump...loosening on the valleys. When that's done (spokes shouldn't be tight at this point)...the work with the side to side true....if it wobbles right...tighten the spokes on the left at that spot...and vice versa if it wobbles left.

Kind of fun really, takes me an hour or so but I can usually get a good rim down to .010 - .015" of runout. Has to be a quality rim though, I've done a few of the Chinese knock-offs...they suck, crappy welds, stress cracks at the spoke holes, inferior grade of aluminum etc. Lucky to get one of those within .050".
JohnnyB

Hate to tell you...but I lace every wheel I've ever done one spoke at a time, and I've laced and trued dozens. No reason to scratch the rim, nothing should have to be forced into place.
Usually you can just eyeball the rim hole and where it's pointed and hook it up to the right hub hole...and the wrong (over/under) spokes won't go in the wrong place (without forcing them) so that's not a problem. And each over spoke and under spoke is spaced with three holes between it and the spoke of the same type on the same side.

Anyway you look at it, nice job...I still feel pround when I spoke a rim, it's cool taking all the parts and making a wheel. And..best advice is to spoke them whatever way you are most comfortable with...assuming it gets done right....or else confusion will ensue.

I start by installing four spokes...two crosses (one set of over/under) on sides 180 degrees apart...thats enough to hold the rim and hub in place while you do the rest. I do one whole side of the wheel then the other....although I do always end up removing about 9 spokes to get the last 9 spokes in....hard to explain...but it's because I don't install them in the proper sequence...and since I'm "comfortable" with my method that's what I stick with even though it takes ten minutes longer.

Truing is easy...buy or build a stand with four little bearings that support the axle...get a dial indicator and go to town. Start by getting it very close to true perpendicular to the axle "up and down" by of course tightening spokes on hump...loosening on the valleys. When that's done (spokes shouldn't be tight at this point)...the work with the side to side true....if it wobbles right...tighten the spokes on the left at that spot...and vice versa if it wobbles left.

Kind of fun really, takes me an hour or so but I can usually get a good rim down to .010 - .015" of runout. Has to be a quality rim though, I've done a few of the Chinese knock-offs...they suck, crappy welds, stress cracks at the spoke holes, inferior grade of aluminum etc. Lucky to get one of those within .050".
JohnnyB