e3steve wrote:So chaps, preferences? Chrome, cad-plated of s-steel? Talking about for my CB. The kits from Thailand look good-q.
Interested in your opinions, especially yours, lm. And especially if anyone's bought a Thai kit. I don't mind being a guineapig for you guys.
Rgds, Steve
SPOKES
I have mine cad plated and the cost isn't much at all. ............lm
The Thai Green Curry......sorry, thinking of food again! Word association. The Thai spokes on eBay are circa $50 for a full set of 72, front & rear, either cad or chrome. Cadmium is a serious environmental hazard, it's known these days - then again, so's chromium, I guess. I think the cad-plate will look better, as chrome spokes are a bit in-your-face. And cad won't rust - chrome will, if not respected. And I live right on the bloody beach!
I s'pose I've just talked myself in here..... sort of answered my own question. I really would like stainless steel, but I'm not happy about using stainless nipples with 'em. Stainless threads, espacially that small (M4?) don't have a particularly high level of strength and the threads' peaks tend to 'drag' under tensile strain. Spokes are, by their very nature, quite stressed in the tensile department. Comments / experiences anyone? I got a set of the Thai spokes with a parts bike, and they are crap! Smaller diameter than stockers, too shiny etc. I was able to order OEM from local Honda dealer. I used Buchannon stainless on my cafe bike, and they are the nicest in my opinion. Don't cheap out on the spokes, they are very stressed, and obviously important.
davomoto
i've seen several posts pertaining to needing to redrill the holes to align properly ... doesnt seem like a good idear to me, unless you know the proper angles and have access to a machining center that can put them in properly.
if anyone knows the proper angles and can enlighten me it'd be great ! contemplating making my own rims for my ca77, futile without the angles!
The angle would be determined by the nipple-cup pressed into the central flute on the rim, so redrilling would only be necessary if either the nipple didn't fit through the original perforations or, which seems more likely, the perforations were incorrectly aligned in the cup. What's equally critical, for a decent resto, is the continuity of the chrome plating; any redrilling will destroy the chrome and open the base steel to the elements leaving it ready to rust and further undermine the plating.
I've told the vendor that I'm prepared to take a chance on the quality of his rims at $60 a pair. Trouble is that I'll be way out-of-pocket on the shipping if I'm dissatisfied and have to send them back. Re-group; re-think!
Incidentally, how about these spoke kits?:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 43173&rd=1 DID appears to be a quality-manufacturer - chains and such. Made in Japan, not Thailand.
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