SPOKES

pineapple dave · Post by **pineapple dave** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 4:24 pm

Looking at relacing my rims and wondering who's got good new spokes I could buy.
'64 Honda Dream 305, Thanks pineapple dave

Mike Mullins · Post by **Mike Mullins** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:42 pm

I bought stainless spokes from Buchanan's. More expensive than the imports, but absolutely first class.
Mike

davomoto · Post by **davomoto** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:40 pm

Dave, I second Buchannons! They are really great folks, and thier spokes are better than OEM. Another ides is to have yours re-plated. I just did several sets for CB and CL77s, along with nuts bolts brackets etc. Clear cadnium is the way to go, looks great, and more durable than zinc. You can get a lot of parts plated for 70-80 bucks.

davomoto

rbaselt · Post by **rbaselt** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:11 pm

davomoto,
Where can you have cad plating done in California? All the places I checked had stopped that process due to CalOSHA regulations. I've been doing nickel on my OEM spokes, stays shiny forever and not as bright as chrome. --Randall

davomoto · Post by **davomoto** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:09 pm

Randall, there's a place in Hayward that I use. here's thier website. http://www.eps-plating.com/
Nickle is a really nice finish for sure. Do you do that, or have it done?

davomoto

rbaselt · Post by **rbaselt** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:10 pm

davo,
Thanks for the referral. I lived just across the bay in Foster City for many years and heard of them. Used to drive down to San Jose for chrome, nickel and zinc. I may try sending them parts for cad plating by mail. Their non-shiny nickel also sounds interesting.

Do you clear-coat the cad-plated items before installation? I do that with zinc-plated hardware and the finish lasts much longer.

Folks should be encouraged to retain their OEM spokes. Most of the replacements are not single or double-butted like the originals. Also, those little cupped washers on the inside of the rim must serve some useful purpose. Honda rarely did things arbitrarily. --Randall

davomoto · Post by **davomoto** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:55 pm

Randall, I don't think clear coating is necessary with the cad plating. It is much more durable that zinc, and from what I understand, it's better for spokes than chrome because of the stretch factor. I have found NOA spokes that were butted, but most aren't.

davomoto