Wheel Offset

[duTch]

 Hey guys, didn't intend to cause confusion, I'm totally on your side, as I said, it didn't make sense to me either- maybe a slight front wheel offset might counteract road camber or something, but I don't really want to go there -

       Makes total sense to me to have the front wheel central, and as Bill said(You're quite welcome to butt in Bill), I just posted that(from Gary) to see if I'd misread it and attract opinions.

  Sorry Jules, I really can't say what is 'correct', but reckon go with your intuition.
As I said, and if my maths is ok, I made my rear wheel (plunger QD WM3- 80mm wide) so the centre of rim is about 5mm to left of hub centre, if it were a WM2(70mm wide), the rim would be in line with the edge of hub on drive/left/spline side(I think?). I was using a S/A wheel until I found the truth, but I think it's about the same, 'cept it's a bit out of shape!
    But as with lots of things, I feel that is an arbitrary guideline requiring 'fine tuning' to satisfaction

 Good luck, duTch

[Jules]

Thanks Dutch/Bill, I guess Bill's comment makes more sense actually because I couldn't see how you could run with the front wheel offset to the steering head/forks either. Its very pertinent for me right now because I'm at the rebuild stage of the front end and the front wheel is currently offset to the right by about 10mm and I am about to take corrective action! cheers

[bsa-bill]

A little at a time Jules as it doesn't take much, 1/4 turn per spoke per side and check. 10mm you'll probably be there on second time around

[Jules]

thanks Bill, never tried this before so a bit anxious I might stuff it up actually! I remember trying to straighten my old pushbike wheel as lad and really messed it up, worse after than before! 
Is there a technique to follow to avoid flats/ovality etc? I assume that you are suggesting 1/4 turn ON on one side and 1/4 turn OFF on the other ie alternate spokes?? cheers

[bsa-bill]

Yes but I would go  1/4 turn off first
Assuming the wheel is pretty true to start with you won't go far wrong, if there is any ovality then the same procedure applied across the wheel.

Also I find it helpful to wind a bit of tape onto the spoke I start on, I can count up to forty just fine but not while I'm doing something else at the same time

[Jules]

thanks Bill, I'll give a go..........

[duTch]

 Hi Jules, sorry if I confused you, was trying to keep it simple too
 After lacing my wheels, then took them to the wheel guys to true with 'offset estimate', then  I did fairly much as Bill said (off one side first, then on the other) , but I started at the valve hole, and also marked reference points on the nipples(do it as you go? red for right, green for left-Guzzi timing colours, not political !), as it's really easy to mix it up ('specially with my 2-1/2 second attention span ),......
 You'll be right, if I c'n do it....
 cheers

 Actually Bill I think we only need to count to twenty, but was it this twenty, < or ? > that twenty....? (think I never wrote 'twenty' before- looks weird ?)

[bsa-bill]

but I started at the valve hole

Jeez - I've laced all the wheels on my two bikes and never thought of the valve hole as a marker, how dumb is that, some times I just can't see the wood for the trees

[duTch]

                                                 

[Motoanimal]

Guys,

Sorry, I'd like to butt in too please 

I was very interested to read your discussion as I have a 1956 swinging arm A10 with cast iron hubs and like a complete plank, I just cut all the spokes assuming that new rims could be built with the hubs central. I should have taken some measurements first!

Now I may be using the wrong method, but I would swear that the hub is central in the swinging arm and the swinging arm is central in the frame after assembling to check. So is it only the plunger which has the offset?

[Housewiz]

I found directions and video for a pretty sturdy and less than $20 truing stand during a Google search made from PVC piping that used a zip tie to measure distance to the side of the rim.  If spoked wheels are in our lives, it's a very handy shop tool.

In my bicycle mechanic days, I would put the whole bike in a cradle/bottom bracket stand and use the rubber brake shoes to help me quickly straighten just about any wobbly rim.  In an A10 rim case the zip tie makes a simple bicycle brake shoe.  I would loosen two spokes, depending on the severity of the out-of-trueness, 1/4 - 1/2 turn on the side that hit the rubber shoe then jump over the spoke between the loosened two, and tighten the middle spoke a turn or more to pull the rim back in alignment.  Did that quickly all around the circumference 3 times then made a last check for any loose spokes and repeat the process until all were snug.  Less than 5 min for most rims - certainly more for A10 rims.

We had shop tools to wrestle (ie. pull or push) rims back into round.  A truing stand is a great friend during all these maneuvers.

Not much help for the main heading of this post but hopefully helpful info when doing the final touches after the off-set and lacing are complete.

Thanks,

Steve

[duTch]

 Gee-wiz Wizza, I wish you hadn't brought that up, last night heading up the road for a feed on the treadly, had to slow up for a down-hill left hander and the savage front brake took hold, and over the top I went-bugga, second time in three weeks!
 Good thing I have a hard head, or no brains-....kick!!