MTFCA Forum

The hubs, rims, and spokes are in hand and ready to go. I built a wheel press using John Reagan’s plans. I have watched some videos on YouTube. So, it’s time to get this done. I know there are things I don’t know, and I would love any tips, tricks, warnings about things I should watch out for before I dive in.

It’s getting to be spring here in Alaska and I need my wheels to take advantage.

Make sure you are going straight when drilling the holes for the bolts. Also the holes go between the spokes, so look thru the holes in the hub before you drill so you can see both spokes in the hole.

Be sure to install the spokes so that the chamfer at the base of the spoke faces the fillet at the hub. Watch for spokes twisting out of alignment as you tighten down the press and keep them aligned, otherwise a spoke base edge may splinter off from the pressure.

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I too am going to respoke my wheels soon. So yesterday I set the Regan press a friend borrowed me on my workbench & did a trial setup. That way I will know more what to look for and expect at game time. Steve Jelf’s tutorial on this procedure is very good. Thank you everyone who post videos & give great advice on every topic!
A question I want to ask is when varnishing the spokes, I know that no varnish is to be applied where spokes fit tight to each other, but is it OK to varnish the sides that the hub and outer plate fit against before assembly so as to have a nice clean finish?
Harvey

Be aware that there are 2 different length spokes used on clincher rims...they only vary by 1/32" but that is the difference in them being tighter than you'd think (which is correct), and falling out when you're done (which isn't!). If when using the press, they flop in with little drama or difficulty, they're probably too short.

It's not at all unusual for a "T" to have a mixture of felloes, so be careful, and be sure.

I sealed and varnished the front and rear faces of the spokes and the wheels turned out fine.

I have respoked 2 sets of wheels and found that the regan press works ok on the rear wheel but too low for the front. I needed to add a 2/4 under the wheel for the front spindle. I also found the the rear wheel fit ok on the threaded rod with little wobbling but the front would want to tilt as the spokes were turned down. I made a wooden plug to fit over the rod and the diameter of the hub. To keep the spokes going down evenly I used a straight edge across the hub checking in many spots the height is even and if not using a rubber hammer to get them even. Hopes this helps

You can prime and paint the exposed portions of the spokes and front and rear flat areas, but do not paint the flat angled areas that join together. Also, do not paint the tenons. Even the thickness of the paint can cause the spokes to be too tight and not go in. As you tighten the spokes down, on every turn of the nut, stop and be sure all of the spoke faces are even with eachother and that the spokes are going in straight. Make adjustment as you go by pushing, pulling and twisting the uneven or twisted spokes, as needed. At a certain point you will be unable to make adjustments, but hopefully, by then, they will need no more adjusting. Toward the end, the nut will be almost impossible to turn just before it starts to get very easy as the spokes pass their tightest point and pop into place. If you find they are going in crooked, twisted, or uneven, or not to your liking, don’t be afraid to start over. It took me 3 attempts until I learned enough to get it right. Jim Patrick

Not necessarily one method fits all, there are wood felloes, steel felloes and tapered spokes and the methods of assembly are somewhat different. With a steel felloe the procedure described above would be one method, with a steel felloe and tapered spokes the procedure is different. With tapered spokes they are not pressed in, just set in by hand and the last spoke is installed like a wedge then the hub is tightened and that "presses" the assembly together. With wood felloes there are two options, press them in as standard the same as steel felloes, or install the spokes and felloes as an assembly by placing half of the assembly in the rim ie 6 spokes and half a felloe then insert the remaining 6 spokes into the other half felloe and press that half with the 6 spokes and felloe in as a complete assembly. The half felloe with the 6 spokes can be pressed in or can be tapped in with a wood mallet.
My point here is that not one method fits all. I soaked all my spoked with Linseed oil as it is a drying oil and can be painted over when dry, the drying time takes about a week.

...there are wood felloes, steel felloes and tapered spokes and the methods of assembly are somewhat different.

This is why I assemble my own steel felloe wheels but have a professional wheelwright with the experience and the proper equipment assemble wood felloe wheels for me.

All the pictures & videos I’ve seen show the hubs being pressed with no seals in them. My hubs have new bearings, races, & seals installed. Is there any reason I can’t press these hubs with the inner bearings & seals in place ?
Harvey

Harvey, it's a snap if you have the fixturing and an 80 ton press...

or the ability to machine the assembled spokes' ID to a correct/known size concentric to the felloe and press the hub in with a 10 ton press

some guys can and do, but most use the Regan Press and do it that way.

I do have a Regan press I Weill be using. I am still looking for any thought on pressing spokes while I have new bearings & seals installed. I sure don’t think it will be an issue, but non the less, still wanted any opinions. Thank you!
Harvey

Harvey, one of the few perceived weaknesses of the Regan Press is the fact that it requires more care on hub alignment than I think some folks realize. The most successful jobs and the best advice will always involve some sort of upper and lower alignment guides which keep things square to the spokes...in my personal case, I have upper and lower pilots. One set of pilots is for a hub with no bearing races installed, and one set is for hubs that have bearing races installed (I'd rather know the hub/race fit is good BEFORE I marry it to spokes!). What I would NOT want to do is press the wheel together using the roller bearing as the "push" part. I would personally be inclined to sacrifice the new seal and remove the roller right now rather than risk damage to either the roller or race. It is very good that you mentioned this prior to starting and now you have the info to make a decision which is right for you. It takes a LOT of force applied to the hub to start the "teepee" of spokes to nest together correctly and the highest forces occur just past the point where you would estimate that things are 3/4 of the way pressed home. Soap or beeswax on the tenons can be helpful and do not be tempted to reduce the diameter of the tenons...they are supposed to be larger than the holes in the felloes and re-swell to size after pressed through.

good luck!

I would not do it with the bearings in place. The races should be fine. It is not hard to install the inner bearings. Just make sure there is no way that your equipment might damage the races.

Scott,
You are right in making bushings to push on the races and I have access to a turning lathe to make them. That way I should have zero trouble with keeling the hubs centered & with a little patience, I should get great results. Thank you!
Harvey

harvey, when you make it, you want it to push on the edge/end of the race and have a diameter very close to the ID of the hub...you do not want to be pushing on the taper/bearing face of the race as that will possibly damage the surface finish and transfer lots of force outward rather than downward...I bet you see what I'm getting at

I have a huge respect for the Regan press. But I have 2 Hyd. presses suitable for wheels is there a thread on using a Hyd. press all I seem to
find is info one the Regan. Other than a Youtube video on a spoke repair.
Thanks.
Craig.

Scott,
I clearly understand what you are saying. Today I will take a spare hub to a shop & make bushings to fit both the inner & outer races. With that the hub stays centered nicely. Also will not hold the felloe in place with bolts as it will center itself when pressing. I think I’m on the right track now.
Harvey