Author Topic: Help Needed stripping wheels (Read 1653 times)

childhooddream · « **on:** July 29, 2012, 05:40 PM »

Just got a pair of pro class wheels on the way but they are proper surviour condition and they are to go with my team goose im building which is the going to be pretty mint..

So fancy stripping them down, cleaning myself before sending to get new spokes/nipples and re built.

Ive looked through the stickies and can only find wheel building not the opposite.

Is there a quick, easy and best way to go about stripping wheels down cleaning the hubs etc.

Thanks in advance guys

wildon · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2012, 05:44 PM »

If the spokes are too far gone and hard work to get off just get some wire cutters and snip them in half. BUT ... remember to get the freewheel off before you do anything... If you split the wheels first you'll have a MASSIVE problem removing it after

rick1970 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2012, 05:45 PM »

if your putting new spokes on dont bother undoing them takes forever , cut spokes with strong wire cutters

childhooddream · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2012, 05:50 PM »

So take free wheels off.. cut spokes and ready to rock.

I dont know whether the hubs are sealed or not will have to tackle that once they arrive this week... guessing depending whether hubs are sealed or not depends how I take apart and clean etc? any tips?

Also any ideas of best way to clean/polish the rims? I didnt think they pro class were that shiny anyway?

energiza · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2012, 06:02 PM »

if wheels are anodized buy some ovenbride or oven brite..comes with a perfect bag that a rim fits in lovely

john4130 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2012, 08:33 AM »

i bought a set of pro-class wheels from tim march 1-2 years ago, this is how they looked.

make sure you remove the freewheel first and then remove the spokes, i don't like cutting spokes off even when they are this bad. mines where silver anodised so i gave them a caustic bath and a polish and stripped the looseball hubs cleaned regreased and polished. new spokes and rebuilt, now they are on my race inc ra7.

stidds · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2012, 08:41 AM »

Quote from: childhooddream on July 29, 2012, 05:50 PM

So take free wheels off.. cut spokes and ready to rock.

I dont know whether the hubs are sealed or not will have to tackle that once they arrive this week... guessing depending whether hubs are sealed or not depends how I take apart and clean etc? any tips?

Also any ideas of best way to clean/polish the rims? I didnt think they pro class were that shiny anyway?

As the guys have said, take off the freewheel (if you want to re-use it) whilst the wheel is still built otherwise it wont come off without clamping the hub in a vice (which will damage it).

If the spokes are shit then cut them off, but leave one full length if you can so you can measure it so you know what size to buy for the rebuild.

Then clean everything up, if the rims need refurbishing then wash them first to see what you have to work with. Then you can get some wet and dry paper and sand them back (do a search to see how people have done theirs).

Spen69 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2012, 08:58 AM »

Yep, pretty much what everyone has already said Russ. Personally I don't cut my spokes I undo the tension gradually around the rim with a screwdriver from the back of rims but that's my preference.

For god's sake take the freewheel off or you'llnhave to re-build half the wheel again to do it. As for the rims, they were never highly polished from new so try and resist the temptation to polish the knackers out if them.......

Hubs just strip them down and de-grease then hot soapy water to scrub clean, bit of 2000 grit and peek or whatever then rebuild them.

Finally if you're going to ride it then make sure you don't buy alloy nipples so you can do a really good final tension on them and not strip the threads.

Done about a dozen sets of ProClass and they always look a million times better for this effort - you will never get the damn things clean otherwise.....

childhooddream · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2012, 08:23 PM »

Thanks guys..

Yeah Spen thats what I thought take some time and get cleaned up nicely as they are going to go on the team goose so want them to look as mint as..

Well they came today and look pretty good but rusty spokes and hubs need cleaning as the front doesnt move that freely...

Gonna take some before pics then get stripping and cleaning before re-building..

Keep an eye out for before and after pics..