Mounting odd hub into truing stand

FluxZoom

100 W
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Mar 25, 2016
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Midwest, USA
https://i.imgur.com/hhQ1fz7.jpg This hub is from a trike, but I don't know how to mount it into a truing stand.

I try to true the wheel while it's mounted on the trike, but I keep messing it up, sucks this way. Anyone know a way to mount this funky hub in a truing stand?

Thanks
 
The only way I can think of is to modify a matching trike axle to use as a mandrel.

Just a few days ago, I trued a wheel like that on a godforsaken Schwinn Meridian. I put the trike in a workstand and trued it using the tip of my left thumb as an indicator point.

I trued the left wheel by putting an axle and bearing cones into the hub and then using the truing stand.
 
Truing trikes is tricky. you will have to mcguyver a way to put an indicator next to the wheel.

I have done close enough to ride it truing by turning the trike upside down, with no tire on the wheel. then stack bricks next to the side of the rim so that it rubs a brick when really wobbly. Not great, but it will work good enough to get to still wobbly but rideable. to round a wheel, stack the bricks This worked for me on adult trike rear wheels. To get the egg shape out, stack the bricks so they rub below the rim.

Alternatively, you could weld, or build from wood, a better fork like device to put next to the wheel, with real truing guides, or at least something like the cut zip tie trick. ( on regular bikes, put a zip tie on the fork or frame, then cut to fit. rotate it toward the rim to use as truing guide.)
 
amberwolf said:
Why not just use a threaded rod with nuts, or a bolt or other metal rod of the correct diameter to emulate the axle?

The D-shaped hole causes the wheel to set up off center.
 
Ooops-=--I didn't see the D shape; it looks like a round hole on my screen, with a shadow across the top; looking closely at it I can see the shadow is actually the bar of the D.

Still, a rod/bolt/etc could still be used, if it's the correct diameter for the hole, and then ground/filed flat for the D. Might be more work than it's worth.


FWIW, I've had good enough luck truing things on-bike with zipties around stays or fender supports, etc., cut to a measured length after installing that equals where I want the rim to end up. It's not as precise as a truing stand, but it's been good enough for most of my wheel building and truing. (keeping in mind I use rim brakes, so they have to be fairly true so I don't get rubbing in uneven spots).
 
If it weren't for the scabby welds holding the broached disc into the end of the hub tube, it would be plausible to find a fender washer that could center a small diameter thread or rod in the hub. But no. Schwines are for selling, not riding or servicing.
 
Chalo said:
If it weren't for the scabby welds holding the broached disc into the end of the hub tube, it would be plausible to find a fender washer that could center a small diameter thread or rod in the hub. But no. Schwines are for selling, not riding or servicing.

He might be able to grind/file 3 notches into a suitable sized washer to fit around the welds.

And if there isn't a bearing directly behind the broached disc, he might drill 3 small holes (say 2 or 3mm) through both and use some small self tappers to locate the washer.
 
If I had a big fleet of adult trikes, I'd definitely make two truing stands. One with round rod, the other with a d shape. Easy way to make this would be to take a beat up old trike rear end and build from that. But you could just grind down a rod to d shape. Then literally retain the wheel on that rod with a vise grip grabbing the rod. The d shaped rod would have to rotate on a bearing or at least a bushing though, which is why the easy way would be to just buy a trike rear end if you did lots of this job.

A good truing stand is a joy, that's for sure. But a motor wheel on a bike, I just do the zip tie trick unless I happen to have the motor off the bike.

When I had three of these trikes going on the job, I had plenty of bent wheels. The condo complex had some speed bumps, and with 100 pounds in the basket the back wheels took a pounding. I re laced several wheels to better rims, and constantly had to tune the not so ruined wheels. Like I said, a very crude truing device, a pile of bricks, was plenty to let me eyball the dang thing to within a quarter inch of straight. You could run them worse than that, provided the spokes were all tensioned snug, but I did like to get them straight as possible, about once a month. You can also true to something attached to the basket, if the basket is rigid enough. Mine were wobbly folding baskets, so I did not do that.
 
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