Can you put 48 spokes into a 36 spoke Crystalyte hub?

[ryan]

This might be the dumbest thread in the world. But in searching the E-S archives for a new wheel I saw that some recommended increasing the spokes for added strength. I can't find the thread now, and for all I know they were talking about RC motors. I'm having trouble picturing how this is possible with a Crystalyte hub. Can I get a little help?

 

[Drunkskunk]

The Math works out. you could semi-evenly add 12 spokes to a 36 spoke wheel if you custom drilled the rim and hub with a 4th hole after every 3rd hole.

I'm pretty sure thats not what they ment. I think adding 12 spokes to a 36 spoke hub and rim would weaken it.

The spoke pattern would be interesting, though. it would have to be a crows foot pattern for the 36, with radial for the extra 12.

 

[Kiwi]

I have a cargobike. It originally comes with a 48spoke back wheel. So I have the 48 hole rim.
I am contiuosly breaking spokes. I am now trying 12 gauge steel spokes but my next move is to drill out the xlite hub to 48 spoke.
I would ignore the current holes, drill new holes starting from an existing one. See picture. It works out quite well, some holes the same position and others well clear of the old holes. I say go for it. Red holes 48spoke (one side)

I am sitting here right at this moment looking at a wheel with 12 broken spokes, its a spoke salad. And I am thinking even 36 12 gauge spokes are going to crap them selves. I think tomorrow I will drill out to 48. Will post a report.

 

[amberwolf]

Increasing the number of spokes is an interesting thought. I would guess that the threads the OP ran across were discussing increasing the *size* of the spokes, rather than the total number of them, however. Most hubs already come with larger spokes than the typical bike wheel, but depending on the loading and/or the torque of the motor they may need even larger ones than that.

I know that when I changed the plain steel spokes out on my pedal&motor-chain-driven rear wheel of the very heavy CrazyBike2 so that I now run the same number of slightly larger stainless steel spokes, I have not broken any of them yet even with the same kinds of potholes and other torque abuse that trashed a lot of previous ones, the worst was four in one ride.


For those having trouble with spokes breaking, if they break a lot at the hub itself, I highly recommend frequently checking the tension on the spokes, and retightening all the spokes by exactly the same amount all around the wheel (say, 1/8 turn) every time you notice some are looser than before. This may require retruing the wheel, too, if only some spokes loosened up. But a loose spoke invites breakage as it is now "slammed" back and forth in the flange hole, battered first against one edge as it is pulled then against the other edge as the wheel rotates around and it is pushed the other direction. After a while the metal will fatigue from the slight bending it gets each time. Ensuring they're all tensioned right will help even weaker spokes not break as easily.