Spoke wheels for Tonti frame Lemans

[cycles4fun]

Hey guys wondering if anyone has any ideas on a wheel swap I'm thinking about. I have a Lemans 4 and thinking about spoked wheels. I would powder coat the rims and hubs black and leave the stainless spokes. I was thinking about using the wheels from a California as a starting point however the rear is a 17 in and I would prefer an 18 in. I want a 4.0" 18 rear and a 3.5" 17 front. Did Guzzi ever use a 4" 18in tubless spoked wheel? An aftermarket 18in rim laced to the Guzzi hub would likely forefit the use of tubeless tires which I really would prefer to use. I currently have a 150/60 rear and 120/70 front on rare Astralites but really dont like the look of the Astralites. I realize they are worth a fortune that could easily finance the project. Any ideas?

Thanks

Mike

[Ballacraine]

IIRC the wheels from a 850-T3 might fit the bill?

 

I think they were 18" both ends......

 

I am prepared to be corrrected on this. :0)

 

They won't be tubeless though!

 

Nige.

[Greg Field]

Just get the hubs from an 850-T3 and lace whatever size rims you want on them. Then seal the spoke holes to make them tubeless. I can show you how.

 

I've got a set of those Astralites, too. Let me know how much you get for them . . .

[profWacko]

>>Then seal the spoke holes to make them tubeless. I can show you how.

 

Please, do tell.

 

Inquiring minds want to KNOW!!

 

ADVthanksANCE

 

-Jack

[Greg Field]

Prof:

 

I did it in five steps:

 

1)I thoroughly cleaned the rime and the "dimples for each spoke, both mechanically (with wire wheel and Dremel-operated wire brushes) and chemically, with a solvent. Here's a photo of part of it:

 

 

 

2) I tried to fill the "dimples" in the rim around each spoke nipple with RTV.

 

3) I filled even more on each dimple with RTV, hoping to have a uniform surface to which I could bond the rubber rim strips.

 

4) I spread a thin, even coat around the drop center of the rim and "gooshed" two rim strips into the RTV (I cleaned off throroughly the powder off the rim strips and off set one to the right of the rim centerline and the other to the left of centerline, so the nipple dimples were thoroughtly covered). Here's a pic:

 

 

5)I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best . . .

 

It's held since last April or May and has been torture-tested on rutty, potholey roads far from home. Haven't even had to add air yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Ballacraine]

Neat job....

 

I suppose should you need to tighten or replace spokes it would be easy enough to 'patch' around the disturbed spoke?

 

Nige.

[Greg Field]

Unknown. I'm hoping the silicone will act to keep the nipples from backing out, but it's too soon to tell if that is what it will do.

[jrt]

Unknown. I'm hoping the silicone will act to keep the nipples from backing out, but it's too soon to tell if that is what it will do.

I kind of doubt it. RTV is pretty flexible. On the other hand, if it gets underneath, it might act as glue????

 

I'm looking for a front and rear spoke/disk brake wheels for my Eldo- prices I've seen range from $100-250 per rim depending on who you buy it from.

I've also toyed with the idea of converting the Eldo to the Guzzi Mag rims..I dunno, I think that would be kind of ugly.

[Greg Field]

I usually buy whole T or T3 front ends, with wheel and rotors and all. I've never paid more than $250 for them. That gives most of the parts for converting an Eldo to disc front end. From there, there's at least three approaches to accomplishing the rest of the conversion.

[cycles4fun]

I usually buy whole T or T3 front ends, with wheel and rotors and all. I've never paid more than $250 for them. That gives most of the parts for converting an Eldo to disc front end. From there, there's at least three approaches to accomplishing the rest of the conversion.

 

 

 

Thanks guys. never thought about building my own tubless rim! Pretty interesting and looks very promising. Does anyone know of the vender for the factory tubless wheels for the later Californias? Perhaps they can supply a tubless rim in the 18inch size.

[Guest Mattress]

Is it possible to buy Alpina's patented self sealing nipples and fittings from somewhere and use them on a rim? They seem to imply on their website that they offer them (at least wholesale).