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Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: rayivers on June 18, 2017, 05:15:56 PM
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I really wanted to use the latest MX rear tires but they're nearly all for 19" rims, so I changed out the 18" rim on my '16 FX rear wheel with a 19 x 2.50 Warp 9 Elite (7075 aluminum).
Stainless 9 gauge spokes (9S) & nipples (N9309S) came from Buchanan's Spoke & Rim. I sent them LH & RH '16 FX rear spokes as samples, and they made new ones .500" longer. NOTE: the '16 wheels use all shorter spokes on the RH/brake side for rim offset.
Truing & rim-lock drilling the Warp 9 rim was more difficult than the OEM Zero rims. 7075 aluminum has similar characteristics to mild steel, so L-R truing required loosening one side & tightening the other (on the Zero rims just tightening one side was enough) and drilling required more pressure, cutting fluid, and time. I used my spare swingarm as a truing stand, and made up a wood clearance block for offset / truing measurements. Three new spoke ends protruded past the nipples and required @ 1mm of grinding, but the remaining 29 were fine (Honda style 32-spoke wheel). Final true was @ +/- .75mm in both radial & axial directions, which is fine for a dirt bike. Nearly all the Zero wheel rims were very true from the factory (@ +/- .3mm). I used Emgo 1.85" and 2.75" rim locks, which are much sturdier than the Motion Pro Lite ones that fell apart on me.
It just wouldn't be a Zero mod without an expensive new tool :) so I finally had an excuse to get something I've wanted for a long time - a spoke torque wrench:
(https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/5e3014ec-5a28-4d13-96eb-ef099d1babdf_1.6670d0c4902696c0deb928366fee4706.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF)
Torque was brought up from 5 in/lbs (initial coarse true) to 45 in/lbs 1/4 turn at a time, while continuously checking & adjusting trueness and offset along the way. Now I understand why Buchanan's charges so much for lacing / truing. :( Installing a larger rim & longer spokes was a lot more work than just replacing OEM spokes with new ones, as I've done on most of my vintage wheels.
Videos: wheel truing (https://youtu.be/FCQtuGfz3c8) wheel lacing (https://youtu.be/DeBEXq2dGnU)
Here's the finished wheel:
(http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/pp74/rayivers/19%20x%202.50%20Wheel%20small.jpg)
...and here's the complete set of FX wheels, which really should go on ASAP as the '14 rear wheel bearings are starting to show rocking play:
(http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/pp74/rayivers/21-19-18%20in.%20Wheels%20small.jpg)
Ray
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WOW!! :)
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Ray, you do incredible work. I am trying to catch up with your upgrades.
Read you had a chance to test ride the new Alta MX, I was wondering why it took you so long to ride this beast 😉
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
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Thanks y'all! And here I was thinking I was the only one on Earth interested in a 19" rear wheel... :)
Oded - until very recently, the closest Alta dealer to me was > 2,000km away. This one was about a 1.5 hour drive, not too bad - and they are mainly a dirt-bike dealership, which I haven't seen in my area since the '70's.
Ray