CL450 wheel Offset (and general help with wheel truing).

[Flight Risk]

So, because confidence is something that you have when you really don't know what your up against. I barreled straight into dismantling the front and rear wheels because I had time (this was a few months ago). If you have read my build page, then you know that I had to replace three bent spokes in the front (2 inners and one outer) so I bought 2 sets of NOS OEM spokes (the right part number) off of e-bay.

I watched several videos and bought a truing stand (and borrowed a warp9 torque wrench). I can get the wheel pretty true at low torque, but when I do the slowly torque every third spoke to spec (I'm hoping for about 15 inch pounds when torqued up), it goes out of true (both up and down and left to right) (Problem 1).

A couple of the spokes (both outers on the same side and in sequence (ie. 4 holes apart) both protrude really far (like 3 threads up the rod) into the tire. One of them actually ate through the rim strip and started a slow leak in the tube (problem 2).

I was told that this was probably a problem with the offset (referred to as the disc by a local guy who builds lots of these) and that I should make sure that it is in spec. So, now I realize that in my rush to get started, I never measured the horizontal distance from the edge of the hub to the edge of the rim.

I'm not sure what to think, yes, more outer left side spokes protrude from the nipples than any other type, so maybe the offset is wrong, but nowhere in the service manual that I have does it mention an offset. Does anyone have insights, advice, or table measurements (measuring front rim distance from bench while lying on each side (without speedo unit and without brake unit). Hopefully someone smarter than me did these mesurements and still has a record of it for a 1968 or 69 CL450 (drums front and rear).

Thanks

 

[66Sprint]

The rim centers directly over the hub center (1/2 distance between inner walls of spoke flanges)........On BOTH wheels......
Since the ID tips of your Vernier will project evenly down into the gap, the measurement will be accurate if gauge is held parallel to the axle alignment.....

 

[mike in idaho]

Assemble your bare wheel into into the front fork(or swingarm) and see if the rim is centered, that will tell you what you need to do to for offset. After the truing job is over use a disc grinder or dremel tool to remove any protruding spoke ends.