How Do I Know if My Wheels Are Good Still?

[cjperry81]

Im a complete noob. Im working my first project, a 50's Evans. I bought it and took the whole thing a part. I see people talking about hub problems and not being a smooth ride. How do I know id my original wheels/coaster hub are still good? Its a budget build like normal so I hope they work. The wheels have no rust through them other than basic surface rust and gunk. The spokes are almost all straight with the exception of maybe 2 that have a slight wave in them. I dont want to take apart the hub and bite off more than I can chew on my first build if I dont have to. Any tips on what to look for in a viable wheel?

 

[dogdart]

If you have an original hub from the '50's , chances are the grease will be dried & caked which greatly effects the workings , and will need to be cleaned & regreased .

 

[jackdaw]

Give it a quick ride, if you like it, and it stops :lol: , then all's well and you can take your time learning how to do the maintenance.

 

[udallcustombikes]

I would go ahead and rebuild the hubs. Generally they don't need new parts, just serviced. A little grease and some time is a worth while investment. Old grease doesn't lubricate and will lead to ruined bearings, brake shoes, etc.

 

[bmxerpete]

Don't be afraid, it's easier than you think. Clear off an area of your workbench, lay out a rag or some paper towels, and start dissasembling the hub. Work on one at a time, and lay out each piece in the order that you take it off. Pay attention when you pull a part out as to how it was in there, how it came out and if necessary take pics or draw a simple diagram. Old hubs look intimidating but they are works of art and really aren't that hard to rebuild. 90% of the time it's just old dried grease causing them to not work...they are so much better built than today's China junk that it's amazing. I just rebuilt a Perry hub from the 50's that was on a bike that we pulled out of a lake. Don't know how many years it was underwater, but it works like new now.

 

[jackdaw]

Don't be afraid, it's easier than you think. Clear off an area of your workbench, lay out a rag or some paper towels, and start dissasembling the hub. Work on one at a time, and lay out each piece in the order that you take it off. Pay attention when you pull a part out as to how it was in there, how it came out and if necessary take pics or draw a simple diagram. Old hubs look intimidating but they are works of art and really aren't that hard to rebuild. 90% of the time it's just old dried grease causing them to not work...they are so much better built than today's China junk that it's amazing. I just rebuilt a Perry hub from the 50's that was on a bike that we pulled out of a lake. Don't know how many years it was underwater, but it works like new now.

Yeah, take pictures and make notes. More than you will need. You can do it.