How to build spokes on hub motor for electric bike ?

DIY electric bike conversion kit and convert your bike is funny. Sometimes we prefer to purchase spoke hub motor , bike rim and spokes. And build spokes on electric bike motor by ourselves.

If we want to convert 26inch front wheel, we should purchase 1 set of front spokes hub motor, 26inch rim and 36pcs of spokes. We can purchase them from leaf bike motor shop online.

Received goods and check them:
1. How many spokes you received. Generally we need 36 pcs spokes to built on hub motor and 12 gauge spokes for electric bike. 13, 14 gauge spokes are too thin, just for common bike.
2. There are 36 eyelet on bike rim and hub motor.
3. Check nipple and the dia. of eyelet on rim, make sure the nipple can put into eyelet.

Calculate the length of spoke :
If you use 205 leaf front hub motor, the eyelet to eyelet of rim is 511mm that is 26inch rim, spokes should be 155mm length.

You need below tools to install spokes on hub motor.
1.iron shelf
2.slotted screwdriver
3.nipple wrench
4.magnet
5.rubber hammer
6.tape measure
7.calipers

Done check, everything is okay. But we found the dia. of nipple is 4.5mm and the rim is also 4.5mm. These eyelets are too small. See pictures.

Get a 4.8mm electric drill. Drill 36 pcs of eyelets. Adjust the iron shelf so that the dia. is 100mm. Because standard front fork is 100mm. Then put the rim inside the iron shelf, hold on the hub motor. Make the first spoke wear into hub from left side, the next from right side. One by one from left side to right side. Done install all 36 pcs of spokes, please check them whether correct. See pictures.

If no problem, we should hold spokes on rim by nipples First hold one spoke on left side, then cross to fix another spoke on left side. Next step, cross two spokes on rights side and fix them. Left side, right side, a group of four spokes. See pictures.

Fix all spokes, we should use wrench to tight spokes a little, please don’t be too tight. Use hand to turn wheel, make sure there is no noise from friction of rim and nipple. Use rubber hammer to knock rim when the wheel is running so that the rim will be not jumping up and down. Still to tight spokes a little. See pictures.

Turn wheel, you will find the rim from left side to right side. In order to make the wheel running in the middle. We use calipers to measure and get the data. Then use a magnet to hold a pin. See pictures. If rim to the left, we tight right side spokes or loose left side spokes. See pictures.

It takes about 1 hour to build an wheel.

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