Murray JetCruiser

[ParkRNDL]

So...on a lark I decided to reinforce my claim, above, while at work... running two machines...in under 15 minutes. This is proof of concept only...no templates or layout...just a quick eyeball job (I'm not a sheet metal guy).

Found a piece of stock...
View attachment 99840

Cut off a chunk...
View attachment 99841

Shaped one end on a grey wheel...the other on a belt sander...
View attachment 99842

Tah and dah ,
Jason

Nice! I think I know someone with a grey wheel...

 

[RustyGold]

The belt sander is really better at removing material...and contouring as well as you can place the material flat on the guard and use your finger as the center part of the radius. Grey wheel is fantastic for the finish work, however.

These are what I used...both are fairly cheap pickups at garage sales, etc...(need to replace this grey wheel, soon )...

 

[ParkRNDL]

My build journey took a side excursion today...

I have been doing some shakedown runs with the JetCruiser, and I LOVE the way it rides. It feel solid, no rattles or creaks, and it's a surefooted heavyweight that feels confident bombing over curbs or down rocky trails. But there's a weak link: the Falcon rear coaster hub. It feels sloppy and soft, and the brakes are not exactly confidence-inspiring. I tried tightening the bearing cones, but they're as snug as I can get them without binding and the wheel still feels junky. I got to wondering how hard it would be to lace in a new hub, though wheel building has always been mystical voodoo to me.

Then I watched this video. Man, she makes it look easy...

And then on our Thursday night ride, I talked to our ride organizer, who is also our resident wheel guru. If we have a broken spoke or a wobble or flat spot, he's the go-to guy. I asked him if lacing a wheel was really as easy as the video made it seem. He told me that he first figured out wheel lacing on his own as a 14-year-old kid in the '80s, before the benefit of YouTube. Basically, he took a wheel apart and spent 3 days figuring out how to get it back together like the good one he had sitting next to it. I decided if a 14-year-old kid could figure it out on his own, I could certainly follow a good set of video directions to get it right.

And so I found myself sitting on the kitchen floor with an orphan 36-hole 20" wheel with a HiStop coaster hub and some implements of destruction:

After a few minutes, I was down to a rim, a hub, 4 piles of 9 spokes, and 4 piles of 9 nipples.

With the video going on my phone as a reference, here's the first round of 9 spokes:

Flip it over, eyeball the right starting hole, and do the next round of 9 spokes:

Then it's just thread from the inside, over, over, under, skip a hole for the next 9:

And finally, flip it over and repeat for the remaining 9.

Holy Hades, it seems I have laced a wheel correctly. I know that's no big deal for many of you guys, but it's a big step for me, even if I still have to take it to my guru friend or the LBS to get it tightened up and rideable.

Now I think I want to find a Bendix red band or a 70/76 for this build, based on some words of wisdom from @rev106 , even though this bike will probably never see the likes of a Coaster Brake Challenge. I am also entertaining the notion of going freewheel, as I know where to find some knockoff MX1000s for cheap. And here I thought I was getting near done...

 

[OddJob]

Nice work on the wheel! I do recommend an experienced wheel guy with a good truing stand to do the final tightening / truing of the wheel. It's easy to get 'hops' otherwise, meaning vertical not side to side.

You will find out that hub flanges vary, as well as the spoke length to accommodate those differences. That's when it gets tricky!

 

[ParkRNDL]

Nice work on the wheel! I do recommend an experienced wheel guy with a good truing stand to do the final tightening / truing of the wheel. It's easy to get 'hops' otherwise, meaning vertical not side to side.

You will find out that hub flanges vary, as well as the spoke length to accommodate those differences. That's when it gets tricky!

Oh yeah, I figured it would require an expert to do the final adjustment. The friend of mine who does it told me that when he worked at a bike store years ago, they sent him to "wheel building school." He also mentioned the spoke length issue, and he told me that there are spoke length calculators online. He actually has access to a machine that will cut a spoke to whatever length and thread it, which comes in handy for replacing a broken spoke or two, but I guess you wouldn't want to do it for a whole wheel.

 

[ParkRNDL]

latest updates: grips and headbadge

 

[OddJob]

Oh yeah, I figured it would require an expert to do the final adjustment. The friend of mine who does it told me that when he worked at a bike store years ago, they sent him to "wheel building school." He also mentioned the spoke length issue, and he told me that there are spoke length calculators online. He actually has access to a machine that will cut a spoke to whatever length and thread it, which comes in handy for replacing a broken spoke or two, but I guess you wouldn't want to do it for a whole wheel.

We have a spoke cutter at our shop. I did all the spokes for the 4 spd hub laced into my 57mm rim on Trans-MIG-RaT. It's pretty slick, but as with any specialized tool, takes the right touch.

 

[kingfish254]

Nice work on the trusses and the badge!

 

[KJV]

Nice work on the trusses and the badge!

What he said.

 

[Brian macumber]

Nice work on the trusses and the badge!

+2 and on the paint

 

[ParkRNDL]

Mail call. New shoes. Trying something different.

Directional. Oooooh, fancy.

 

[handyandy1100]

My build journey took a side excursion today...

I have been doing some shakedown runs with the JetCruiser, and I LOVE the way it rides. It feel solid, no rattles or creaks, and it's a surefooted heavyweight that feels confident bombing over curbs or down rocky trails. But there's a weak link: the Falcon rear coaster hub. It feels sloppy and soft, and the brakes are not exactly confidence-inspiring. I tried tightening the bearing cones, but they're as snug as I can get them without binding and the wheel still feels junky. I got to wondering how hard it would be to lace in a new hub, though wheel building has always been mystical voodoo to me.

Then I watched this video. Man, she makes it look easy...

And then on our Thursday night ride, I talked to our ride organizer, who is also our resident wheel guru. If we have a broken spoke or a wobble or flat spot, he's the go-to guy. I asked him if lacing a wheel was really as easy as the video made it seem. He told me that he first figured out wheel lacing on his own as a 14-year-old kid in the '80s, before the benefit of YouTube. Basically, he took a wheel apart and spent 3 days figuring out how to get it back together like the good one he had sitting next to it. I decided if a 14-year-old kid could figure it out on his own, I could certainly follow a good set of video directions to get it right.

And so I found myself sitting on the kitchen floor with an orphan 36-hole 20" wheel with a HiStop coaster hub and some implements of destruction:
View attachment 99967

After a few minutes, I was down to a rim, a hub, 4 piles of 9 spokes, and 4 piles of 9 nipples.
View attachment 99968

With the video going on my phone as a reference, here's the first round of 9 spokes:
View attachment 99969

Flip it over, eyeball the right starting hole, and do the next round of 9 spokes:
View attachment 99970

Then it's just thread from the inside, over, over, under, skip a hole for the next 9:
View attachment 99971

And finally, flip it over and repeat for the remaining 9.
View attachment 99972

Holy Hades, it seems I have laced a wheel correctly. I know that's no big deal for many of you guys, but it's a big step for me, even if I still have to take it to my guru friend or the LBS to get it tightened up and rideable.

Now I think I want to find a Bendix red band or a 70/76 for this build, based on some words of wisdom from @rev106 , even though this bike will probably never see the likes of a Coaster Brake Challenge. I am also entertaining the notion of going freewheel, as I know where to find some knockoff MX1000s for cheap. And here I thought I was getting near done...

Watched the same video the other day too. Makes me want to give it a try too.

 

[ParkRNDL]

Watched the same video the other day too. Makes me want to give it a try too.

If you have an old rim you're not gonna use anyway, why not? Go for it!

 

[ParkRNDL]

Shakedown cruise. Really digging this thing.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I do like shake down cruises...

Carl.

 

[SoulGarageOH]

I do like shake down cruises...

Carl.

I especially like shakedown cruises for doughnuts at cool little doughnut shops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chad T]

Nice job on the wheel. Bike looks good next to that '66 Fastback...

 

[OddJob]

I especially like shakedown cruises for doughnuts at cool little doughnut shops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dude, we have to hang sometime. You had me at "doughnuts at cool little doughnut shops".

Seriously, one of these days, I'm going to load up a couple of my rat rods, and make a tour of the Central portion of the USA. Lots of builders in WI, MI, OH, IL that I could hit all in one trip.

Get that doughnut shop itinerary in order!

 

[ParkRNDL]

I especially like shakedown cruises for doughnuts at cool little doughnut shops.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, Krumpe's is a local legend. We just got a Krispy Kreme in town and some folks are pretty outraged.

Nice job on the wheel. Bike looks good next to that '66 Fastback...

Thanks. Our rides generally get a pretty eclectic mix. Besides mine, last night we had a Manta Ray with 3-foot apes and a 4-foot sissy, two teenage girls on their full-race BMX rides, three 5-speed Fastbacks and a Jamis Earth Cruiser, among others.

 

[ParkRNDL]

mounted up the new shoes

Only rode a couple houses up the block and back, as it's over 90 degrees today and I had errands to run. But they feel good from that quick ride; smooth and easy to pedal with less drag than the old ones, which was the goal. Also I have always had a thing for the narrow white line look.

So now a question for anyone who has read this far:
You may have seen a few posts up where I said I want to lace a better rear hub into this wheel. I am also thinking about just going to wider rims. The ones on the bike now appear to be 26 x 1. I thought it would be cool to go with 26 x 1.75 rims for an old school BMX look, but they are not as easy to find or as cheap as I had hoped, even in an off-brand or no-name. Some of the guys I ride with say it won't make much of a difference other than appearance anyway. On a cruiser/bomber like this, what is the benefit, if any, of wider rims? Would I be better served just to stick with the rims I have, which seem to work just fine?