Wheels Install a Sturmey Archer XL-FDD hub dynamo / drum brake myself

Dankoozy

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Would I be a fool to try it? Wheel building looks hard. I'll have to order the damned thing which costs €80, and a few spokes and a couple of other things as well. Would I "never get the damned thing true"? How long does a complete n00b usually take to get it right?
 
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Lacing a wheel is usually not recommended for novices. There should be a good shop in Cork that can lace it for you.
 
Wheel building isn't that hard, until you get to motorcycle wheels. I'm sure you and most people can do it. I've got a great wheel building book on PDF. If you pm me your email I can send you a copy, take a read and decide if you are up to it.
 
You should give it a try. I never got real good at it, but the ones i built all did the job. The advantage of the drum brake is that it will work with a bit more wobble than rim brakes. You need to plan for the right spoke length and cross pattern, since that hub is probably bigger than the one you are removing. Search for Sheldon Brown's wheel building web page and then for a spoke length calculator.
 
I bought the Archer XL-FDD hub dynamo brake hub and wanted to use the larger spokes off my Huffy wheels. After everyone saying they couldn't do it because they either didn't have a spoke cutter to cut the larger spokes, or just use the smaller spokes, or I can't order them already cut in that size... I finally found a bicycle shop that would order the spokes and lace the wheel for $90. If you don't mind the smaller spokes wearing down your new hub you might get it cheaper.

Oh, by the way.. It says the output is 6 watts. I have already burned out 3 bulbs to the taillight. Guess I need a battery to regulate that voltage.

Dan
 
I bought the Archer XL-FDD hub dynamo brake hub and wanted to use the larger spokes off my Huffy wheels. After everyone saying they couldn't do it because they either didn't have a spoke cutter to cut the larger spokes, or just use the smaller spokes, or I can't order them already cut in that size... I finally found a bicycle shop that would order the spokes and lace the wheel for $90. If you don't mind the smaller spokes wearing down your new hub you might get it cheaper.

Oh, by the way.. It says the output is 6 watts. I have already burned out 3 bulbs to the taillight. Guess I need a battery to regulate that voltage.

Dan

have you measured the output with a multimeter at different wheel speeds? would be interested in that as I was going to charge a few supercapacitors off it and possibly get a 5V regulated output for charging a phone, throw together a switching regulator circuit or something
 
I took mine to one guy who took the wheel to 3 other bike shops who bent the spokes and said they couldn't lace the hub in the wheel. I wonder how those motorcycle wheel men manage to re-lace motorcycle wheels.

Dankoozt, I haven't measured the output with a multimeter at different wheel speeds or thought up a fix for the dynamo hub problem. If you come up with one I might follow your lead.
 
I bought that same hub about 6 weeks ago and just ordered the spokes that I hope will work with my rim. When I get the spokes I will post info on the rim diameter spoke length and cross pattern. I can take a few photos to show how I it comes together. It should be early next week.
 
I bought this hub for a build that only has a rear coaster brake, at this time I do not intend to use the dyno. It did not cost much more for the dyno version over the standard version, so I thought I would get it just to have a look. Any way I took it apart and have not got the dyno back together yet. But someday I might try doing something with the dyno.

Here's a link with good info, I do not fully understand it, maybe it will give you some ideas.

http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?38939-Sturmey-Archer-Dynahub
 
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