In need of help finding spoke parts ! Need to true the rim but have never seen a setup like this.

569 Views 10 Replies 2 Participants Last post by motovation982, 20 d ago

Jride_

Discussion Starter · 27 d ago

I recently bought a 08' KTM SMC 690. Upon purchase I was told that the wheel needed to be trued.

After bringing it to the shop, I was told I needed new spoke nipples as some are stripped. I went ahead and ordered some through KTM based on the part numbers for my year of bike. After they were sent to the shop, I was told they were wrong and the setup on my bike is something they have never seen before (and neither have I). I bought traditional style spoke nipples ( were the pokes through the rim and the flange end connects goes in the hub) but these seem to be reversed mounted or something. They are Behr rims (part # pictured). I can't find any info or any setup like this.

If anyone has any info that would help a ton, or know where I can find replacements. Also does anyone know if I will be able to order all new normal spokes/spoke nipples and mount them in the traditional way or is that not possible? Part of me thinks the previous owner just reverse mounted them but I'm not sure.

See less See more

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

motovation982

· #2 · 21 d ago

Woah crazy, In all my years working at the shops I have never seen that but I am intrigued and following. Does not look like it will accept a traditional spoke beings that the flange end of traditional spokes are angled as I'm sure you obviously know, looks like the rim would take a traditional nipple though. I've been thumbing around for about an hour now and have not found anything, I'm just as curious as you are now though so I'll keep looking and if I find something you will be the first to know.

Save

Jride_

Discussion Starter · #3 · 21 d ago

Yeah it has my shop stumped as well. But you are right in that traditional spokes won't really work as the flange part will fall through the hole in the hub. As for the rim, it is actually threaded and larger then a normal style hole, like it was purpose made for this system. So a traditional spoke nipple could work but not securely.

After a bit of digging I think I found some leads. The system is called an Alpina A-system. But that's all I found so far and need to see if I can order them still.

Save

motovation982

· #4 · 21 d ago

Found this, please note this kit will not fit the older A system wheel set which is now discontinued I have 12 hours to kill tonight, ill keep digging, not sure what year they were discontinued but that will certainly make them harder to find. You may end up having to go to a traditional hub if you can't find someone or somewhere that has some laying around, I would call Alpina directly if you haven't already, I'm sure they can point you in the right direction.

Save

motovation982

· #5 · 21 d ago

Think I might have found your solution but I could be totally wrong. Alpina - Straight pull aero spoke Blade SuperLite from 228mm to 308mm
Straight pull spokes by size, maybe pull your tire off and see how the spokes are connected to the rim side being tubeless if its a straight pull spoke pushed up through the backside, if so you could likely pull a spoke, measure it and order them from the link.

Save

Jride_

Discussion Starter · #6 · 21 d ago

Thanks for all the digging! I came across the same thing that the a system is discontinued, so not sure what I could use in place.

As for the straight pull spokes, not to sure if those would work. I can upload more pictures tomorrow to show how the system works. But the nut and the spoke are a single unit and I cant separate them to replace the spoke sadly. The entire spoke/rim but unit is then threaded directly into the rim. Unless these straight pull spokes have a large flange, and I can find a spoke nipple that also has a large flange to fit in the rim hole, then t's gonna be tricky. This also means that even if I replace the hub, I still have to find a good solution for the rim side as well. I really hope I can find some sort of retrofit system as I don't want to buy new rims 🥲

Save

motovation982

· #7 · 21 d ago

Man I wish I could help you out I just got rid of a brand new set of Alpinas for dirt cheap. I was kind of curious about that though with the nipple on the rim side if it was just a straight pull spoke with an O-ring sealing surface of if the spoke is pressed into it. I think you have some options though but id start with pulling the tire off and pulling a spoke and its hardware out to break down the components and see if you can separate them from the spoke, best case scenario you can get the spoke out and get the hardware off of it and replace the spoke, id guess its a pressed in unit that you can separate with a little effort but I could be wrong, another option maybe would be pull the ones that are stripped and see if you can chase the threads down to the next size. Worst case your in the same position your in now. I've tried every search on every site I can think of new and used and haven't even found a picture of them so I could get a better look at them. Ill keep looking, I'm working nights and have nothing but free time.

See less See more

Save

Jride_

Discussion Starter · #8 · 20 d ago

All good man you have been a lot of help as is !

But yeah I thought the same as you. Thought there must be some way to remove the spoke from the nut. But it's seized together or made as one piece cuz I can't separate them so far. But just doesn't make sense, there must be some way to separate it so I'll keep trying.

I've attached some pictures to help since it is impossible to find pics of this system. In the pics you can see how the rim was specifically made for this system and trying to put a traditional spoke nipple in it doesn't fit right.

See less See more

Save

motovation982

· #9 · 20 d ago

Dude that's wild, I'm guessing you already pulled the O-Ring to see if the circled part is pressed or threaded down onto the lower part? or put a wrench on that and on the flat part of the spoke and see if you can separate those, they gotta come apart somehow right?

See less See more

Save

Reactions: 1

Jride_

Discussion Starter · #10 · 20 d ago

Yeah tried both of those. I couldn't really see a seam. But to your thinking, they had to of got the spoke in there. So I tried putting it in a vice and pulling, as well as grabbing those flat parts and trying to turn it CW and CCW. All of them wouldn't budge. They must of sealed it with some intense stuff. I'll have to grab another spoke to keep trying as I'm starting to damage this one. They used a very soft metal so it rounds out very fast when trying to twist the 2 ends.

Save

motovation982

· #11 · 20 d ago

Ah that's so interesting, hopefully you can find a way to separate them and retrofit, I'm at a loss aside from worst case scenario buying new wheels.

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

Top Contributors this Month