New Wheel Set - Butchered Spoke through holes?

[mlyle11]

Hello all!
Hope all goes well and thanks in advance for reading and posting. I recently picked up a GG wheel set that was reported to be brand new. The seller has a good rating and has yet to reply, so I am only posting for thoughts from the group before I go into full attack mode. The seller told me he sent this set to Rad Mfg because they wanted to measure the hubs so they could start making Rad Hubs for GG. He said they look to have been never mounted, unused other than the measurement by Rad. The box had Rad Mfg tape on it, so I assume the story is correct. I got the wheel today and I am freaked out by what looks to be a butcher job on the hubs where someone may have drilled out the OEM spoke holes to put in larger spokes. It?s as if they drilled from the inside of the hub, and as the drill pushed through they kept going and then put deep gouges into the outside of the hub where the drill touched the surface. POOR WORKMANSHIP! Some new spokes have the larger diameter at the base; it?s only a guess at why someone would do this to these hubs! Sorry if this all seems disjointed I am so pissed I can hardly type! I hope it?s just me over reacting!

I have heard of some weird stuff going on at the GG factory between model changes and want to see if anyone has seen something like this. Whatever it is it looks like a hack job, and I am worried that the structural integrity of the hub has been compromised. Especially the way the material is drilled out near the spoke hole and around the outside of the bearing area. This is a major stress point in the hub, lots of shock and transfer and the gouges create stress risers, which lead to cracks, which lead to a VERY BAD DAY in the woods! I hope the pictures do it justice. I will post more if needed. AAAARRRRGGGGGG!

Thanks for any thoughts and help!

Mike

[Jakobi]

I have noticed a similar sort of thing on one of my hubs 2010 model that I bought brand new. Not as consistant around each one but definately one or two marks that had me scratching my head as to what had happened.

[arminhammer]

Looks like someone was holding them in a chuck.

[mlyle11]

That's what I though initially with regards to Rad measuring them, but if they were using a CMM or a Romer arm, you wouldnt need that much turning power... I hope! I would have mounted them on centers and measured. My guess is they scan versus use contact measurement as well. When you look really close (easy when in hand, hard with my pictures), the gouges perfectly align with the spoke through holes. I also used a magnifying glass (starting to get the picture of my geeky life) and a strong light to look around the spoke holes, and you can see where the drill took the powder coating off. IT;s very frustrating, you could have done this job with a high quality ream and monitored the depth or used a depth ring to prevent damage. Its like some fool when wild and just bored the hell out of them.

Any thoughts on structural integrity? I'm old, so now doubles in my riding life, but I do hit the woods pretty hard. You know the drill, rocks, logs, and a few oh sh!t moments where I probable put more stress on the rims than I should. I'm a 220 pound rider as well; suspension is properly set for the weight.

[FinGas]

The touched areas are low stress so just go & ride...

[moto9]

Ya, I wouldn't sweat that too much.

[nato]

As the others have said it is not going to effect the structural integrity of the hub but if i was buying something that is suppose to be in an in new condition i would not be stoked! If they fail to come to the party with replacing it maybe you can source some paint to throw over it if your a rider who likes to be finicky.

[TNT Cycle]

Both of my 2010 wheels look like that...I think its actually the mill head hitting the hub when the holes were machined into the hub?...

[mlyle11]

Lots of consensus not to worry, but I am very picky on workmanship, so still pretty gassed (no pun intended) about it. I took it to a local machine shop that makes some parts for my work and my bikes, and he definitley called it as someone needing to ream out the spoke through holes. The marks perfectly align. He noted the spokes that are in the hub (OEM I would think) have a larger base, so it seems they reamed them to get them to fit, and just kept on pushing through, maybe it was automated, but he felt it wsa an after thought. He doesnt like the structural aspect, becasue there are so many marks on the hub, and they are near the spoke holes. Of course he builds high dollar precision automated assembly equipment, so to him this is just plain poor work, and not durable.

Makes me wonder, maybe GG was mix matching parts and had to ream the hubs to get they new spokes to fit?

I confirmed the wheels came from Gofasters, who I have bought many parts from, and have never had an issue with. I am going to call them and get their opinion. I am headed to Halls Saturday to see what their lead tech thinks.

I paid 515 for the set, I felt that was a good deal for new brand new Excel Takasagos, complete hubs with bearings and spacers, and new stainless spokes. However, if I would have seen pictures of this detail, I would have dropped out around 300. The wheel set is listed on GOfasters for 899.

I wish I wasnt so damn picky, my bikes would get put togeter quicker, cheaper, and I wouldnt lose sleep!

Thanks for all the comments. I will post the thoughts from Gofasters and Halls.

[mlyle11]

Another thought, these marks are after paint, I would have hoped all machining was completed before paint. At least in all the work I do with secondary machining, paint is the final operation.