Skewers working themselves loose: How do you fix it?
#1
Chases Dogs for Sport
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Skewers working themselves loose: How do you fix it?
In decades of riding, I've never had this problem. Now, I find that both my month-old titanium skewers work themselves loose during a ride. They don't open -- the tension knob seems to back off. Last week, the rear skewer backed off just enough to create a creak. Just a nuisance. But this weekend, after 100 miles, the front skewer had lost enough tension that my front wheel was oscillating in the dropouts at speed. It sounded as if the road had tiny, uniform grooves cut across it. The wheel didn't fall out of the dropouts and I wasn't close to losing control, but the wheel was very loose.
How do you fix this problem? I COULD drag my old Mavic QR's out of my wheel bag, but would rather fix these, if I can.
How do you fix this problem? I COULD drag my old Mavic QR's out of my wheel bag, but would rather fix these, if I can.
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Have you perhaps tried just swapping out for now the tension knobs from the mavics onto your Ti skewers? Sounds like a faulty design.. what kind did you get?
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I 'd definitely figure it out before I rode with them again, that's pretty scary.
#6
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Maybe not, but most likely you have been riding internal cam skewers like Shimanos and Campagnolos until now...and the Mavics. They have a much stronger grip than external cam skewers like the light weight models even big name ones like Enve. It is just the inferior design. You have to put a lot more force into the clamping in order to get the same grip on the dropouts. Also check that the threads on your skewer rod and nut are deep enough to hold under high tension. You may have just bought a crappy pair. Most people can get external cam skewers to do the job, but every now and then someone just can't make them work, especially on horizontal dropouts. External cam skewers were never intended for anything but vertical dropouts.
Last edited by rpenmanparker; 01-16-17 at 07:23 AM.
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Do ti skewers stretch?
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In decades of riding, I've never had this problem. Now, I find that both my month-old titanium skewers work themselves loose during a ride. They don't open -- the tension knob seems to back off. Last week, the rear skewer backed off just enough to create a creak. Just a nuisance. But this weekend, after 100 miles, the front skewer had lost enough tension that my front wheel was oscillating in the dropouts at speed. It sounded as if the road had tiny, uniform grooves cut across it. The wheel didn't fall out of the dropouts and I wasn't close to losing control, but the wheel was very loose.
How do you fix this problem? I COULD drag my old Mavic QR's out of my wheel bag, but would rather fix these, if I can.
How do you fix this problem? I COULD drag my old Mavic QR's out of my wheel bag, but would rather fix these, if I can.
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Maybe not, but most likely you have been riding internal cam skewers like Shimanos and Campagnolos until now...and the Mavics. They have a much stronger grip than external cam skewers like the light weight models even big name ones like Enve. It is just the inferior design. You have to put a lot more force into the clamping in order to get the same grip on the dropouts. Also check that the threads on your skewer rod and nut are deep enough to hold under high tension. You may have just bought a crappy pair. Most people can get external cam skewers to do the job, but every now and then someone just can't make them work, especially on horizontal dropouts. External cam skewers were never intended for anything but vertical dropouts.
#11
Chases Dogs for Sport
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Yes, they are external cam. And there's not really much "cam" to them. Very subtle. Very little "over center" feel to the lever travel. But, at any rate, it's not the lever side that's the problem. The levers are staying in the closed position and are staying in the same orientation as when I close them. Even the very loose front skewer was still closed with the handle pointing at 3 o'clock when I checked it.
[I'm not sure where the idea came in that these are horizontal dropouts. They're not. Is there even such thing as horizontal FRONT dropouts?]
[I'm not sure where the idea came in that these are horizontal dropouts. They're not. Is there even such thing as horizontal FRONT dropouts?]
Last edited by FlashBazbo; 01-16-17 at 09:02 AM.
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Of course they can. If the loading is high enough. I don't know how tight one would have to make them, but this is what I thought first too.
But as Rpen points out one does need more force on this style. The levers should not be easy to close or open. Also I would mark the skewer nut to absolutely make sure its not really rotating.
But as Rpen points out one does need more force on this style. The levers should not be easy to close or open. Also I would mark the skewer nut to absolutely make sure its not really rotating.
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Can you mark the nut to verify whether or not it is turning?
I think one of the issues with the external cam skewers is the plastic washer compresses to take up tension.
I've got them on one bike, and try to get them quite TIGHT. Essentially as tight as I can get them.
I think one of the issues with the external cam skewers is the plastic washer compresses to take up tension.
I've got them on one bike, and try to get them quite TIGHT. Essentially as tight as I can get them.
#15
Chases Dogs for Sport
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#16
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Ti proving to be too elastic, get steel skewers.
the stretching and relaxing of that tension lets the end unscrew a little at a time..
...
the stretching and relaxing of that tension lets the end unscrew a little at a time..
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 01-16-17 at 09:32 PM.
#17
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I have Enve Ti skewers and they've worked flawlessly and without issue. If the above remedies doesn't work, maybe a bad pair. Can you contact Enve for a replacement?
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Skewers are not a place to skimp on weight/strength, IMO
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#19
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I'd contact ENVE and see what they say. Maybe you'll get a replacement set! Or it's just as likely they will say there is nothing they can do for you. At least you have some backup skewers
#22
Chases Dogs for Sport
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Incidentally, I didn't ask for a new pair. I just asked for advice on what to do about these. Their first response was to go the whole mile.
Last edited by FlashBazbo; 01-16-17 at 11:58 AM.
#24
Chases Dogs for Sport
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(At some point, even if the skewer is strong, I worry about the effects on the wheel hub, fork or frame. I've flexed a titanium frame -- using thru axles -- enough to pull the brake disk out of alignment. It's possible to get things too tight.)
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