I'm glad you revived this thread, steinbra.

I had an even worse experience with a couple of 27" Sun M13s. After only a couple of months of use, the eyelets started pulling right out of the rims, mostly the rear but a little in the front wheel too. Couldn't find suitable replacement eyelets anywhere, so I did the same thing as the OP, replaced the crapped out eyelets with washers. Had both wheels re-tensioned but in short order more eyelets began popping and all that was salvageable were the hubs.

Adding insult to injury, the only other 27" rims I could find available anywhere were Sun CR18s, rated as more heavy duty but probably employing the same substandard eyelets as on the M13s. So I'm on them now but not pulling the same loads in my Burley Nomad as I previously attempted.

Oh and as if that were not bad enough, the bent I am currently building up takes a 406 BMX front, and the only built wheel with QR I could find for it also comes with Suns. D'oh!