Nipple Washers
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,154
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From: Chattanooga
Bikes: '93 Bridgestone RB-1, '91 Specialized Allez Epic, '85 Raleigh Team Pro, '78 Andre Bertin, early '90s F. Moser Leader AX , '85 Centurion Equipe, '98 Litespeed Tuscany, '89 Klein Quantum, '80 Nishiki Superbe, '83 Peckham, '84 Fuji Opus III
Nipple Washers
I have researched this subject pretty thoroughly but find no definitive answer. Please help.
I'm going to build my first wheels for use on my son's 1984 Fuji Opus III. The original rims are Ambrosio 19 Elite Extra double wall clinchers and have low, low miles. Yet, over the years, they have developed cracks in multiple radial locations at the 90 degree bend of the wall.
Replacement rim will be mid/late 1980's era red label Araya double wall clincher which has NO, repeat NO, eyelets (rivets) installed in the spoke openings. The holes are naked.
Do I need nipple washers for reinforcement strength or to ease metal-to-metal contact? Where can I buy them (or suitable substitute)? The secondary opening is 6.5-7.0 mm with the nipple opening being 4.0 cm.
I'm going to build my first wheels for use on my son's 1984 Fuji Opus III. The original rims are Ambrosio 19 Elite Extra double wall clinchers and have low, low miles. Yet, over the years, they have developed cracks in multiple radial locations at the 90 degree bend of the wall.
Replacement rim will be mid/late 1980's era red label Araya double wall clincher which has NO, repeat NO, eyelets (rivets) installed in the spoke openings. The holes are naked.
Do I need nipple washers for reinforcement strength or to ease metal-to-metal contact? Where can I buy them (or suitable substitute)? The secondary opening is 6.5-7.0 mm with the nipple opening being 4.0 cm.
#2
peddling fool
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 506
Likes: 1
From: Philadelphia PA
Bikes: Mid 50's Frejus, Late 50's Frejus, Early 1960s Frejus Professional, Mid 1960's Frejus Professional, Early 70's Gloria (branded), 76 Blue Pogliaghi
#4
That is a very good question, and I'm wondering the same thing. I'm about to build up an Araya tubular rim (the exact model escapes me off hand), and it has no eyelets. I'm going to be using it almost exclusively on a track (not exactly a velodrome, but not on the street), so I'm not overly concerned, but I'd rather not have the rim crack on me.
#5
Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15,410
Likes: 188
From: Tariffville, CT
Bikes: Tsunami road bikes, Dolan DF4 track
I'd use nipple washers. The washers are there to let the nipple turn without grinding away the aluminum rim. Makes for much smoother truing at higher tensions. As a bonus, if you use aluminum nipples, you won't grind away the nipple either.
Most shops will either have them or be able to get them. I think DT makes them.
The (brass) eyelets on eyelet'ed (sp?) rims serve the same purpose.
cdr
Most shops will either have them or be able to get them. I think DT makes them.
The (brass) eyelets on eyelet'ed (sp?) rims serve the same purpose.
cdr
#8
feros ferio

Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 22,397
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From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Use washers. I probably have some extras -- how many do you need?
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#9
#10
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 15
From: Chattanooga
Bikes: '93 Bridgestone RB-1, '91 Specialized Allez Epic, '85 Raleigh Team Pro, '78 Andre Bertin, early '90s F. Moser Leader AX , '85 Centurion Equipe, '98 Litespeed Tuscany, '89 Klein Quantum, '80 Nishiki Superbe, '83 Peckham, '84 Fuji Opus III
#12
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 15
From: Chattanooga
Bikes: '93 Bridgestone RB-1, '91 Specialized Allez Epic, '85 Raleigh Team Pro, '78 Andre Bertin, early '90s F. Moser Leader AX , '85 Centurion Equipe, '98 Litespeed Tuscany, '89 Klein Quantum, '80 Nishiki Superbe, '83 Peckham, '84 Fuji Opus III
#13
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,154
Likes: 15
From: Chattanooga
Bikes: '93 Bridgestone RB-1, '91 Specialized Allez Epic, '85 Raleigh Team Pro, '78 Andre Bertin, early '90s F. Moser Leader AX , '85 Centurion Equipe, '98 Litespeed Tuscany, '89 Klein Quantum, '80 Nishiki Superbe, '83 Peckham, '84 Fuji Opus III
I'd use nipple washers. The washers are there to let the nipple turn without grinding away the aluminum rim. Makes for much smoother truing at higher tensions. As a bonus, if you use aluminum nipples, you won't grind away the nipple either.
Most shops will either have them or be able to get them. I think DT makes them.
The (brass) eyelets on eyelet'ed (sp?) rims serve the same purpose.
cdr
Most shops will either have them or be able to get them. I think DT makes them.
The (brass) eyelets on eyelet'ed (sp?) rims serve the same purpose.
cdr
Any other ideas about sourcing? I've tried multiple LBS and have dug deep on the internet; DT, Sapim, Wheelsmith, etc., all the usual suspects. Closest I could get is a catalog listing with notation, "out of stock".
I readily found some spoke washers. Not the same thing as my need.
#14
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Cambridge, MA
You can go to a car parts store and get spring washers. Not sure what size, but either measure your rim or bring it with you and find the largest size that will fit. You might need two washers per hole since they are thin.
#15
Banned.
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 27,199
Likes: 1,462
I've got a bunch of those Araya rims, in both 27x1 and 700c, and maybe I'm confused because of eyelets/washers. Am I correct in thinking (always a problem) that the eyelets are built into the rim and the washers are outside the rim under the spoke flange?





