rim/nipple corrosion

I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
my nipples are made of aluminium?

On Aug 11, 1:24 am, "
wrote:
I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
my nipples are made of aluminium?

yes...

PcBlaster, available at their local Wal-Mart or Dis**** Auto.
a drop on spoke shaft above each nipple where each nipple so lubed is
facing up toward the hub so Blaster can flow downward into the nipple
threads.
after brushing nipple/spoke jinction with wire brush.
allow soak 2-3 days.
repeat for all other spokes, turning wheel to allow downward flow.
patience before turning the maybe frozen nipples with a Spokey yields
eternal life.
then lube threads with linseed oil, turn nipples several times to
grind off the interior oxide.
retrue! if you do one nipple/spoke at a time then torque back up to
the feel you get after breaking the nipple loose, retrue should be
easy.
the nipples/spokes now ahve toooooooooooo many extra atoms between
threads

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:25:59 -0000, "Qui si parla
Campagnolo-www.vecchios.com" wrote:

On Aug 11, 1:24 am, "
wrote:
I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
my nipples are made of aluminium?

yes...


I have just about the same problem, on a fairly recent wheel - the LBS
guy who built the wheel for me told me he had used "extra light"
niples, which is something never heard about before, and I now know I
don't want them ever again in a wheel I pay for: the other day I was
trueing this wheel, and the nipples came apart, some literally into
dust...

I had never seen this before, on several other wheels I've trued now
and then. I was shocked.

This problem is hapening on my rear wheel - nice ;-( My front was
built at another LBS, and while they did not use "extra light" niples
- these have the usual lenght - they asked if wanted the nipples made
of aluminum or of any other material ....

Therefore my question, especially since I Iive by the seaside: what
should nipples be made of, instead of aluminum??

Thanks,
bbb

On Sun, 12 Aug 2007 18:49:04 GMT, (BigBenBiker) wrote:

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:25:59 -0000, "Qui si parla
Campagnolo-www.vecchios.com" wrote:

On Aug 11, 1:24 am, "
wrote:
I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
my nipples are made of aluminium?

yes...


I have just about the same problem, on a fairly recent wheel - the LBS
guy who built the wheel for me told me he had used "extra light"
niples, which is something never heard about before, and I now know I
don't want them ever again in a wheel I pay for: the other day I was
trueing this wheel, and the nipples came apart, some literally into
dust...

I had never seen this before, on several other wheels I've trued now
and then. I was shocked.

This problem is hapening on my rear wheel - nice ;-( My front was
built at another LBS, and while they did not use "extra light" niples
- these have the usual lenght - they asked if wanted the nipples made
of aluminum or of any other material ....

Therefore my question, especially since I Iive by the seaside: what
should nipples be made of, instead of aluminum??

Standard brass nipples seem to hold up fine. I don't see any reason to look for
anything else. I'd change your aluminum ones now before they corrode into place
or just start crumbling and falling off the bike.

Ron

" wrote:
I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
my nipples are made of aluminium?

"Qui si parla Campagnolo-www.vecchios.com" wrote:
yes...

BigBenBiker wrote:
I have just about the same problem, on a fairly recent wheel - the LBS
guy who built the wheel for me told me he had used "extra light"
niples, which is something never heard about before, and I now know I
don't want them ever again in a wheel I pay for: the other day I was
trueing this wheel, and the nipples came apart, some literally into
dust...

I had never seen this before, on several other wheels I've trued now
and then. I was shocked.

This problem is hapening on my rear wheel - nice ;-( My front was
built at another LBS, and while they did not use "extra light" niples
- these have the usual lenght - they asked if wanted the nipples made
of aluminum or of any other material ....

Therefore my question, especially since I Iive by the seaside: what
should nipples be made of, instead of aluminum??

Plated brass. And lubricated during build, too.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971