which oil / lube on your nipples - oh er

cborrman
cborrman Posts: 125
edited June 2018 in Workshop
I have a set of HED ardennes black that developed a pingining noise under warranty, Sigma took in, trued and said only issue was oiling the nipples, which they did... no noise until now... so I sucked it up and oiled nipples with chain lube... they are still pinging... anyone have some tips on how to lube your nipples? Which oil, where?

I just applied to 3 or 4 spokes at a time that were at the bottom of the revolution cycle at the top of the nipple / spoke junction and then a bit more on spoke, which ran down and stayed at top of nipple, every few hours another few spokes...

This post has been checked for smut and is 100% innuendo free :)
s-works stumpy FSR, sl2 tarmac, siglespeed rockhopper and a bog standard allez

Comments

  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Maybe the pinging is uneven spoke tension again, possibly as a result of oily nipples? Are they still true? Do similar spokes make a similar sound when plucked?
  • cborrman
    cborrman Posts: 125
    keef66 wrote:
    Maybe the pinging is uneven spoke tension again, possibly as a result of oily nipples? Are they still true? Do similar spokes make a similar sound when plucked?
    wheels still true, I do have a tension meter I could check with later, will let you know!
    s-works stumpy FSR, sl2 tarmac, siglespeed rockhopper and a bog standard allez
  • gazza1286
    gazza1286 Posts: 45
    The ping is partially due to the flex of the rim against the nipples as the wheel rotates. The spokes lose small amount of tension when that arc of the rim is adjacent to the ground. Conversely the spoke is at maximum tension when at the top of the wheel. After all its the tension in the spokes which hold the rider aloft. Some rims seem to ping more than others. Maybe you could remover the tyre and rim tape and spray some lubricant onto the area around each nipple. Worth a shot if it's annoying.
  • cborrman
    cborrman Posts: 125
    gazza1286 wrote:
    The ping is partially due to the flex of the rim against the nipples as the wheel rotates. The spokes lose small amount of tension when that arc of the rim is adjacent to the ground. Conversely the spoke is at maximum tension when at the top of the wheel. After all its the tension in the spokes which hold the rider aloft. Some rims seem to ping more than others. Maybe you could remover the tyre and rim tape and spray some lubricant onto the area around each nipple. Worth a shot if it's annoying.

    ah, so the oil needs to go on that side of nipple? interesting as last time It was done by Sigma/Hed the wheel was tubeless set-up and as far as I can see they did not take tyre off?

    my suspicion is that there is a more penetrating oil I should be using than chain lube????
    s-works stumpy FSR, sl2 tarmac, siglespeed rockhopper and a bog standard allez
  • gazza1286
    gazza1286 Posts: 45
    I wouldn't say that it has to be lubricated from the inside - it merely a suggestion. I don't think penetrating oil is they way to go - it's too thin. I'd use something a bit stickier like wet lube. Whatever you use will be drawn into the offending crevice when the wheel is back on the bike.
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    My wheel man certainly oils his nipples. But he also takes a lot of effort to wipe off all excessive oil before fitting the rim tape and tyre back on.

    Oil and braking surfaces should be kept well apart!
    Half man, Half bike
  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,781
    I wouldn't want mineral oil to get in contact with tyres or inner tubes (I know you are tubeless) as the oil can react with the rubber and cause it to perish and rot. So as above - ensure all excess is removed. Some pinging can be caused where the spokes cross. I have used a candle rubbed over the spokes in this area to keep things quiet.


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • cborrman
    cborrman Posts: 125
    gazza1286 wrote:
    I wouldn't say that it has to be lubricated from the inside - it merely a suggestion. I don't think penetrating oil is they way to go - it's too thin. I'd use something a bit stickier like wet lube. Whatever you use will be drawn into the offending crevice when the wheel is back on the bike.

    thx, will try wet lube next
    s-works stumpy FSR, sl2 tarmac, siglespeed rockhopper and a bog standard allez
  • cborrman
    cborrman Posts: 125
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    I wouldn't want mineral oil to get in contact with tyres or inner tubes (I know you are tubeless) as the oil can react with the rubber and cause it to perish and rot. So as above - ensure all excess is removed. Some pinging can be caused where the spokes cross. I have used a candle rubbed over the spokes in this area to keep things quiet.

    Yes, have been using very sparingly and wiping area as I go
    s-works stumpy FSR, sl2 tarmac, siglespeed rockhopper and a bog standard allez
  • cborrman
    cborrman Posts: 125
    PhotoNic69 wrote:
    I wouldn't want mineral oil to get in contact with tyres or inner tubes (I know you are tubeless) as the oil can react with the rubber and cause it to perish and rot. So as above - ensure all excess is removed. Some pinging can be caused where the spokes cross. I have used a candle rubbed over the spokes in this area to keep things quiet.

    I recently had to redo the tubeless rim tap as the oil from previous warranty fix had come into part of rim tape and unstuck it
    s-works stumpy FSR, sl2 tarmac, siglespeed rockhopper and a bog standard allez
  • Nick Payne
    Nick Payne Posts: 288
    gazza1286 wrote:
    Maybe you could remover the tyre and rim tape and spray some lubricant onto the area around each nipple. Worth a shot if it's annoying.
    Better to put a small amount of oil in a bottletop and use a pin or needle to put a small drop of oil where each nipple enters the rim. That's my standard practice when building wheels - fit all the spokes, partially tension, small drop of oil where each spoke enters the nipple and where each nipple enters the rim, complete the wheel build.
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    i use a thin gun oil (just because it was there) it works very well but ive no idea whats in it.

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