2

I will build a new wheel with DT Swiss Pro Lock nipples. It will be wy first time with these. Iread they feature an adhesive compound that helps the wheel to keep true (DT Swiss marketing). Will I still have to use linseed oil as usual ? Or could this compound be affected by oil ?

rvil76
  • 734
  • 4
  • 13
  • I’ve had severe problems with wind-up to the point that I was struggling to avoid permanent deformation of the spokes. My solution was to use grease and a lot of it. Both on the threads and on the nipple-rim contact surface. – Michael Apr 04 '22 at 13:23
  • Linseed oil is good with standard nipples because it acts as a lubricant during the wheelbuild and then goes off, helping to prevent nipples loosening. The lubricating feature may still be a benefit but DT Swiss may specify a special lubricant that will work with their retaining compound. Sapim have a different type of solution which is a nipple with a very small/precise deformation to the thread which also prevents loosening but also will work with linseed oil. – Noise Apr 04 '22 at 13:27
  • @JoeK I once used wheelsmith spoke prep on top of Sapim Polyax SILS nipples (for one wheel). That was a mistake! Way too much redundant locking. I did a bunch with light oil afterward and that's what I would do now; the SILS system is aggressive all by itself. – Nathan Knutson Apr 07 '22 at 17:15

2 Answers2

3

Do it per DT instructions and don't use anything extra. The compound on there does it all.

I've heard reports of using any additional thread retention making Prolocks very hard to true without excessive windup. I haven't done it myself though (and rarely touch Prolocks except occasionally when they're used on prefab wheelsets).

Nathan Knutson
  • 84,914
  • 3
  • 90
  • 214
2

I think your question contains a very fatal flaw: the assumption that something other than proper tension is needed to keep the spokes from loosening.

My experience is that with poorly built wheels, that have either unequal or low spoke tension (or usually both at the same time), the spokes will loosen. However, if you equalize and tighten the spokes to a proper tension, the spokes will not loosen.

If you plan on building wheels, a cheap tensiometer is far better investment than buying nipples with threadlocker, or buying the threadlocker speparately. My tensiometer cost only 30 euros and works perfectly.

Using both threadlocked nipples and an additional threadlocker is even less necessary than using belt and suspenders. Either would work at the same time, and actually neither is required if your trousers are the correct size. Similarly, if your spokes have the correct tension, you don't need any threadlocker.

However, there is something you should add to the spoke threads (and also to the nipple-to-rim interface), and it's a lubricant. Either machine oil or grease will work. This is the secret sauce that enables you to achieve a high tension without the spokes working like a torsion spring. When selecting the lubricant, the key thing to remember that it must stay as a lubricant. Linseed oil may initially lubricate but becomes sticky.

juhist
  • 18,668
  • 3
  • 27
  • 49
  • Many road wheels will land on a left side spoke tension too low to resist loosening if the threads aren't treated with something to prevent it, and linseed is an excellent choice. It's just the world we live in and the choices made by component makers when the speed counts were increased. – Nathan Knutson Apr 04 '22 at 22:23
  • 2
    @juhist I do not know why you assume I am not using a tensiometer. I have got one and I used to use it. This kind of nipple is the only thing new to me, and I already built a dozen of wheel that still work without problem. So why did I buy these nipples ? Just because of availatbility. – rvil76 Apr 05 '22 at 06:37