Road Fan

I need to replace the QR skewers on a pair of bikes that belong to a friend. The old ones (50 years old) were barely generating enough pressure to hold the wheels in place. Now that the frame/forks are on their way to being restored, I'm trying to locate a pair of QRs for 100 mm OLD front wheels, and a pair for 120 mm OLD rears, each with 5-speed derailleurs. But I'm not having much success. I'd like to use the old Campagnolo style, also from Joy or Sunshine, that had the lever coming out o the side of teh skewer end. But the shortest I find are for 130 mm OLD, not 120 mm OLD.

Is it supposed to be possible to screw down the nut on a 130 mm to satisfactorily install it on a 120 mm OLD wheel? Because it looks like i might be out of luck with new replacements skewers for the old classic 120 mm 5-speed rear wheels!

veganbikes

I would look at new springs you can probably get some at your local shop pretty easily.

HillRider

I looked at a couple of 130 mm skewers I have in my parts box and, while they will go narrower than a 130 mm hub requires they don't seem to have enough threads to get to 120. You might have better luck finding a couple of skewers intended for 126 mm (7-speed ) hubs as the extra threading should be enough.

Skewers are threaded the very common M5x0.8 mm and as a last resort you could extend the threads on a 130 mm skewer and cut off the excess.

Edit: A quick Google search came up with a pair of Maillard and a pair of Campy 120 mm skewers, both used and not cheap, on ebay

dsbrantjr

Most of the skewers I have looked at seem to have rolled threads, so are likely too small in diameter to cut full-height threads into. https://www.portlandbolt.com/technic...threads-bolts/

Mad Honk 

I am always a fan of the local co-ops where the parts can be found easily, but if you can't get any the skewers can be threaded down a bit with a die set. Cost will be mostly time on your part. Check with St. Louis bike co-op via internet, they may be able to help you out. Smiles, MH

HillRider

I measured the diameter of the unthreaded part of two skewers I have and they were 0.195" (4.95mm) and 0.198" (5.02mm) so I think they would take nearly full height threads. That said, even if the threads aren't 100% deep the nut is long enough to engage a lot of them.

Road Fan

Thanks a bunch for checking the Bay, but I should have said I need cheaper ones. I was out on eBay looking around for a while in the past few days, that's why I came here.

Also, thank you very much for checking the threading lengths!

Road Fan

Actually that's one of the first things I did, but to no avail!

veganbikes

The new springs didn't help? Damn...that sucks big time. If you have someone who has access to a thread rolling machine you could potentially cut down a 130mm skewer and roll some threads. If you know a motorcycle shop they may have a spoke machine that could handle it? At least I know the Phil Wood machine cuts spokes and rolls threads.

HillRider

Why would new springs help? All the springs do is center the skewer to make it easier to install the wheel in the dropouts. They do nothing to adjust the skewer length.

I don't think a spoke thread rolling machine would work. First, skewers are far harder steel than spokes and would likely damage the rolling head. Second, are even motorcycle spokes 5mm in diameter? Would a rolling head handle that diameter?

Leisesturm

Maybe try in the C&V forum? I'm curious as to the kind/model of classic that is worth this much hassle.

Road Fan

you seem to think an easy bail out exists?

Road Fan

you seem to think an easy bail out exists?

oldbobcat

I just checked my parts box. All my old spares got donated to the Boulder bike repair co-op. I presume this wheel will be fitted to a horizontal dropout. Be sure to get a closed-cam skewer. The newer open-cam ones don't clamp tight enough.

icemilkcoffee 

Yes. Just use some lock washers

between the frame dropout and the QR clamping faces.

Road Fan

One of the problems is corrosion and even erosion on the cam faces. This means either

• the clamp will not open enough without significant unscrewing of the nut,
• It takes extra time to close the levers with enough pressure to retain the wheels and ensure alignment is maintained,
• skewer stroke is reduced due to cam face wear, over-center locking is greatly reduced,
• and, that added skewer tension due to the cam action is reduced.

I could replace the cam levers, at least $18 per wheel (4 wheels) plus replacement skewers. I have seen no sources for bare front wheel skewers, and am not ready to tap available 130 mm skewers.

I think the root problem is the lack of cam action with positive over-center locking. The owner of these bikes is not a bike tech person who will remember to be especially careful how he tightens his and his wife's wheels. They and the bikes have gained 50 years together, so I feel the parts, where compromised, must deliver as-new safety. But I don't think I can even find four complete vintage Campagnolo skewers, properly sized.

Nice, techy lock washers like you show are good if I need to take up space. I think the problem is to restore lost stroke in the locking feature of the skewer as an assembly.

icemilkcoffee 

What I meant was use a 130mm/ 126mm QR skewer and then take up the space with washers. Your old 120mm QR's are probably too worn to be re-used.

Road Fan

Yes that's a possibility but I would rather have QRs that fit and do not become fiddly to install.

Road Fan

I haven't checked the longer ones with enough care yet, but if the front cams are worn, most likely the rear ones are as well. But adding stacks of washers is likely to result in a very fiddly solution. It might be ok until the LBSs are re-supplied with low-end Shimano QRs (that's what local-to-me Tree Fort said is their issue), so washers are one of my options. But I also wrote that my friends are very near 70 and intend to continue riding. So they might be in trouble if they don't look, think, and then disassemble so as not to drop the small parts. If they were my bikes I would remember what I did to my skewers, but these two will just run off like kids together to ride their bikes. I have to give them fixes that are not tweaky. They need bikes to ride, not bikes that are risks.

Mad Honk 

OK Road Fan,
I have two fronts here, and one rear. But they will require springs and end nuts. I can go to our co-op on Saturday and likely find two pairs of skewers also. PM me. Smiles, MH

Mad Honk 

Road Fan,
The co-op was good to you this morning, and I scored a set of Sunshine hubs in 5 speed as well. A pretty good day! PM or call me with the shipping info/ Smiles, MH