Oversized spoke nipple/tool question
11-22-23, 04:16 PM
#1
Oversized spoke nipple/tool question
I am working on donated bikes for unsheltered people. I recently got a cheap Chinese generic cruiser in and don't have a spoke wrench that works for it. The spoke itself measures 2.64mm which I understand is 12 gauge. The nipples (which are admittedly rusty) seem to measure between 4.0 to 4.2 mm. Has anyone been faced with this size nipple? I want to buy a Park wrench to fit, they have one (SW-3) that shows 3.95 to 4mm. They have another (sw14.5) that seems to be dedicated to shimano 4.3 nipples. I feel like this is too large and will end up stripping the nipples. Thanks for the help!
11-22-23, 04:57 PM
#2
Really Old Senior Member
Does a 4mm open end wrench fit well? For a gauge.
A dose of penetrating oil and that may work.
A dose of penetrating oil and that may work.
11-22-23, 05:02 PM
#3
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just use a 4" adjustable wrench.... unless you expect to see that bike frequently.
also... motorcycle outlets should have a spoke wrench in the correct size... i still have my step-slotted M/C Disc style spoke wrench, and the Dog bone one that i used to build about 50 M/C wheels...
Moose Racing makes a nice one... the Moose is cool.... 4 to 7 mm, three sizes per end, IIRC... i taped over the sizes i WASN'T using at the time
i'd just go with the small adj., wrench.
also... motorcycle outlets should have a spoke wrench in the correct size... i still have my step-slotted M/C Disc style spoke wrench, and the Dog bone one that i used to build about 50 M/C wheels...
Moose Racing makes a nice one... the Moose is cool.... 4 to 7 mm, three sizes per end, IIRC... i taped over the sizes i WASN'T using at the time
i'd just go with the small adj., wrench.
Last edited by maddog34; 11-22-23 at 05:09 PM.
11-22-23, 05:06 PM
#5
Alas: My wrenches only go down to 6mm. I am up for buying the proper tool as I get a fair number of these cruisers donated. I typically don't fool with truing the wheels as they mostly just have coaster brakes so being out of true isn't the end of the world. I just got a truing stand and had some spare time so I thought I would practice on these.
11-22-23, 05:08 PM
#6
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bicycle-S...B&gclsrc=aw.ds
Multi wrench for 10 gauge and smaller. 8 sizes, $4.
Multi wrench for 10 gauge and smaller. 8 sizes, $4.
11-22-23, 05:09 PM
#7
Really Old Senior Member
Stop by a pawn shop and fill in some needed sizes.
11-23-23, 04:42 AM
#8
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https://www.ebay.com/itm/30517493156...Cclp%3A4429486
or better quality
https://www.ebay.com/itm/26575687262...Bk9SR-aimLz_Yg
or better quality
https://www.ebay.com/itm/26575687262...Bk9SR-aimLz_Yg
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11-23-23, 10:08 AM
#9
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or an old school adjustable spoke wrench like this (red arrow).
they can be cranked down tite on an off size spoke. A little slower to use.
Can be found on ebay. for small beer.
by the way the round spoke wrench on the right is a Campagnolo, pretty rare
/markp
they can be cranked down tite on an off size spoke. A little slower to use.
Can be found on ebay. for small beer.
by the way the round spoke wrench on the right is a Campagnolo, pretty rare
/markp
Last edited by mpetry912; 11-23-23 at 01:24 PM.
11-23-23, 01:21 PM
#10
Senior Member
I dare say that Park isn't always the first choice for rusty POS bikes. Due to the corrosion, your nipples may require several different sized wrenches, or a multi-wrench or adjustable wrench.
11-23-23, 01:51 PM
#11
Senior Member
Probably best to go with the multi-wrench that others have posted above. Park used to make a yellow spoke wrench, probably the sw-4 gap in the spoke wrench types since it was bigger than the SW-3 blue wrench. A LBS I was building bikes for brought in some cheap cruisers during the pandemic when they couldn't get anything else and it was also using this size spoke nipple, I think it was the first time I ever used that tool, and the spokes looked like something from an old garden cart. The techs were just using round multi sized wrenches too.
