Quick Release Skewer Loosening

[ColinJ]

But that just says that you need the concave washer to be metal, as the plastic washer will be mashed and eventually break, not that the design itself is more likely to come undone on its own.

TBH I am multitasking and using my phone so I didn't bother reading all of the article! I assumed that the rest of it made sense and explained what I was trying to say above!

Imagine the concave washer rotated through 90 degrees. Tighten the QR. Then the washer starts to rotate back to where it should have been. The QR is no longer tightly clamped!

 

[Drago]

I have the same question. I've read in here many times that external cam skewers are more likely to loosen themselves than the internal cam types. @Drago could you explain why?

I'd love to be able to, but I don't understand the mechanics of it. Perhaps the knowledgeable @Yellow Saddle has the inside line?

It is very much a thing though and has been mentioned on this hallowed forum in the past.

 

[raleighnut]

Or you can save yourself some weight and fit allen key skewers they even make some that need a special spanner to undo them but these are slightly more expensive

 

[C R]

TBH I am multitasking and using my phone so I didn't bother reading all of the article! I assumed that the rest of it made sense and explained what I was trying to say above!

Imagine the concave washer rotated through 90 degrees. Tighten the QR. Then the washer starts to rotate back to where it should have been. The QR is no longer tightly clamped!

OK, the washer position not being fixed with respect to the cam is a weakness of the design. The internal cam doesn't have that weakness. Thank you. @Drago, wot @ColinJ said.

 

[C R]

OK, the washer position not being fixed with respect to the cam is a weakness of the design. The internal cam doesn't have that weakness. Thank you. @Drago, wot @ColinJ said.

So I have come up with an improved design for the open cam version. I'll try to describe it in words as I don't have access to CAD.

We need to hold the washer so that it is always in the correct orientation. To do that we need a groove along the skewer, and a pin in the washer going into the groove. This way the washer can't rotate, but the cam can still pull the skewer with the washer holding pin sliding inside the groove.

I hereby give up all patent rights in benefit of the cycling community. You're welcome.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I've written about this before. A quick search brought this up:

"A good skewer has an internal cam enclosed by the lever-side of the skewer head. External cams have too much friction for a proper closure. Further, some (but not Hope in this case) have cams that slide against a plastic piece. This is a very poor idea since the plastic deforms long before you have the type of tension in the skewer required for a proper fix of the rear wheel. Good skewers will also have steel teeth, not aluminium. the latter does not bite into the frame enough to create a secure fit. You'll notice on good Shimano skewers that the skewer nut is mostly aluminium (for weigh) but has steel inserts with teeth.
Skewers require far more tension that most people give them."

I can also add that the internal cam is always steel on steel, not some lightweight stuff on plastic. If in doubt, buy any skewer made by shimano. The are all excellent. And....read the shimano skewer user instruction. It is online, a search will produce it. It is excellent advice.
I have a scan on my hand from closing a customer's crappy skewer to proper tension, that then broke and cut my palm.


The link produces by @colin J shows good pictures of the two for comparison. I skim-read it but I don't think the article tells you enough about the doings and screwings of crappy skewers.

The skewer bible says:

1) Shimano or Campagnolo
2) No shyty external camps
3) No lilghtweight unobtanium metal skewers
4) If in doubt, revert to Number 1.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Disc brakes and a quick release skewer.

Can you explain how you tighten the QR. But as above I’d get a Shimano internal cam and ensure you tighten it properly such that the camming action comes into play.

 

[ColinJ]

Can you explain how you tighten the QR. But as above I’d get a Shimano internal cam and ensure you tighten it properly such that the camming action comes into play.

@oldjc - this is known as the 'wingnut' question!

 

[oldjc]

I have the same question. I've read in here many times that external cam skewers are more likely to loosen themselves than the internal cam types. @Drago could you explain why?

TBH I am multitasking and using my phone so I didn't bother reading all of the article! I assumed that the rest of it made sense and explained what I was trying to say above!

Imagine the concave washer rotated through 90 degrees. Tighten the QR. Then the washer starts to rotate back to where it should have been. The QR is no longer tightly clamped!

OK, now I understand what was meant by "cup" and "raised edges" etc. But I wonder if the "raised edges" of the washer would even hold up in such a scenario. If so, then yes the that might then result in a sudden release of tension.

However, I'm quite sure this is not what happened in my case. I'm just not that careless.

 

[oldjc]

So I have come up with an improved design for the open cam version. I'll try to describe it in words as I don't have access to CAD.

We need to hold the washer so that it is always in the correct orientation. To do that we need a groove along the skewer, and a pin in the washer going into the groove. This way the washer can't rotate, but the cam can still pull the skewer with the washer holding pin sliding inside the groove.

I hereby give up all patent rights in benefit of the cycling community. You're welcome.

I see what you mean and think it would work. But . . .

Come on! How many of you have actually misaligned the washer. I think you'd actually have to make a conscious effort to do so.

 

[oldjc]

Can you explain how you tighten the QR. But as above I’d get a Shimano internal cam and ensure you tighten it properly such that the camming action comes into play.

I tighten the nut and close the cam to feel the tension, adjust the nut as needed and close the cam - said the wingnut.

I may well get an internal cam, now that I've gotten some education on the topic.

Glad I posted. Great input ALL!