# Problem with KCNC Ti Skewers



## rubber_duckie (Apr 24, 2012)

Dear all, 

I have some questions and problem with my newly KCNC Ti Skewers. 
I’m using campy shamal ultra wheel sets. 

Been using Campy Skewers for my Front and rear wheels and there isn’t any play or moving gaps. 

But after changed to KCNC Ti Skewers for my front and rear wheels.
My rear wheel had about 1mm to 2mm free play or gap. 
I've tighten and re-tighten KCNC Ti Skewers and the free play or gaps still there. 

Even tired to tighten and re-tighten my rear hub the problem still unable to solve.

I have no choice to use back my Campy Skewers and the free play or gaps are gone.

Please kindly advice me how can I solve this free play problem on my rear wheel.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

It sounds like you don't have it adjusted correctly, did you read the instructions? The adjusting nut is opposite of the quick release lever, you need to screw down the adjusting nut until pressure is felt when the lever is in a 90 degree angle from the dropouts. Also there are two sizes of skewers, the long one goes on the rear and the short one on the front. The lever will be opposite of the gear cluster and the front will be on the same side of the bike as the rear.

If you have done all of that then you got the wrong size skewers. Typically road bikes will be 100mm on the front and either 120 and 130 on the rear. And the skewers need to match the axle diameter, most common are 8 to 10mm diameter. If you're not sure take the bike to a lbs and find out for sure which size fits yours.

See this too: How To Change Wheel Skewers On Bicycle | LIVESTRONG.COM

Also how old is the hub? If it uses the old cone and cup bearings then it could be your cone is not adjusted correctly, and that the old skewer was set too tight and and by cranking on it it kept the hub tight, but now the new skewer won't allow that short cut to work. If this is the case then see this for detail info especially point 9; see: Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Hub Overhaul and Adjustment


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## rubber_duckie (Apr 24, 2012)

Didn't really go through the whole instruction.
But I tired many ways and position for my rear wheel but still there’s free play. 
No matter how tighten I tired there are still free play. 
They get even worse if I just applied less pressure to tighten. 

I don't think, I got the wrong skewers the length are correct but I didn't measure the diameter but by taking a look the diameter seem to be the same for me. 

My hub still quite new been ridden for about 2000km since I got it in 2012.
But the only problem will even I switch back to Campy Skewers and I just tighten as usual the free play is no longer exist. The problem only happen one I use back KCNS skewers. 
But for my front wheel I don't have such problem using both types of Skewers.

Thank you so much for your advice. 
Will check and measure the diameter. 
But I’m sure the size should be correct.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Campy skewers are quite heavy. That being said, they have amazing clamping power. The KCNC are lightweight skewers and can't generate anywhere near the same clamping force. Not sure what you can do to run the light skewer and get the clamping force.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

sell the useless KCNC skewers and use the internal cam Campy skewers. i will NEVER understand the desire to save weight on something as critical as a q/r skewer. they hold your damn wheels on...use good ones!


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## vagabondcyclist (Apr 2, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> sell the useless KCNC skewers and use the internal cam Campy skewers. i will NEVER understand the desire to save weight on something as critical as a q/r skewer. they hold your damn wheels on...use good ones!


This.


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## rubber_duckie (Apr 24, 2012)

spookyload said:


> Campy skewers are quite heavy. That being said, they have amazing clamping power. The KCNC are lightweight skewers and can't generate anywhere near the same clamping force. Not sure what you can do to run the light skewer and get the clamping force.


Anyway to generate more clamping force from KCNC?
example to add on spring washer or spacer.


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## Eyorerox (Feb 19, 2008)

cxwrench said:


> sell the useless KCNC skewers and use the internal cam Campy skewers. i will NEVER understand the desire to save weight on something as critical as a q/r skewer. they hold your damn wheels on...use good ones!


This or buy some Shimano ones


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## Randy99CL (Mar 27, 2013)

rubber_duckie said:


> Anyway to generate more clamping force from KCNC? example to add on spring washer or spacer.


This thread is scary. Skewers must be the simplest part on the whole bike.

There are only two possibilities here: they are the wrong length or you don't know how to use them.
You keep saying that they are the right length so what does that leave you?

You said that you didn't go through the whole instruction?

You can't put washers or springs or anything on them to fill that gap. The skewers have to grab into the dropouts so your wheel doesn't fall off. That's why they leave marks where they attach.

Take all 4 of your skewers apart and lay them side by side to compare them. Are the threads the same length?

Take pictures of everything and post them so we have more to work with.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Try adjusting them so you don't have to tighten them beyond the point where the lever is vertical in reference to the ground. With some KCNC skewers, it's possible to loosen the wheel-to-dropout connection to an unacceptable degree when pushing the lever past the vertical. Piss-poor design or perhaps quality control, in my view.


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## rcb78 (Jun 15, 2008)

Try removing the springs. I've got a set of KCNCs and I think they work just fine. That said, the relief where the springs rest isn't deep enough and they won't close correctly with the springs in place.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

rubber_duckie said:


> Didn't really go through the whole instruction.
> 
> But for my front wheel I don't have such problem using both types of Skewers.
> 
> ...


Please read the instructions to make sure your doing everything correctly. Make sure your adjusting the nut too. I can't help to think you got the wrong length of skewer. Why can't you take the skewer back and get the right one? Maybe there's something wrong with that skewer? KCNC has great customer service from what I've been told, contact them if the LBS fails you. 

Some folk are scared of lightweight skewers, and rightfully so if you got them from E-bay as a generic brand, but not KCNC, I've read nothing but rave reports about KCNC products and no issues with wheels falling off with their skewers...of course if they don't fit right that could cause a problem! 

Anyway either go back to the LBS or online store where you got them and find out what they can do, or go directly to KCNC and discuss the problem with them.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

rubber_duckie said:


> Didn't really go through the whole instruction.
> But I tired many ways and position for my rear wheel but still there’s free play.
> No matter how tighten I tired there are still free play.
> They get even worse if I just applied less pressure to tighten.


Aside from the fact that Ti is not a good material for QR skewers, there is no way you should be getting that much "play reduction" from your skewers unless you have pretty weak hubs. I did some experiments on this and found that the amount of compression of a standard Campy hub from the QR skewers was the equivalent of 1/36 of a turn of a cone on a loose bearing hub. IOW the QR skewer had virtually no effect on hub adjustment. If you're getting 2 mm of play at the rim that is eliminated by tightening a QR skewer then you might want to think about getting some better hubs.


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## rubber_duckie (Apr 24, 2012)

Dear all,
And thank you so much for your advice and support especially to FORZE too.
Last night after carefully comparing both Skewers and checking rear wheel after remove from my bike without using any Skewers
I've notice the hub and hub cap itself had a small gap and was a little bit loose.
I unscrew the Allen and re-tighten the hub cap and I was able to turn the hub cap and able to tighten the gap.
And now there isn't any gap after fix on my bike with either Campy or KCNC Skewers.
I attached the photo, so you guys could understand more. 
And also helps other facing the same problem.

View attachment 280701


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

don't close your skewer like that, against the frame tube. it isn't close completely. it's also a pain in the *ss to open. position the lever either below or between the frame tubes. the way you are doing it is wrong.


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## marathon marke (Nov 14, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> don't close your skewer like that, against the frame tube. it isn't close completely. it's also a pain in the *ss to open. position the lever either below or between the frame tubes. the way you are doing it is wrong.


I agree. However, because there is no offset to the skewer lever near it's base, it almost looks like this skewer design won't allow the skewer to fully close if placed between the two frame tubes. Many skewers are designed like this, and I then usually suggest closing them under the chainstay.


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## rubber_duckie (Apr 24, 2012)

cxwrench said:


> don't close your skewer like that, against the frame tube. it isn't close completely. it's also a pain in the *ss to open. position the lever either below or between the frame tubes. the way you are doing it is wrong.


Advice which position will be good or correct? 
Front and Rear?

Thanks!


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

rubber_duckie said:


> Advice which position will be good or correct?
> Front and Rear?
> 
> Thanks!


as marke said, under the chainstay is best. and either straight up and down or straight back for the front skewer. just not against anything.


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## rubber_duckie (Apr 24, 2012)

cxwrench said:


> as marke said, under the chainstay is best. and either straight up and down or straight back for the front skewer. just not against anything.


Front will be 2 or 3 o'clock
Rear will be 10 or 11 o'clock

Am I Correct?


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

rubber_duckie said:


> Front will be 2 or 3 o'clock
> Rear will be 10 or 11 o'clock
> 
> Am I Correct?


Yes depending on your geometry. I have a set similar to those (thin straight arm - always had to play with them as you have to figure out the orientation on each change), changed them for a set of salsa, better design (works on all drop outs -even wright)


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

cxwrench said:


> ...i will NEVER understand the desire to save weight on something as critical as a q/r skewer. they hold your damn wheels on...use good ones!


Arguably no more critical than frame, bars, stems, brakes and other weight weenie components.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

rubber_duckie said:


> Front will be 2 or 3 o'clock
> Rear will be 10 or 11 o'clock
> 
> Am I Correct?


jesus...just don't close the lever against the fork leg or a frame tube. anywhere else is good. except straight to the rear on the rear wheel. 
from a mechanics standpoint, the easiest position to open the levers is straight back (horizontal) for the front, and around 7-8 o'clock on the rear, under the chain stay.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

If possible you want the skewer to be angled somewhere between 11 to 5 o'clock position and so that it is up inline with the frame which is done so that a quick release can't be hit by something and inadvertently be opened if you face the lever towards the front; also it's done for looks too. Of course you do have to take into consideration your particular frame and fork, but typically angling the quick release toward the rear direction of the bike is better as long as part of the bike doesn't prevent easy access to the release.

Here are some examples: 

https://www.google.com/search?q=wha...crappy-quick-release-skewers-36417%2F;670;446

https://www.google.com/search?q=wha...gif;http%3A%2F%2Fbikebro.com%2Fe2.php;700;332

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...Fbike-paramount%2Fbike-paramount.htm;1024;768


Most cyclists try to orient the levers so their close to being in the same position front and rear, again for looks. The Wright or Breezer dropouts will limit you more as to the position the lever will be in.

An off note; it was the Wright brothers, same brothers of the famed first human flight, that invented the Wright dropout, Joe Breeze copied it years later and updated it a bit; thus it is more accurately to call those dropouts by their creator name...Wright.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

Jesus, cxwrench, why don't you ease up a bit. Not everyone is as experienced as you, nor has English as a first language.

These forums are a source of info and education for those seeking it. 

You have good advice to offer. Have some patience while teaching.


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## mikerp (Jul 24, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> jesus...just don't close the lever against the fork leg or a frame tube. anywhere else is good. except straight to the rear on the rear wheel.
> from a mechanics standpoint, the easiest position to open the levers is straight back (horizontal) for the front, and around 7-8 o'clock on the rear, under the chain stay.


LOL
@OP don't take cxw's response poorly, I find myself in his current shoes often, I've been brainwashed to be kinder and friendlier.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

mikerp said:


> LOL
> @OP don't take cxw's response poorly, I find myself in his current shoes often, I've been brainwashed to be kinder and friendlier.


My brainwashers are having trouble with trying to make me kinder and friendlier, the brainwashing works most days, then someday's it doesn't work at all.


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