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Just been trying to figure out the best way to do this, particularly regarding lubrication. DT say grease the nipple seat where it'll contact the washer, but don't mention anything else- no lubing the washer against the rim frinstance. A lot of people recommend using oil on both the nipple and washer, some people recommend greasing both. Never actually built one of these from scratch so I'm not sure whether or not to just do it DT's way or if people have found better options
Cheers!
Exactly as per those instructions.
The washer doesn't need to move in the future, but the nipple might. So it makes perfect sense really.
Granted, they are not very old, but no issues here.
Oh and get a cheap 1/4“ drive E5 bit to assemble them. Couple of quid on ebay for a cheapie is fine.
Lots of swearing and magnets to retrieve them. Ridiculous design but you only do it once. I greased the washer to nipple just to stick them together in the end, nothing to do with lubrication.
Yer, just what they say. Dab of grease on the nipple, stick the washer to it, two birds one stone
Grease to help the washer stick, oil might be more likely to get onto the rim where you want the tape to stick.
Cheers folks, will go with the "as they tell you to do it, idiot" approach :). Really not a fan of the washers but they're damn good rims so I can tolerate it.
Grease or oil, the important bit is not to lose a washer in the rim, so best putting them in from the bottom so less chance the washer can slip off when fitting, same with removal, this is usually a pain when you break a spoke more than building, but worth watching out for.
Don't soak your nips in oil.
I use a cotton swab to dab grease on the nipple shoulder then pop the washer on.
Thick grease like Phil wood or park green stuff and you'll not drop a washer off a nipple.
I tend to assemble all 28/32 in a batch then lace.
I also use the DT torx driver t-handle and I'll rarely drop a washer.. if I do, they shake out pretty easily as long as you haven't daubed grease all over the washer.
Last set of wheels I didn't grease them, probably going to die in a ball of tangled wheel. Did use brass nipples though, they didn't squeek and groan like the ali ones do (which get a small coating of grease over the washer and nipple shoulder.
DT tools make wheel building a very pleasant experience
https://www.bikeparts.co.uk/products/dt-swiss-proline-nipple-wrench-for-hidden-torx-nipples
https://www.bikeparts.co.uk/products/dt-swiss-torx-driver-bit-for-squorx-nipples-standard-rims
https://www.bikeparts.co.uk/collections/dt-swiss/products/dt-swiss-proline-nipple-wrench-red
I seem to be the odd one out here and will probably curse myself. I've not greased any of my dtswiss wheelsets! Just the usual dip of the spoke thread into some oil as I build them. That is using the STD nipples and washers the dtswiss rims come with. Not had any issues. Oldest are probably about 3 years old now.
I use the torx driver which is a godsend and I much prefer building wheels with this on dtswiss rims