I recently found out I need a pedal washer in my lightning cranks. Since pedal washers from the LBS don't fit, I was able to modify a nylon washer and it seems to be working quite well for a few rides, but I'm not sure that's the place to use a piece of plastic instead of a steel washer.

I would have just ordered them from lightning, but I'm a little miffed that they want to charge me $10 for a set plus $5 to ship them after I paid quite a bit for the cranks.

Ok, more than a little miffed. Now back to the washer-- thoughts?

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Speedplay is the devil.

Charging that much for a pair of washers is complete bull$hit - I'm not surprised you're miffed.

I'd be changing to metal washers ASAP, I agree that nylon is not a good idea in an application like that. Can you get the size at a local fasteners shop?

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You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.
-- Frank Zappa

I use nylon washers on my Zipp Vuma cranks. I bought the cranks second hand (without BB and washers) at a bike shop in the states and I was told by the shop that they had always used the nylon ones on the Zipp cranks they had mounted. So that was what I got.

I have used the cranks for a season now and have had no issues. There was no sign of wear and tear on the washers when I had the cranks of the bike roughly mid season.

I don't plan on changing in the near future.

Fair enough, I stand corrected then. I guess there are many different types/grades of nylon - I was thinking it would be too soft but if there are washers out there designed for the job then I guess they must be up to it.

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You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.
-- Frank Zappa

i dont see an issue in using any washer. provided you do your pedals up (duh...:p) there is no abnormal strain on the washer that would cause wwear faster than a metal washer. the axle is static.

You're using the washer to increase the Q-factor right?

What is the purpose of the washer?

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TIME RXR

The axle takes nearly all the load, so a nylon washer might work, but I would certainly use steel or alloy.

Washer is to increase the q-factor, but also because the pedal insert is recessed- if using pedals w/ flats you wouldn't be able to tighten/loosen them because the flats would be too far in.

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Speedplay is the devil.