A nipple for spoked wheels of the tubeless type comprises a first and a second shoulder which are formed on a rod with a blind axial hole which is internally threaded at an end of the rod which is distal from the opening of the axial hole and in a zone of the rod which is proximal with respect to the opening, respectively. A first recess for a sealing ring is formed on the rod behind the first shoulder and at least a second recess for a second sealing ring is formed on the rod between the first recess and the second shoulder.

A tubeless spoked wheel including a rim and a hub connected with wire spokes includes a rim that has no through-hole and is narrow in the vehicle width direction. A plurality of internal threads are aligned circumferentially in an annular raised portion arranged along the centerline of a rim. A connecting member that is hollow and has an external thread on its outer periphery is screwed into each internal thread. Each connecting member is pre-engaged with a distal end of a spoke in a rotatable manner. Each spoke bends at a position outward from the connecting member, tilts toward a hub, and has its basal end connected to a right or left flange of the hub with a nipple. The spokes are connected to the annular raised portion to narrow the rim in the vehicle width direction. The spokes are rotatably supported on the connecting members.

A bolt together wheel assembly with deflation system includes an inner wheel half, an outer wheel half, a bolt cover ring, and a removable valve stem. Clamping bolts and clamping nuts secure the outer wheel half to the inner wheel half. Venting port plugs secure the bolt cover ring to the outer wheel half over the clamping bolts. Loosening one or more of the venting port plugs to access the clamping bolts opens a seal to a vent port within the inner wheel half and releases pressurized air from a tire on the wheel, ensuring that the tire is deflated before the wheel can be disassembled.

A rim for a vehicle wheel, the rim comprising: a circumferential tire bed surface, the tire bed surface comprising: a circumferential first bead seat and a circumferential second bead seat laterally spaced from said first bead seat, said first bead seat configured to support a first bead of a mating tire and said second bead seat configured to support a second bead of said mating tire; a circumferential rim well laterally positioned between said first bead seat and said second bead seat; wherein said rim well comprises a circumferential first step edge laterally inwardly offset from said first bead seat and a circumferential first spacer region laterally positioned between said first bead seat and said first step edge; at least a portion of said first spacer portion is radially inboard of said first bead; said first step edge extending radially inwardly from said first spacer region; wherein said first step edge is configured to provide for lateral alignment registration and/or visual alignment and placement of a first edge of a mating rim strip, said rim strip is a circumferential element that radially outwardly overlaps said rim well and extends laterally inwardly from said first edge.

A rim sealing strip comprising: a circumferentially elongated rim strip having a radially outwardly facing outboard surface, a radially inwardly facing inboard surface, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge laterally spaced from the first lateral edge; where the rim strip includes an overall lateral width between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge and a radial thickness between the outboard surface and the inboard surface; and where the radial thickness is variable across the lateral width to include a first lateral region having a first radial thickness and a second lateral region having a second radial thickness, where the first radial thickness is thicker than the second radial thickness. A rim sealing system comprising: a circumferentially elongated rim strip having a radially outwardly facing outboard surface, a radially inwardly facing inboard surface, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge laterally spaced from the first lateral edge; a rim to receive the circumferentially elongated rim strip, where the rim includes a radially outwardly projecting first bead flange, a radially outwardly projecting second bead flange laterally spaced from the first bead flange, and a radially outwardly facing tire bed surface positioned laterally between the first bead flange and the second bead flange, and where the inboard surface of the rim strip circumscribes the tire bed surface; where the rim strip includes an overall lateral width between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge and a radial thickness between the outboard surface and the inboard surface; and where the radial thickness is variable across the lateral width to include a first lateral region having a first radial thickness and a second lateral region having a second radial thickness, where the first radial thickness is thicker than the second radial thickness. A rim sealing strip comprising: a circumferentially elongated rim strip having a radially outwardly facing outboard surface, a radially inwardly facing inboard surface, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge laterally spaced from the first lateral edge; where the rim strip includes an overall lateral width between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge and a radial thickness between the outboard surface and the inboard surface; and where the rim strip includes a first lateral region and a second lateral region laterally adjoining the first lateral region; and where the material stiffness of the first lateral region has greater stiffness than the material stiffness of the second lateral region. A rim comprising: a rim, the rim comprising: a radially outwardly facing tire bed surfa

An axle assembly includes a first axle shaft. The first axle shaft includes a first conduit. A second axle shaft includes a second conduit. The first conduit and the second conduit are in fluid communication through a chamber. A differential is operatively connected to the first axle shaft and the second axle shaft. The chamber is at least partially disposed within the differential.

An axle assembly and method of manufacture. The axle assembly may include a sleeve that is disposed in a spindle and that is in sealing engagement with the spindle proximate opposing ends. The sleeve has a smaller diameter than the spindle such that a fluid passage is provided between the spindle and the sleeve.

A bicycle rim assembly includes a rim defining a central plane and comprising annular inner and outer walls. The outer wall includes first and second bead seats separated by a center well. First and second annular projections are spaced laterally from each other relative to the central plane and extend substantially radially outwardly from the outer wall. Each of the annular projections includes a radially outer face and a laterally inner face. Right and left covers are spaced from each other and are preferably coupled to the rim to cover at least a portion of the laterally inner face and the radially outer face of the first and second annular projections, respectively, and also the first and second bead seats, respectively. One or both of the right and left covers can be fiber reinforced. First and second pieces of tape can be overlapped and used to secure the covers to the rim.

An axle assembly and method of manufacture. The axle assembly may include a sleeve that is disposed in a spindle and that is in sealing engagement with the spindle proximate opposing ends. The sleeve has a smaller diameter than the spindle such that a fluid passage is provided between the spindle and the sleeve.

A wheel end assembly for a tire inflation system includes a sealing ring disposed on an axle housing. The sealing ring includes a conduit formed therethrough in fluid communication with a conduit formed through a hub. The hub is rotatably disposed on the axle housing adjacent the sealing ring. An inner rotary seal is disposed between the sealing ring and the hub. An outer rotary seal is disposed between the sealing ring and the hub. The hub conduit is in fluid communication with the sealing ring conduit via an area between the inner rotary seal and the outer rotary seal. A bearing seal is disposed between the sealing ring and the hub. The bearing seal is disposed outboard of the outer rotary seal. The inner rotary seal, the outer rotary seal, and the bearing seal are each in sealing contact with the sealing ring.