Rohloff Hubs: Can't stop slow oil leak

I know this is kind of off-the-wall for 99% of the NG's readers, but
in the past I've seen posts from other Rohloff users... so...

I don't think it's the hubs. I think it's something I'm not doing, or doing
wrong.

Rationale: I've got two of the things with serial numbers a couple
years apart and they're behaving the same....

I've installed the two little gaskets that're supposed to prevent oil leaking
past the axle plate or the shifting box numerous times, but to no avail.
Tried coating them with Form-A-Gasket, to no avail.

I've been around and around with Rohloff USA, but haven't gotten
anywhere except to be fairly sure that I'm putting the gaskets
in the right place. A picture sure would help, but nobody's
come up with anything yet....

Nothing's getting past the axle plates (i.e. the larger of the two gaskets).
It seems more like it's getting past the smaller gasket - but I don't know how
to prove or disprove that suspicion.

It seems like the shifting box is filling up with oil and then it's working it's
way through the bronze or brass thing that holds the bearing that goes around
the shaft that the cable box rotates; then it runs into the cable box and
dribbles out through the joint formed when the cable box is attached to the
shifting box.

The shifting box is hanging down, so that probably helps with the flow...

Has anybody else had this problem and solved it? I've about run out
of alternatives except for figuring out how many miles per CC I'm getting
and just topping up the hub every so often...

--
Pete (Why Me?) Cresswell

"(Pete Cresswell)" wrote in message . ..
I know this is kind of off-the-wall for 99% of the NG's readers, but
in the past I've seen posts from other Rohloff users... so...

I don't think it's the hubs. I think it's something I'm not doing, or doing
wrong.

Rationale: I've got two of the things with serial numbers a couple
years apart and they're behaving the same....

I've installed the two little gaskets that're supposed to prevent oil leaking
past the axle plate or the shifting box numerous times, but to no avail.
Tried coating them with Form-A-Gasket, to no avail.

I've been around and around with Rohloff USA, but haven't gotten
anywhere except to be fairly sure that I'm putting the gaskets
in the right place. A picture sure would help, but nobody's
come up with anything yet....

Nothing's getting past the axle plates (i.e. the larger of the two gaskets).
It seems more like it's getting past the smaller gasket - but I don't know how
to prove or disprove that suspicion.

It seems like the shifting box is filling up with oil and then it's working it's
way through the bronze or brass thing that holds the bearing that goes around
the shaft that the cable box rotates; then it runs into the cable box and
dribbles out through the joint formed when the cable box is attached to the
shifting box.

The shifting box is hanging down, so that probably helps with the flow...

Has anybody else had this problem and solved it? I've about run out
of alternatives except for figuring out how many miles per CC I'm getting
and just topping up the hub every so often...

Dear Pete,

Searching through the newsgroup archives led to this
post and possibly a fellow sufferer with a solution.
Sorry for the full quote, but I get confused by all
the addresses and whose server shows what. Browse
down to "oil seepage" and perhaps email Oliver.

Carl Fogel

#######################

From: Oliver )
Subject: Rohloff and Horst link FS bikes...

View this article only
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Date: 2003-01-07 07:36:23 PST

Adam wrote:

While taking this for its shakedown cruise yesterday, I had the chain
pop off the front ring twice on bumpy descents. I'm going to try
remedying this by removing another link or two (tensioner had plenty
of travel left at the bottom of suspension at current chain length).
If that doesn't work than I'll need a chainguide up front to keep
things together. The Evil guides look good-something to keep the
chain from jumping to the side.


Rohloff recogizes chain jump as a problem on extreme terrain, and they
now offer a chain guide to solve this problem. Previously, they
recommended using the derailleur component (I don't know the right name)
properly positioned as a chain guide.

I have had chain jump on two occassions in the past when I went over
bumps which were not extreme -- I am not an exteme rider. My analysis
of the problem was:

* I had a dirty chain tensioner.
* When approaching a bump, such as tree roots across a towpath trail, I
would back pedal slightly to get a horizontal position on the pedals.
* This would cause chain slack on the top due to the dirty tensioner,
and facilitate chain jump as I went over the bump.

Keeping the chain tensioner clean seems to have solved the problem.

I have two Speedhubs, and love them. My only complaints a 1) some
oil seepage (especially when flying) which has been solved by having the
seals replace by Rohloff; and, 2) Some noise (Rohloff says "humming" in
the lower gears when the 3rd planetary assembly is engaged, especially
in 7 and 6 when under load (ie uphill or into a headwind.)

However, those are minor items. I love the even spacing and the quick
smooth shifting even when going uphill.

Much of the above information has been obtained from the German language
portion of the Rohloff Web Site, www.rohloff.de
--
Cheers! OliverS
When replying personally, remove "_removespam_"

#################################

Both of my Rohloff hubs leaked oil out along the quick release. I fixed it
by putting a couple of 5mm O-rings on each end of the quick release to seal
the gap between axle and QR. If you remove the wheel from the frame and undo
the quick release, is its' shaft covered in oil? If so, your problem is
probably the same.

Nick

"(Pete Cresswell)" wrote in message
...
I know this is kind of off-the-wall for 99% of the NG's readers, but
in the past I've seen posts from other Rohloff users... so...

they all do that

"g.daniels" wrote:


they all do that


Mine doesn't.

Tom Ace wrote:

"g.daniels" wrote:

they all do that

Mine doesn't.

Maybe it's out of oil?

;-)

Mark "couldn't help myself" Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

"(Pete Cresswell)" wrote:

I know this is kind of off-the-wall for 99% of the NG's readers, but
in the past I've seen posts from other Rohloff users... so...

snip

Mail your question to Rohloff in Germany . They speak english and deal
with enquiries promptly
--
Marten

In article ,
Mark Hickey wrote:

Tom Ace wrote:

"g.daniels" wrote:

they all do that

Mine doesn't.

Maybe it's out of oil?

;-)

Mark "couldn't help myself" Hickey

I think you're missing the real shocker, Mark: G. Daniels made a
completely coherent post!

G.: add punctuation and capital letters, and you'll be fully literate.
Way to go!

--
Ryan Cousineau, http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine
President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

RE/
Mail your question to Rohloff in Germany . They speak english and deal
with enquiries promptly

Thanks for the suggestion. It took awhile, but I finally dug an email address
out of the web site.

Rohloff responded promptly and intelligently.

It's looking to me like there a number of interrelated issues:

1) The 30ml of oil supplied in the small oil refill bottle appears excessive.

2) The hub actually needs only 13-15ml of oil - which is the amount that is
spread over all the parts, which gives 100% of the required lubrication and
corrosion protection, and which will never completely drain out.

3) The shifting rod bearing inherantly seeps oil. If there's enough extra in
the hub, it's coming out through that bearing.

4) (strictly own guess) Orienting the shifting box so that the shifting rod
bearing is hanging downward instead of upwards aggravates the problem.


Unless/until I find out otherwise, I'm going to take the following approach:

a) Rotate the cranks backwards in gear 7 for a couple of minutes to
fully-distribute what oil there is (per the flushing instructions that came with
a 1-liter can of Oil Of Rohloff that I bought awhile ago...)

b) Immediately hook up the syringe and pull all the oil out that will come out
at the moment.

c) Squirt maybe 5-10 ml of whatever comes out back in and save the rest.

d) Give it a few hundred miles, then loop back to (a) and see what comes out.

--
PeteCresswell

Mark Hickey wrote:

Tom Ace wrote:

"g.daniels" wrote:

they all do that

Mine doesn't.

Maybe it's out of oil?

;-)

Mark "couldn't help myself" Hickey

I think you're missing the real shocker, Mark: G. Daniels made a
completely coherent post!

G.: add punctuation and capital letters, and you'll be fully literate.
Way to go!

--
Ryan Cousineau, http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine
President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

Hey, Ryan, G. Daniels is merely applying objectivist principles to
spelling and syntax, as befits a true independent thinker. Watch what
you say or I'll sic Wissler on you.

--
Ted Bennett
Portland OR