Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 – Recent gear slipping

[mark milward]

Over the last 2-3 Km, when going up slight hills or pulling away, it sometimes feels that it’s not engaging gear properly and slipping for a second before engaging and operating as normal.

This hub was purchased in 2013 and has been used under loaded touring conditions on a 50 Km UK to New Zealand bike trip. Regular oil clean/changes with Rohloff approved oil have been performed at approx 5 KM. Up to this recent development, the hub has operated amazingly well with no issues.

Tried Solutions to track down/fix this problem.
An oil change – No change in slipping behaviour.
“Borrowed” wifes Rohloff/Wheel – No slippage, so ruled out issues with the gear cables/box, chain etc. on my bike.
Ensured oil grub screw is not tightened too much.
Ensured axle is not over tightened.

I haven’t tried replacing the slightly worn sprocket. I have cycled with a sprocket far more worn that the current one without issue.


Is there anything I should try to rectify this problem?

[PH]

I was thinking cables as I started to read your post, but swapping wheels would probably have ruled that out.  Did you swap both ways?  Be useful to see if the problem follows the wheel.  Also are they internal or external shifters? The sprocket seems an unlikely cause, but is an easy one to eliminate, even if it means buying one, you could always swap it back if it makes no difference, it'll be there for when you do need it.
Once you're absolutely sure it's the hub itself, a possible cause could be the pawl springs, which SJS sell for £2.99, I haven't changed any but it seems a simple job with no more disassembly than a cable change.  But before doing that I'd probably have a chat with the experts.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/rohloff-pawl-springs-for-speedhub-50014-8275/

[mickeg]

There has been a generic fix of taking a rubber soled shoe and giving the drive side axle a whack with it.  Do not kick the wheel, remove the wheel from the frame and remove the shoe from your foot before you use the shoe as a mallet.  That said, I do not recall what the symptoms are that the whack with a rubber mallet is supposed to fix, so perhaps it is supposed to fix some other problem?  But it only takes a few minutes to try it so I would try that next.

I have not had any such problems with my Rohloff.

I am unaware of any other forums or on-line places to try for help.  Have you tried the search function on this web site to see if any past posts have any solutions?

[geocycle]

This is probably going to be a question for rohloff.  The rubber mallet on the axle method is supposed to help release stiff bearings with symptoms of drag when freewheeling. Can’t do any harm though. Replacing the pawl springs might also be worthwhile. Beyond that I’m not sure why else you can do without going into the hub proper with all the risk that brings.

[mickeg]

I have changed out the engines in a 1965 Ford F250 and a 1970 MGBGT, rebuilt several Triumph T100R gear boxes and clutch mechanisms, replaced the timing gears in a ford 240 engine (in the Ford F250), etc., but there is no way I would want to try to rebuild a Rohloff.  But if anyone is so inclined, there is youtube to scare you off from trying.  I am quite certain that if I tried I would get parts in the wrong order on the table.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS6kj8g5On8

And:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-1iPbYra58

And:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBH2sc2l0g4

[onmybike]

I encountered similar sounding symptoms when on tour in the hilly north of Thailand. In my case it felt like a gear box full of molasses followed by a solid crunch as the gear engaged.  The 'hefty-whack-with-a-shoe-sole' method worked for me although at the time I couldn't remember which side of the axle I was supposed to hit so just walloped both of them - about three hefty thumps each side. For a brief moment on restarting I thought the hub was a goner - the length of the 'molasses' event seemed longer than usual and the 'crunch' of gear engagement worse, but that was the last time it happened and the hub has been running normally in the 35,000+ km since then. So I say give it go (it'll take all of five minutes) and let us know the result.

[il padrone]

there is no way I would want to try to rebuild a Rohloff.  But if anyone is so inclined, there is youtube to scare you off from trying.  I am quite certain that if I tried I would get parts in the wrong order on the table.

I would never try it either, but my son who has a bit of an engineering/tinkering/hub-gear bent has pulled his down and rebuilt it several times. One day I came across him out the back with the hub apart and asked him what was wrong with it. His reply - "Nothing, I was just bored and wanted something to do" 

[mickeg]

On my recent tour in the Canadian Maritimes, twice I suspected that something seemed to slip in the Rohloff.  Each time, I quit pedaling, changed gears and resumed pedaling and everything was fine.

After that 2nd time, in the evening I pulled out the rear wheel, gave the drive side axle a couple of whacks with a rubber soled shoe, replaced wheel.  Then I tightened up the chain which was much looser than I thought it should be.

After that everything was fine. 

After reading this post shortly before my trip, I may have been susceptible to thinking that the hub slipped.  But I really started to wonder if the internals of the hub had a hiccup or if my chain was too loose?  I suspect that the chain just needed tightening.