Oil leak / seal change

[Reuel]

The ring with 4 slots which engages the sprocket removing tool on my Rohloff hub is sometimes wet with oil. I sometimes find oil on the drive side drop-out too. So far I have not discovered any oil on the floor. Here is a pic of how it appears.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6xB-YYMeR_5mpAlwnwfyHQ?feat=directlink
I've recently done an oil change and got 30ml out after injecting in 25ml of cleaning oil. What would you folks recommend? Does this warrant a seal replacement on the drive side?

[pdamm]

After 4 years of owing a Thorn, this happens occasionally for me.  On two or three occasions over that time I have noticed a drop or two f oil on the floor where I park my bike.  I don’t worry about it now.  If it gets a lot lot worse then I would contact Thorn and discuss it with them.

Peter

[stutho]

I agree with Peter. 

Personally I wouldn't get the seals changed unless I saw several drips of oil on the floor. It is supposedly safe to use the hub even if all the free oil has dripped out - although I wouldn't like to try it!  So unless the leak is BAD then it can be ignored

(just don't park your bike on top of a new carpet)

Stutho

[Magnus]

I recently got my Rohloff hub back from Germany.  Basically it started leaking this summer and would leave a puddle of oil on my floor overnight.  It also developed a problem when shifting into the 10th gear, where it wouldn't engage if I didn't backpedal or freewheel.
I contacted Rohloff and sent the hub to them after explaining the problem and they repaired it and sent if back, free of charge.  They did change the drive sprocket, which was quite worn and the hub cables, since they were disassembling the hub anyway.  Those two things I had to pay for, a princely sum of 52 euros. 
Basically I got great service, great communication and now I have a great hub which is even smoother than before.  I am very happy!

Magnus Thor
Iceland

[expr]

Don't worry about this at all. There is no seal there to change anyway apart from the outer lip seal which seals on the sprocket. The inner bearing race from where you are experiencing the sweating of oil is just a press fit so oil migration is perfectly normal, however the bearing shield does form part of the oil sealing process but there are four of these as there are two bearings back to back in the driver which basically reply on there own lubrication from within at manufacture.

changes in temperature will also accentuate the migration of oil in this area.

Hope this helps

Dave.

[Reuel]

Thanks everyone! No need to order the seal replacement tools from SJS for the time being then!

[avdave]

"changes in temperature will also accentuate the migration of oil in this area."

I have to be careful where I leave my bike at work in the winter as the space heater has caused an oil leak on a couple of occasions. When it's on I park it in a draft now!