Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Rohloff Internal Hub Gears => Topic started by: daviddd55 on January 29, 2008, 12:44:38 AM
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I had a leaky hub for the first 3500km after starting my Oz tour in Perth. Rohloff put it down to the bike being laid flat - LHS down which is the side the hub was leaking - on the plane (it was in a cardboard box). Rohloff said not to worry - there will always be enough oil coating the gears to prevent any seisure or suchlike, but I didn't feel comfortable with that really! Just to say that since I changes the oil (for the first time) in Melbourne a month ago, the leak has completely stopped. Strange!
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Glad the problem is now fixed but it is a puzzle. I guess a combination of pressure and laying horizontal is the most likely explanation as Rohloff suggest. I would have expected it to equalise pretty soon on landing unless either there was too much oil in the hub in the first place or the ventilation hole exiting the hub had become blocked in some way. Anyway glad it is now resolved.
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Whats a bit of oil ;D
How's the tour going?
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I have noticed mine leaking a bit of oil occasionally, not a lot, maybe a teaspoon full or so at a time. It soon stopped and at the next oil change I took out a lot more than the 25 ml of rinsing oil that went it. Rohloff say it can happen occasionally. On one occasion I noticed it soon after a day of a lot of climbing and descending so I thought it should have something to do with the pressure change. I have also read it is very hard to make a seal that will have very low friction, keep moisture out and keep oil in so the keeping oil in part is sacrificed for the other two. I have stopped worrying about it now.
Peter
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A point that might answer your oil leak, is a planes cargo hold pressurised fully, semi, or not at all, if there is a pressure difference the hub may have expelled oil because of a pressure difference.....just a thought!