Drips??

[Thomas777]

My wife's  has a Rohloff  on her touring bike for 6years. I change the oil after every long tour usually once a year.
As I  prepped  our bikes for this year's European tour I changed out the gear cables. I notice a bit of oil weeping in and around  the cable box. Is this an indication of something  that needs  to be addressed?  We leave in 10 days.
Thanks!

[Tiberius]

This subject comes up here regularly (do a search re Rohloff leaks) and the general concensus of opinion (including Rohloff's) is that there is nothing to worry about. My hub has been leaking for ages and the only real issue is that it drips onto my rear disc brake rotor. If you have rim brakes this obviously won't be an issue.

Don't worry about it - Have a great trip.

[mickeg]

Mine leaks badly.  I am not worrying about it.

I have oil on my skewer when I remove it.  But others on this forum say that they do not if they pull the skewer out.  I think my leak is a seal inside in the shifter area.

If I lay my bike down on the left side, a few drops of oil will leak out. 

[Thomas777]

Just had a "chat" with the shop in Rotterdam  where we bought the hub. They built the wheel  and shipped  it to me in the US.
He said that Rohloff  now say 15ml vs. the 25ml? That they used before.
I wa thinking  of draining  a bit before we box the bike for travel. But not sure it's worth it.

[John Saxby]

Hi Tom,

FWIW, I always used 18 ml in my Raven (sold on last year), and use the same in my Mercury Mk 3.

Safe journey, best to you and Kathy,

John

[PH]

A bit of oil loss is normal, loads of info on this forum, all could ever want to know and probably a good bit more!
In the "living with a Rohloff" booklet, Andy Blance's recommendation for oil changes is:
Double flush
Add 25ml
Mix well
Remove 18ml

I follow that, it leaves the 7ml that's always there coating parts, and a further 7ml, it also ensures what is in there is cleaner than with any other method.  The only drawback is you lose the sound deadening effect of having more oil in the hub, at least till it leaks out!
Whatever oil change regime makes you happy, they're probably all excessive, parts need a coating of oil and that needs to be kept free of too much contamination.  Many ways to achieve that and any more than that isn't of benefit.

I wa thinking  of draining  a bit before we box the bike for travel.

I wouldn't bother either, if you've done a few miles I'd be surprised if you got more than a couple of ml out anyway.

[Thomas777]

Ok no oil removal!
Bike is going g in the box today!!

[Andre Jute]

This isn't quite a generic leak. Thomas says:

a bit of oil weeping in and around  the cable box

so this is a specifically placed leak. It raises the question of whether the EXT box is packed with grease as Rohloff requires as part of the service regime.

[Matt2matt2002]

My wife's  has a Rohloff  on her touring bike for 6years. I change the oil after every long tour usually once a year.
As I  prepped  our bikes for this year's European tour I changed out the gear cables. I notice a bit of oil weeping in and around  the cable box. Is this an indication of something  that needs  to be addressed?  We leave in 10 days.
Thanks!

Let me know if you are coming to Scotland as part of your European tour.

I've visited most of the islands by bike ( Raven Tour ) if that's part of your route.
This weekend I'm heading to the isle of Eigg for a few days.

Good luck with your tour.
Keep us up-dated here.

Best

Matt

[mickeg]

Just had a "chat" with the shop in Rotterdam  where we bought the hub. They built the wheel  and shipped  it to me in the US.
He said that Rohloff  now say 15ml vs. the 25ml? That they used before.
I wa thinking  of draining  a bit before we box the bike for travel. But not sure it's worth it.

For quite a few years Thorn has said 15ml.  I use that. 

My bike is S&S coupled.  I think when I travel by air that the bike case sits on the side, not upright.  And if mine sits on the left side, it will drip.

Before I do a trip by air, I drain the oil, do the cleaning oil flush and drain.  And when I assemble my bike at my destination, I add 15 ml then.  That way, the hub was drained while on the airplane.

Some of it will leak out on my trip.  When I fly home, I just leave it the way it is and not worry about it.

If your bike travels upright instead of on the side, I would not worry about it at all.

[JohnR]

Earlier this year my Rohloff hub started making a ticking noise http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=14865.0 so I was a more generous with oil when refilling at the last oil change (ie the full 25ml instead of 15ml). This solved the ticking noise problem but I have noticed a slight weeping of oil but no dripping. A little oil going out reduces the risk of water and dirt getting in.