Rohloff Driver Bearing Leak

[BoonesDaddy]

Hi All,

I'm in the USA, and I have a Rohloff that sees 34km a day of commuting. I did the second oil change at 10k a few weeks ago and followed Rohloff's directions. About a week ago, I noticed oil seeping from under the cog. I have contacted Rohloff and the distributor that I bought it from in the US. Rohloff says that it is just excess oil and/or pressure equalization and that it will go away. My distributor says I need new driver bearings (for a total of about $110 labor/parts + shipping). I trust both sources, but I am getting different opinions, which brings me here.

The oil leak is obvious to the point of occasional dripping. It seems to happen more in the warmer afternoons (I live in Arizona, so it's near 80F in the winter at the moment). Not so much in the dark 40F mornings.

Has anyone had this specific problem? I have no leaks anywhere else? Should I leave it or get the driver bearings replaced?

Cheers!

[il padrone]

Trust Rohloff's advice. It is quite normal if you refilled with the full 25ml of oil. This is actually a little more than the hub really needs, and if you actually overfill it with, say 30ml, all you will get is even more seepage.

I have had frequent oil seepage causing a film of oil over my EX box and the left-side of the hub, as well as near the sprocket. On one or two occasions I have actually noticed a few drips on the ground near where the bike has been parked. On the last oil change I refilled it with just 15ml (Rohloff actually suggest that if you can be precise about your quantity ths is all the hub really needs) and since then have had much less seepage.

Rohloff have told me that, at oil change time, the ideal quantity to “re-fill” with is 15ml (they say 25ml in their current literature to make certain that the hubs receive at least 12ml) So if you feel confident that you can accurately measure 15ml, then you will be able to make savings.
Rohloff tell me that there is no advantage to using more oil than this indeed, you will simply make oil drips (through the breather) more numerous, and leaks through the seals more likely.

http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/rohloffhuboil.html

[BoonesDaddy]

Thank you. That is my feeling as well. I filled it with a full 25ml, so it likely has has more than enough oil. Furthermore, the temperature difference here nearly 40 degrees between morning and afternoon, so I think the pressure is significantly more in the afternoon, which is when I notice the issue the most. Hopefully, when things equal out, this will subside.

Anyone else have thoughts? I have to say I am very impressed by my correspondence with Rohloff. They have been fantastic.

[Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop]

Is the oil leaking from round the nut? Or under the sprocket/from the seal?

If its genuinely flowing through the driver and appearing behind the nut then yes you need 2 new driver bearings, $110 seems expensive to me but i'm not familiar with US labour rates etc.

If the later, remove the sprocket, clean the seal face/lip checking for any damage, threads and sprocket removing all traces of oil, then grease the sprocket thread and re-install, sometimes dirt/string/grass/hair gets trapped under the seal lip allowing oil out.

Hope this helps,

Dave.