Installing oil before first use of Speedhub?

[robchis]

Hi everybody!
After many, many years of longing, I've finally at the verge of entering the Rohloff community by finishing the build of my first Rohloff Speedhub equipped bike!

I'm installing the Rohloff right now, and it's a brand new OEM Speedhub that's never been mounted or used before.

Do the OEM Speedhubs generally come filled with oil from the factory?
Is there a way for me to find out if it's already filled with oil without losing any or having to refill (since I don't have any Rohloff Speedhub oil currently).
Unfortunately, I'm not able to ask the person I purchased it from, so that source of info isn't available.

Thanks!

[expr]

Hello Rob,

There are a couple of ways to look for oil, the normal way is to unscrew the M6 grub screw in the hub body while this is at the top, then slowly turn the wheel until any oil starts to drip out. This will confirm oil.

You can generally get away with using the same plug to reseal the hub, but it's always handy to add a little ptfe tape or loctite to the decreased plug and decreased female threads to ensure that the plug seals.

The second way to look for oil is to remove the rear sprocket from the driver, if you have the correct tools to do this (if not) don't attempt to even contemplate this.

The tools are available from Thorn/sjs.

All hubs OEM are generally filled with 25cc,s / ml,s of which 12 cc,s/ml.,s Will allways remain in the hub when draining.

If you can measure 15ml,s accurately, then this is the amount of oil to be put back in on the first / next oil change.


The loss of a couple of drips of oil will be fine, the hub only requires 12ml to function and will run until the next oil drain/ refill with no problems.

Hope this helps>

Dave.

[rualexander]

According to their website the Speedhubs that SJSC sell do not come pre-filled with oil, but with the oil in a bottle (unless fitted to one of their bikes). Not sure about other suppliers.

[expr]

Hi Rualexander,

Yes your quite right I've just had a look at the web site (thorn) although very contradicting information to the (thorn) OIL CHANGE VIDEO located in their download section where it states all  hubs are factory filled and  contain 20ml.

you choose!

PS

I am now a little confused, as I'm more inclined to believe that the hub would be shipped from thorn oilless if supplied as a single item not on a bike as described. I can only think now that the hubs do come with no oil in them, but when they are tested at germany for operation the oil is drained out so as not to leak out on the journey ( flight ) due to pressure problems that have been the cause of leaks in the past. I can only say that my hub came with oil in but it was built up on the bike, not sure about single supply. But as I have and you have pointed out there seems to be contradictions within the thorn site, the description mentions it comes with oil bottle supplied and the video suggests it has 20ml when it leaves the factory in germany.

Clarifaction is required I think, thorn over to you.

[robchis]

Thanks for the replies guys... I'll try what you suggested Dave.  I'll post up the results soon.
Rob

[Reuel]

If the hub is purchased separately (brand new in a box) then a bottle of oil is supplied in the package and the hub is dry (See page 84 of manual 'First oil-fill').

[robchis]

Well, after getting info from the Australian distributor of Rohloff, I learned there are two kinds of lube that can be found in a new Speedhub:

• A clearish oil which is minimal in volume/amount and is supplied by the factory for shipping only - NOT normal usage
• Dark, thicker oil that is the proper Rohloff oil

Mind you, I bought this hub brand new as OEM stock, but it didn't come with a bottle of oil.  Upon removing the grub screw and inverting the hub, almost no oil left the hub except for a slight amount of the clear stuff.

So there ya go.  New Rohloff OEM hubs may show up without any Rohloff oil (needed for normal usage) inside the hub, whether you get a little bottle with the hub or not (which I didn't).  I've got my oil change kit on the way (in order to get some Rohloff oil for first installation ASAP), and I'll be later purchasing a bottle of Rohloff oil only to replace the bottle that came with the change kit.

[vik]

My friend put 5000kms of wet commuter riding on her Rohloff before she found out there was no oil in it.  The LBS goofed...   Rohloff was contacted and they suggested the oil from the factory would have been fine [although not ideal] for keeping the hub rolling and that while the service life of the hub might be lessened by some unquantifiable amount she should not expect to have any serious problems with the hub.

safe riding,

Vik
www.thelazyrando.com