Dan Burkhart 

I just completed the annual service on this test case hub. Still no adverse effects apparent.

FBinNY 

So, is it the ATF, your skill as a mechanic, or possibly the rider? Or some of each?

Back in the heyday of AW most people never had any internal problems. But some would have multiple hub failures. It reched a point where we couldn't consider it just bad luck, and so had to consider maintenance and rider.

As you know, probably the fastest way to kill off any IGH is to ride it misadjusted. Slippage leads to chipping which leads to more slippage. I also think that some riders beat up the hubs with hard sudden starts taking up the backlash with an impact and chipping the pawls, while others had a smooth engagement which was easy on the hub.

In any case, you've proven that a well maintained and lubed hub can last, and that's the real story. Congrats.

Dan Burkhart 

Exactly right. I made this quick video during the process of this service to demonstrate that. You'll see why I choose to do voice overs now for most of my videos.

Reynolds 

Thanks Dan for the info. I took apart my Nexus 8 at 6800 km, soaked the internal assembly in ATF, drilled a hole for a 4mm screw in the shell, reassembled and put 10ml ATF with a syringe. Only 1200km so far, but it's working OK, no leaking. I hope it works as well as yours!

vredstein

One problem is that the hub will shift pretty damn good even when it's misadjusted, so users not aware of this might not be aware of the long-term affects. I have two Nexus red-band hubs with 15k miles between them, 10k on ATF. One is drilled at the shell with an oil port installed, like Reyholds'. This hub will leak a bit onto the chain. The undrilled hub never leaks. I suspect I might be overfilling the drilled hub and it's the excess fluid that causes the leak. The undrilled hub is just dipped and whatever clings is what it works with. I knew how to do this before I saw your videos, but it wasn't until after I saw your videos that I learned HOW they work. Thanks.

AnkleWork

So bizarre that people can work on bikes but not focus a camera. Most posters here can not even see that their photos and videos are grossly out of focus.

vredstein

[QUOTE=AnkleWork;16581522] It could be your eyesight.

zacster

I've often wondered what people are thinking when they post those. You're trying to get help but the pictures are too fuzzy to see anything. An iPhone can take a pretty sharp picture, just about all cameras are auto-focus, so why are they blurry?

The other place this always comes into play is Craigslist. I've never seen a sharp photo there, plus they're too small. Its like nobody wants you to see what they're really trying to foist off on you. And just to convince myself again, I went over to CL after I originally posted this. The pictures are now a little bigger but just as blurry.

Dan Burkhart 

I want to thank you very much for posting this. Now maybe my wife won't question my desire to buy a proper video camera.

MichaelW

great topic for a video and really useful but please take better videos.
Check the background for light/dark elements (eg bike-stand feet) which obscure your subject edges.
Use a mid-tone even background, like a cardboard bike box to aid auto exposure.
Put more light onto black-pained metal. Make it diffuse, eg North window or reflected from a white surface.
Check your focus.
Don't move the camera so much. Use a tripod or other stand. With free hands you can use a pointer.

MichaelW

My Alfine has a similar long life with annual ATF dip.

Dan Burkhart 

Is your comment directed more at one of the above videos than the other? I realize the second one was hastily made, and could have been much better. The first was mostly made from stills, which to my eye were pretty clear.
I'm grateful for any input that might help improve the product.

fietsbob

Rohloff has a setscrew fill cap, they flush and refill with a plastic syringe .

I presume ATF would be a substitute for mineral oils they package and ship from Germany .

only takes 25ml .. they don't have to be stripped out of the case to do this ..

any though on the Shimano shell getting drilled and tapped for a flush and fill port?



Suppose white painted shop floor helps you feel at home in the Snow..

and makes dropped parts easier to find, in the shop, not necessarily dropped in the snow.

Dan Burkhart 

I think dipping the internals gets the oil to places an oil port in the shell might not.
I had an interesting conversation with the Rohloff rep at our local bicycle show a couple of weeks back. Discussing oil lubrication, he stated that their research shows 7 ml is enough to lubricate their hubs, but 25 ml ensures it goes everywhere it's needed.
If this is true, I think a lot of folks are drastically overdoing the oiling.

fietsbob

perhaps the lower viscosity of their 'all season oil' , Vs ATF helps the penetration , in R'off hubs .

rather than a dip flush they have you ad 2x as much, another 25ml to slosh around for a while,
then suck it back out with a vacuum made by pulling the syringe plunger back.

I have no technology to make viscosity comparisons.

Dan Burkhart 

Rohloff hubs are the one place I don't mess with manufacturers criteria when it comes to lube. Their claim that other oil formulations are not compatible with some internal materials may or may not be true, but at the value of those hubs, I'm willing to take that at face value.

fietsbob

might have to order their liter size tins.

the kit has a new set screw with more plastic syringes and small vials ..

my work around on the set screw is a piece of tape over it, hub's black as it is .

Dan Burkhart 

I have one litre tins of both the flush oil and hub oil. Been re-using the plugs for years with no issues. Got spares in case I lose one though.

MichaelW

Mainly the 2nd video.

Booger1

ATF is mineral oil based.....with some clutch material conditioners and such.

lopek77

Results are not surprising since ATF is a gear lubricant and acts like an oil. I would be surprised if it didn't work

mac_cycleface

What would you think of using Motorcraft Mercon ULV automatic transmission fluid to lubricate a Sturmey Archer X-RF8(w) hub.
If Mercon ULV really has a ultra low viscosity among ATFs then wouldn’t it be perfect for SA hub?

Regards,

Mac_cycleface

sweeks

It always frustrated me that I needed a lot of oil to immerse the Nexus hub because of the axle, which keeps the gears high up in the vessel containing the oil. I made the attached lubrication "jig" out of a plastic ice cream container and a syringe epoxied over a hole in the bottom. The axle fits into the syringe and allows the gear cluster to fill the container.

This is the amount of oil needed to completely submerge the gear cluster.



A close-up of the syringe body attached to the bottom of the jar. A screw seals the end of the syringe and allows drainage if needed.



Handy stand for the immersion jar. :-)

GamblerGORD53

That is best for non-SA hubs for sure.
My SA XL-RD5w is easy to take apart and bath the parts in solvent. So no need to dip anything. Just brush oil on, after I install the new grease. I use non-detergent 10w30 with 1/4 Wynn's old motor conditioner to thicken it up. I just don't know if it is better or worse at washing out the grease. All SA hubs are made the same.

Winfried

What about drilling an oil drain hole?


https://www.avdweb.nl/solar-bike/mis...oil-drain-hole