roccobike

I have a couple of 3 speed Raleigh bikes and I'd like to ride them. I noticed the oil hole in the Sturmey Archer rear hub. So I opened the cap on one of them and added some oil when it suddenly dawned on me, I don't know how much to add! Should it be full, is there a way to measure this? So what is the correct amount of oil to put in these hubs and how is it measured?
Also, I'm using non-detergent 3 in 1 brand, mostly because the spout fits right into the oil hole, is this a satisfactory brand of oil?
This is my first venture into the world of 3 speeds, so thanks for understanding my ignorance.

ridethecliche

Are the hubs greased? I noticed that my bike which had the oil ports had no grease since one owner probably just put in oil and the next owner put nothing.

I knew there was a reason why it felt so slow haha.

BikeManDan

Short answer is: enough

I go by sound, I can hear when they're too dry and add light oil until they make a satisfactorily smooth sound

Scooper

From the 1956 Sturmey-Archer Master Catalog:

LUBRICATION

Only a thin good quality oil should be used for the lubrication of Sturmey-Archer hubs. Thick oils or grease must not be used, but when a hub is dismantled a small amount of grease or vaseline may be put on the ball races only.

The ideal rule for lubrication should be 'a little but often'. Two or three drops of oil every week will maintain the hub in first class running order.

I have heard that 3-in-one oil is "vegetable-based" and turns gummy over time, and should therefore not be used for lubricating S-A hubs. I called the 3-in-one customer service number (3-in-one is now owned by WD-40) and asked about this. I was told that 3-in-one is not vegetable-based and isn't any more likely to dry out or turn gummy than any other petroleum based oil. I don't know what to believe, but if I ran S-A 3-speed hubs I would probably just buy SAE 20 motor oil for lubrication.

EDIT - I notice the Wikipedia entry for 3-in-one oil says it contains citronella oil, which is derived from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon. I just dunno. I think it would probably be smart to use motor oil and avoid any potential problems with 3-in-one.

nlerner

I have a Raleigh/Sturmey Archer SA service brochure from the 70s, and it recommends SAE 20 oil for hub lubrication.

Neal

el twe

I've used Phil Tenacious Oil and it seemed to work fine. But, the bike was a gift for someone else and I only rode it a few times before giving it away.

Charles Wahl

If you overload the hub with oil, it will just leak out; no real harm except to braking surfaces and tires. You could load it up the first time, put the wheel on its side for awhile to let it drain, and clean it. From that point onward, a squirt or two a week should be fine.

g-funk

I use a syringe that we get from the pharmacy at our local grocery store. it's meant for kids cough syrup and stuff and works perfectly. it fits in the hole and I can deliver a measured amount of oil without any mess. I put in 5ml of german blend castrol synthetic (any motor oil will work i just have this leftover from my VW) and replace when I hear the pawls make an especially dry ticking sound. prior to this I'd recommend giving that hub a brake cleaner flush and wait a few days for it to dry out before oiling. that will clean out any crap the previous owner put in there. In my experience that's all the work these hubs usually need.

jgedwa

Seems like old 3spd hubs are the most bomb-proof bike part ever. Not sure what happens in there, but it seems blessed. They are like mules; none has ever died a natural death. Most of the ones I have seen seemed never to have been maintained at all, and they magically work just fine. I have pulled a couple of 3spds out of junkheaps where they have sat for years or decades, and the hubs leap to life on the first revolution.

jim

CardiacKid

Good idea. I have never figured out how to get motor oil in that little hole. I was planning on refilling my Tri Flow bottle with motor oil when it was empty.

Pompiere

3 speed hubs aren't very picky about what oil is used, as long as they get some. If the viscocity is too high, the shifting will be stiff in cold weather. 3 in 1 oil is kind of thin, about equal to 10 weight, so motor oil is a better choice. As was said before, if you get too much, it just leaks out.

OLDYELLR

To know how much oil to put in, you would need to overhaul it and start from scratch. Sutherland's says to lube the pawls and ball bearings with grease, lightly oil other internal parts and add about 2 teaspoons (8 ml) of cycle oil when assembled.

ollo_ollo

Back in the 80s, in the Portland, OR area, my daily commuter was a Raleigh Sports. My routine was to pump the tires and add a few drops of 30wt oil before heading out on Monday morning plus I cleaned the chain & cogs every few months and the whole bike in the Spring. For five years or so, repairs consisted of replacing worn out tires and lubricating the cables when I replaced brakepads. I May also have replaced a broken brake cable. In a colder climate, I would have used 20 wt oil for the hub. Don

spooky612

We use pedros syn lube. 3 drops. the bottle has a point applicator top which makes it easy to use also. I have felt this seems to have a fine enough viscosity for 3spd hubs. A sister shop of ours has some of there 10 yr mechanics also using da pedros.

g-funk

2 tsp's is actually 10ml and way too much. I know this from experience. Once you know how much oil you have put into your hub a weekly top off of a few drops of pedro's would be OK. Personally I like 3-speeds because they don't require the maintenance that my other bikes do. I go for the larger doses of thicker oil at a longer interval. This is a funny topic and it's all about personal preference, I guess, some people prefer oil to leak all over their stuff and some prefer to have a very light tinny sound to there 3-speed hubs (a wonderful sound in my book). you will have to experiment a bit to find out what works for you. However a good flush is the first step no matter what.

Grand Bois

If you are supposed to add 2 or 3 drops a week, that must mean that they leak an equal amount. Am I right?

wahoonc

Yep that is why the dirty, nasty, greasy, ones always clean up the best I add a squirt of oil from my old fashioned oil can every other ride or so, depending on the miles ridden and the sound of the hub. Mine doesn't appear to drip so I have to assume the oil is being distributed along the various surfaces as I travel
I have had a fair sized spot under the wheel on occasion when I was a little over enthusiastic with the oil can and then didn't ride very far. FWIW I only add oil PRIOR to riding...


Aaron

roccobike

Thanks for all the feedback. Great information. I won't say how much oil I put in the one hub I worked on, but suffice it to say, I'll be draining some of it out.
Thanks again for the support.

duffer1960

Don't need to drain it out. It's all over the floor at this very moment. How do i know this? For the past year, my daily driver has been a 30 year old Schwinn with an SA & I didn't know what to do at first either, learned by doing

bobn

Wahoonc is right. I use a product called "Formula 88" in a black spray bottle. It's a degreaser. Spray that on the gunkiest hub. let soak in, garden hose it off and follow up with high pressure (compressed) air especially around the spoke holes, take it for a ride and wala, clean as a whistle.

The quality of the chrome plating can't be beat. Even after 40 years, like new. As with most SA hubs, oil in, oil out unless you are careful and measure. It's a tough hub to kill. Just keep it oiled. Easy enough to keep clean if that is a real issue.

Stacey

Gee, you missed the little dipstick on the other side?

mike

One more note on SA hub oil. It is important to make sure that the oil is not too heavy or tacky. I always used Phil Woods oil and it works well. However, I have worked on SA hubs that have had heavy motor oil (or some other heavy oil) added. The tackiness of the heavy oil provided too much resistance for the springs in the hub to overcome and the hub performed poorly when shifting. After I gave it a good cleaning and added lighter oil (Phil Woods), then the hub performed well.

Fibber

Just curious how a little 5w-20 Mobil 1 would work.

MnHPVA Guy

I tried it once, back when I was just getting into the Sturmey hubs. I also used Phil grease in the channels at the cones. Being new to SA lore I made the mistake of putting in the recommended 2 tablespoons. Unlike brown automotive wheelbearing grease, Phil grease can be dissolved by oil and there was too much oil.

The whole rim and tire got coated. Then it rained and I got a flat, 1/2 way around Lake Pepin. Amazingly the KoolStop Salmon brake pads still worked. I assume only because I was using alloy rims. Mobil 1 on wet chrome would probably have a negative coefficient of friction.

Since that experience, I haven't tried it again, but I suspect it might be the best choice. Especially on the bikes I ride in winter. At -9F, with 10w-30 in an S5, things get pretty sluggish unless you are in Direct. Next overhaul I'll try it again. But the durn SA hubs are so maintenance free that could be years off.

BTW I use it for chain lube in the winter. It really makes a significant difference in drivetrain efficiency on my 2WD winter trike with, it's 3 chains.

BTW I try to remember to add 6-8 drops to all my hubs every 3-4 months. For someone who uses more lube, it might not be a good choice.

Good tip: When building wheels with SA hubs, line up the tire valve hole with the oil port. Then it's easy to see if you've parked or hung the bike with the port facing downward.

stringbreaker

I used Boelube in my daughters Raleigh Sports and it makes that nice well lubed tick. I had filled it up with some degreaser I got from the LBS and let it work for a few days and then let it drain on an old towel the a few drops I don't remember how many and then when they start sounding dry a few drop does the trick. Shifts like a dream and its a 1968