Oil for rear hub

[Kell]

Can anyone recommend me an oil to feed into the rear hub?

My bike's squeeking again, and I'm pretty sure this is the cause.

As per last time, it only squeeks when the bike is leant over to the left...

 

[Tim Hall]

What hub is it? Do you have hub gears?

 

[Kell]

3-speed hub on a six speed bike.

 

[12boy]

I use synthetic Mobil 5-25 since that is what I use in my car. I have used it for over a year in both my SA 3 speed hubs without any problems in terms of functionality, although it does seep out a bit . That only occurs when I apparently over fill it. My hubs are very quiet when oiled and when they start to make some noise a cc or so through the axle makes it right again. I understand in the old days SA hubs had a port on the hub for oiling purposes but the axle works well, take the gear actuator out and lay it on its left side to fill. The 5-25 oil seems to work well down to 0 degrees which is about as cold as I enjoy riding in.

 

[Kell]

I just used chain oil last time, which I'm happy to do again, but it's a bit thin.

No idea what weight it is, but it's the green oil stuff.

http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p71230/Gr...1H3tmGIc80ZI4yeYvvbj4taMKolAP9vvb7BoCaO3w_wcB

 

[12boy]

Let us know how it goes. Most organics get gummy over time, no? I've heard of using linseed oil on the inside of steel frames and letting it dry which creates a varnish-like finish that protects against rust. Same for WD40.

 

[mjr]

If it's an Sturmey-Archer AW, most motor oils or gear oils seem to work fairly well - either through the oil cap if you have one, or remove the shift rod and pour it in.

If it's a Shimano Nexus 3, then the seals aren't as good and so it's better with a semi-fluid grease with anti-corrosion additives like LandRover front swivel grease, injected into the shift rod hole with a long needle nozzle.

 

[Kell]

It's one of the later ones, so shift rod out and left on its side.

 

[Kell]

Couldn't find any oil in the shed last night...

However, when I did look over the bike, I noticed that part of the problem was that the right hand allen bolt holding on the rear triangle was loose.

Not in danger of coming out, but enough to make the whole back end move left and right by about 5mm. Doesn't sound a lot, and I only noticed it when standing up to pedal - felt like the rear tyre didn't have enough air in it.

 

[12boy]

Since replacing the hinge bushing for the rear triangle would involve mailing the bike to Minneapolis or driving 300 miles I want it to last as long as possible. To that end I drilled a tiny hole in the frame above the bushing and using a magnet and going slow avoided getting any steel shavings in the hole and bushing. I put a tiny quantity of oil in the bushing and over time it leaks out around the nylon washers on the sides and is replaced.I put a little ball of wax I use for chain lubes in the hole to keep dirt etc out. Nary a peep from the bushing.

 

[Kell]

I don't think it's the bush making the noise.

The bike squeeks when I pedal, but this is a by-product of the side-to-side movement you produce when pedalling.

If I lean the bike over to the left (while in motion but not pedalling), it produces the squeek.

I did put quite a lot of oil in the hub last night, but may need to look the whole thing over properly this weekend.

 

[12boy]

Try some different pedals as they can squeak. Most of my squeakage has come from the elastomer which actually seems to move more with each pedal stroke than with hitting bumps in the road. I found that by blocking the front wheel with a wall so the bike could not move and putting pressure on one pedal or another the elastomer would squeak.

 

[Kell]

It definitely not gear train related, as it happens when I don't pedal. So I can rule out pedals, cranks, chain rings.etc.

Riding home last night, I actually can't pinpoint whether it's front wheel or rear.

 

[12boy]

One of the things I don't like about Bromptons may exist only in my head, but it seems the seat post transmits noise so as to make pinpointing its origin difficult. I bet it is the elastomer. Putting weight on a pedal when using a wall or the brakes to keep the bike from going forward will cause the elastomer to compress and squeak if it is going to. My leather saddles also creak under stout pedaling although I do not recall what your saddle is. I really have a lot of trouble with just ignoring any noises a bike makes since i have always thought them an indication of a serious problem although a leather saddle creak, or even an elastomer squeak don't really affect much.

 

[Kell]

Might have to hang my head in shame a bit on this one.

I oiled up the hub. And it made no changes. Because I did it quickly, I thought I might not have put enough in.

So did it again making sure plenty went in.

Still squeeked.

So I had a proper look at the hole back end and noticed the cone on the non-drive side had worked loose. Combined with the fact that the stays for the rear mudguard had been compressed it meant that when the bike was leant over to the left the trye was rubbing on the stay.



Also noticed however, that a plastic bag had somehow wrapped itself completely around the cahin pusher and the two rear cogs. It was so ingrained into the mechanism that only the very tips of the smaller cog were showing, which meant shifting had been a bit weird, and it was wrapped around the spindle of the moving jockey wheel and meant that pedalling seemd like a lot of effort of late.

Now all that's gone the bike feels good again.