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Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:32 am
by Fat tyre kicker
Sorry for the corny title :grin:
Just picked up a secondhand Alfine 8 hub, before I lace it up for project Vagabond
I'm going to service it and relube, wondering if anybody here has any snippets of info ?
I've done a bit of web bashing and found great info on Sheldon brown and muddymoles.org,
I was also recommended hubstripping.com but a web search turned up blank. Anywho, going
To strip and relube in atf etc as per recommendations. I also need to order the right (green & blue)
Anti rotation washers for vertical dropouts....any other info much appreciated :-bd

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:44 am
by rufus748
Stand by.....
A mate has one (2 now) and has recently started servicing his own. He found a guy on line who's regarded as a 'guru' and uses different oil from the recommended. It's much cheaper and runs smoother.
I'll get the details for you

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:01 am
by Fat tyre kicker
Cheers Rufus,
I've been told the Shimano oil is really expensive but auto trans fluid does the job,
Thanks for getting the details :-bd

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 11:39 am
by rufus748
Apparently it's a guy called 'Hobo' and he posts on MBR uk.

He posted here (I think it's the 6th entry):

http://www.mbr.co.uk/forums/showthread. ... 1-hub-gear

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 12:17 pm
by benp1
thats for an 11 rather than an 8, is it similar?

My 8 needs some love, will get round to it one day

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 12:21 pm
by GregMay
Mechanic where I worked used to use some sort of oil that was not the Shimano made from the blood of pixies oil when servicing our hubs in the shop. No idea what it was, but it was cheap and worked fine. Vague memories of some sort of cluch oil.

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 12:47 pm
by DoctorRad
Go and make some friends on the Cycling UK (ex-CTC) forum :-bd

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 4:44 pm
by ctznsmith
benp1 wrote:thats for an 11 rather than an 8, is it similar?

My 8 needs some love, will get round to it one day
Shimano say for the 8 speed that you should take out the internals and give them a bath.

Whilst for the 11 you use a syringe to suck out the old dirty oil and inject new clean stuff.

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:44 pm
by Fat tyre kicker
"Shimano say for the 8 speed that you should take out the internals and give them a bath."

That's what I've been reading, Using a large empty pop bottle as a bath with ATF in :-bd.
]
DoctorRad wrote:Go and make some friends on the Cycling UK (ex-CTC) forum :-bd
I'm on that forum and will have a read up, just thought I'd get a quicker more concise answer on here :grin:

Thanks for any info chaps.

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:56 pm
by Fat tyre kicker
Right....I've had a delve into some Cycling uk and read 9 or so of the 222 pages
Of Alfine info related stuff :shock: and apart from finding out they mostly like
Sturmey Archer hubs :| ......however a good tip was gleamed about using
Land Rover swivel housing grease :-bd .....I'll re look at some C.u.k when
I've had some rest........

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:01 pm
by Mart
Yes I've done my servicing on Alfine 8 for a while, and it's really easy after you do it the first time

1- remove wheel from bike and take off all the gubbins from the drive side (sprocket, cover etc)

2- unscrew the black cover from the drive side ..... important to note this is Left hand threaded the wrong way. Usually it on hand tight but can be persuaded with a gentle tap with a wooden drift. The emphasis on gentle as it's just plastic and can damage easily

3- unscrew the bearing from the non drive side

The internals will fall out in one large piece
I then used to dip the internals in ATF fluid (used a big coke bottle)
Clean out the hub and regrease the caged bearings
I used Motorex 2000 (motorbike grease)

Reassemble in reverse order

Happy to do it for you and show you how if your anywhere near Burton on Trent

I usually stripped, dipped and relubed every 9 mths to a year, tried to time it in the spring after all the winter crap was out the way.

If you have any more q's then give me a shout.

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 10:45 pm
by Fat tyre kicker
Cheers Mart, great info thanks :-bd

Re: Is all Alfine ?

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 9:37 am
by Fat tyre kicker
Mart, looks like a good call on the Moterex 2000 grease, quite a few sources say it's
Exactly the same stuff Shimano use but both companies deny it :-bd