what oil should go in a sturmey archer hub?

J

JakeMiddleton

Dirt Disciple
hello

I have heard many conflicting opinions about this. Could someone please tell me what is the best brand and type of oil to use in a sturmey archer 3 speed hub. I have been using 3 in one but have heard that it is not the best to use.

Please advise.

Jake
 
While you're probably perfectly fine using 3-in-1 (I used to use it BITD when I owned a Raleigh Chopper) the recommended lube for the job is "light machine oil"...

IIRC 3-in-1 has some additives but as far as I can tell there's nothing in there that'll harm a Sturmey-Archer (just corrosion inhibitors and citronella).

the "best" to use would likely be sewing machine oil of some kind, it's slightly less viscous than 3-in-1 (I've used it as a lube for RC cars and model trains in the past).
 
You used to be able to get Sturmey Archer gear oil but I've not seen any for years. 3 in 1 is ok but thought to be to thin, engine oil is to thick and causes poor shifting. So you need something like 30W 4 stroke mower engine oil which is in between the two.
 
thanks guys, this is for a sunbeam I am doing up, I wanted to use the same oil for the sturmey archer hub and to put in the chain case oil bath.

I found some sturmey archer instructions recommending sae 30 oil so I imagine this product would be ok:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Briggs-Stratton ... B00095L3HA

Forgive my ignorance but is this oil clear? I went past a garage today and asked if the guys could put some oil in my little oil tin, they gave it back full of this horrid black stuff that I didn't want to put anywhere near me
 
JakeMiddleton":1fxncf9x said:
thanks guys, this is for a sunbeam I am doing up, I wanted to use the same oil for the sturmey archer hub and to put in the chain case oil bath.

I found some sturmey archer instructions recommending sae 30 oil so I imagine this product would be ok:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Briggs-Stratton ... B00095L3HA

Forgive my ignorance but is this oil clear? I went past a garage today and asked if the guys could put some oil in my little oil tin, they gave it back full of this horrid black stuff that I didn't want to put anywhere near me
Click to expand...

Sounds like they've given you used oil. It should be clear honey coloured :)
 
SAE 30 or Sturmey Archer's own oil - the latter available from:

http://www.oldbiketrader.co.uk/ or other Sturmey Archer dealers.

3 in 1 is supposed to be bad! Allegedly it dries out leaving a sticky residue that gums up the works. Certainly, I recently stripped down a hub that was well and truly bunged up with something resembling nearly cured epoxy resin - sounds like the reports of 3 in 1 lubricated hubs, but I have no way of confirming it.
 
well the sturmey archer oil is £4.50 for 100ml where as the sae 30 is £7.50 for 600ml I doubt there is actually much difference, probably just a question of branding
 
JakeMiddleton":14gftkbk said:
well the sturmey archer oil is £4.50 for 100ml where as the sae 30 is £7.50 for 600ml I doubt there is actually much difference, probably just a question of branding
Click to expand...

Yes, and a number of people I know use SAE30 with no ill effects. Whichever way you choose to do it the cost is low as you only need a few drops every few weeks. 600ml will last most users many years.
 
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