Bicycle Mechanics - Sturmey Archer w/o oil port- synthetic gel

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA
TimJ
02-23-09, 11:12 AM
I have a SA sprinter elite 5 hub, this is a 5 speed w/ drum brake, and it's the sort where there's no oil port. The lubricant that's in it and what SA specifies is just labled as "SA103A". It's a synthetic gel, kind of the consistancy of halfway set-up jello.

I've found only one store that even lists the stuff and its not clear if they actually carry it, so I'm wondering if anyone knows of a lubricant that's similar or if anyone has had good luck with some other lube in their sealed SA hub?

tcs
02-23-09, 03:41 PM
Permaco (http://www.permaco.com/) carries Sturmey lubricants.

tcs
Sci-Fi
02-23-09, 04:03 PM
Just go to a lawnmower shop and buy "00" Grease (NLGI 00) or have them order it for you. It's the same grade of grease (SA103A) SA uses. Lawn mowers use it in their transmission/disc drives.

TimJ
02-23-09, 04:26 PM
Permaco (http://www.permaco.com/) carries Sturmey lubricants.

tcs

I wasn't able to call them, do you know for sure they carry it? They don't list any prices while they do for all their other stuff and it made me think they just have the info and don't actually carry it.
TimJ
02-23-09, 04:28 PM
Just go to a lawnmower shop and buy "00" Grease (NLGI 00) or have them order it for you. It's the same grade of grease (SA103A) SA uses. Lawn mowers use it in their transmission/disc drives.

I saw that, it's called a "semi-fluid" grease too. Have you used that stuff?

btw I found something called Castrol Olit CLS, which seems like it could possibly be the exact same stuff as the SA grease, but it doesn't look like they sell it in the states at all.
Sci-Fi
02-23-09, 04:41 PM
Just look at the SA grease specs on the Permaco site and compare it with any '00' grease spec. You won't find any differences (lithium based, heat/operating range, etc). Neighbor down the block uses '00' grease in his 3-speed SA for years and hasn't complained or experienced any problems with his hub. It all depends whether or not one wants/needs the SA label on the tube or not. You did ask for alternatives. Can buy a synthetic '00' grease too, but the cost is rather high and you might have to buy a case.
TimJ
02-23-09, 04:59 PM
Ah, right here from some random sturmey archer manual:


3.3 AssemblyNB: All bearings must be grease packed during assembly with Castrol LMX or equivalent high performance lithium com-plex grease (NLGI No.2). All other internal parts to be lubricated during assembly with Castrol TR Light or equivalent semi-fluid, lime based grease(NLGI No.00).
tcs
02-23-09, 09:29 PM
Can buy a synthetic '00' grease too, but the cost is rather high and you might have to buy a case.

Sounds like a very expensive way to keep from having to buy a tube of Sturmey-Archer SA103A synthetic grease, unless of course one needs to grease hundreds of hubs.

Best,
tcs
Sci-Fi
02-23-09, 09:58 PM
SA103A isn't synthetic, but some prefer to use a fully synthetic grease/oil over a traditional dino grease/oil, even if it costs more. That's why I mentioned it. It's just another option. For a '00' grade grease, Delo is pretty popular for farm equipment that requires it. But if you live in the city, a lawn mower shop is the next best place because the commercial lawn mowers use it or if your local Chevron gas station owner can order it for you.