The instructions for the bike internally geared rear hub stated the oil should be changed after 1000km and then annually or at 5000km, whichever came first. I’ve always done vehicle oil changes at twice the manufacturers recommended frequency and the bike would be no different. It had reached 500km.
The first step was to remove the old oil using the syringe. This took 40 minutes as the hub is a sealed unit and I didn’t want to apply too much suction perhaps damage the hub seals.
By applying a small amount of suction and then easing off I gradually extracted 25mls of oil from the hub.
The next step was to carefully insert the “cleaning oil” into the hub before spinning the wheel for five minutes whilst working the gears up and down the range. The cleaning oil was then drained out using the syringe and replaced with 25mls of new oil.
The old oil and cleaning oil were placed in a plastic bag and clipped to the clothesline with a peg. I placed two neodymium magnets on the outside of the plastic bag against the oil as an experiment to see if there was any metal suspended in the oil. Obviously oil isn’t magnetic but the magnets stuck to the bag.
24 hours later I took down the bag and drained out the oil before cutting the bag open to see what had been attracted by the magnets.
There was metal. A fine gritty paste. Obviously created during the “wearing in” of the gears in the hub.
I’ll do another oil change at 1000km. I have plenty of oil now I’ve purchased the 75W-90 gear oil and litre of White Spirits.
The weather had changed and yesterday was a lovely afternoon. I decided to cycle to the northern end of the Tonkin Expressway. It’s 35km to the end, all cycleway.
North of Ellenbrook is the “Fauna Bridge” It’s two lanes wide and was built to allow the wildlife to cross the Expressway.
The recent winter rain has certainly greened up the land. By summer this will all be dry and brown
Eventually I reached the end of the Expressway. There is a large Road Train Assembly Area here.
There is no railway to the northern half of this vast state, everything goes by road. Large trucks towing three long trailers are made up here before heading north.
The information in the bottom right of the above sign caught my eye. Next drinking water is 21km south at Ellenbrook. I’ll need to remember that for summer rides.
The cycleway is in very good condition. My brother informed me it cost $1000 per metre and for that money it should be good.
On the return leg I noticed three white crosses in a field next to the cycle path.
‘Lost’ ‘Jesus’ ‘Saved’ Each sign was located at the end of a long mound of earth. Mass graves?
The distance is steadily accumulating
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