Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
It's probably mentioned somewhere in these three pages, but when doing a flush how far should I ride before draining the flush and adding the new fluid? Is riding around the block a few times enough?
Kindernay observations and few questions for Pushkar
- Thread starter Edrummer
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Merle Nelson
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- USA
Yes.
Merle Nelson
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- Region
- USA
Given how dark and gummy my fluid came out at 250 miles or so I'm going to change fluid far sooner than 2nd recommend change until I find out how repeat drain and flushes look.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
I'm getting some oil from Pushkar and some more, for future fluid changes, from Ravi at Zen. I asked Ravi how far I should ride my bike with the flush fluid and he said that I didn't need to ride it. Instead, he said to just rotate the wheel for 3 or 4 minutes and then drain it.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
I was my understanding that the Hydra came with oil in the rear gear hub, but after riding the bike for 250km I took the wheel off and tried to drain the oil out of the hub.
Surprisingly (to say the least) no oil came out of the hub. Zero!
Is there something I'm missing here? Was there oil in your Kindernay hub when you received your bike?
Surprisingly (to say the least) no oil came out of the hub. Zero!
Is there something I'm missing here? Was there oil in your Kindernay hub when you received your bike?
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
I've been having a texting conversion with Pushkar and he thinks that the hub oil leaked out. I didn't notice any leaking, but then-again I wasn't looking for a leak. He said if the hub was shipped without oil it would have failed within 10 minutes of riding.
I put 20ml in the hub, spun the wheel around for 4/5 minutes, then drained the oil. Lots of glitter in the oil, which Pushkar said is normal.
I put 20ml in the hub, spun the wheel around for 4/5 minutes, then drained the oil. Lots of glitter in the oil, which Pushkar said is normal.
Merle Nelson
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- Region
- USA
I don't know anything about anything but I'm going to keep changing oil until I stop getting "glitter". Maybe you've heard that song, All that glitters is not gold.
Seeing how thick the oil was when I drained it at half the recommended mi/kilometers I would be about as quick to suspect the oil to be solidified or close to it.
I would do a ride and drain and refill again as soon as possible.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
The latest word from Pushkar is to do another flush with mineral oil then fill again with the Kindernay fluid, which is fine by me, as the Kindernay fluid is expensive.
I plan on doing another oil change very soon....maybe at 50-100km, to see, first off if there is any oil left in the hub and secondly to see what the drained fluid looks like.
There doesn't seem to be any guidelines to follow here. At this point it looks like a big guessing game as to what procedure should be followed.
I plan on doing another oil change very soon....maybe at 50-100km, to see, first off if there is any oil left in the hub and secondly to see what the drained fluid looks like.
There doesn't seem to be any guidelines to follow here. At this point it looks like a big guessing game as to what procedure should be followed.
Merle Nelson
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- Region
- USA
Kindernay website or youtube videos didn't leave me in a position of guessing. You just have to watch and read all of it to follow the progression of learning.
They are overly optimistic at how long you can go before first flush - which your experience confirmed - for one reason, or another. If I recall they say 250 kilometers. I would cut that in half at least for moving metal parts that cost a $1,000 and I want to perform as well as possible. Also given the brown thick syrup condition of fluid I drained from mine at near half the recommended kilometers (with enough metal flake to look like glitter), I'm going to be draining and refilling again soon and then more often than recommended (3000k?).
Amount of fill started at one number and then shifted to less as a way of dealing with seepage some were getting from hubs from changes in pressure. (Going up and down elevation, heat and cold variations). 30 ml on the K14 and 20 ml on the K7 is where I think it sits now.
All of this is as I recall and in my opinion.
They are overly optimistic at how long you can go before first flush - which your experience confirmed - for one reason, or another. If I recall they say 250 kilometers. I would cut that in half at least for moving metal parts that cost a $1,000 and I want to perform as well as possible. Also given the brown thick syrup condition of fluid I drained from mine at near half the recommended kilometers (with enough metal flake to look like glitter), I'm going to be draining and refilling again soon and then more often than recommended (3000k?).
Amount of fill started at one number and then shifted to less as a way of dealing with seepage some were getting from hubs from changes in pressure. (Going up and down elevation, heat and cold variations). 30 ml on the K14 and 20 ml on the K7 is where I think it sits now.
All of this is as I recall and in my opinion.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
Once I get mine back on the road I'm going to check for leakage every day.
As far as I can tell the only way to check if there's oil in the hub is to drain it.
As far as I can tell the only way to check if there's oil in the hub is to drain it.
Merle Nelson
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- Region
- USA
Yes on opening drain plug to check....but nothing requires you to dump it out. Toothpick dipstick?
Leakage at the hub should be very noticeable. It will attract dust and dirt and soon look like it needs to be cleaned in some way. Compare this in your mind to areas of your car engine where there is a little seepage.
If you wanted to run a comparison test put a few drops of oil on the middle of your front wheel hub . See what that looks like after a ride or few.
Leakage at the hub should be very noticeable. It will attract dust and dirt and soon look like it needs to be cleaned in some way. Compare this in your mind to areas of your car engine where there is a little seepage.
If you wanted to run a comparison test put a few drops of oil on the middle of your front wheel hub . See what that looks like after a ride or few.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
Just did a flush with mineral oil. Now I have to wait for more Kindernay fluid to arrive.
Merle Nelson
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- Region
- USA
What came out?
How long do you anticipate waiting?
How long do you anticipate waiting?
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
The fluid was clear. I might flush it one more time, since I have lots of mineral oil.
The fluid from Pushkar should be arriving shortly.
I hate UPS! Those f*ckers charged me $27.35 brokerage fee on a $78 order!
It's cheaper to ship stuff from Europe and China than it is from the US. If I order anything else from WW I'll ask them to ship via USPS, if possible.
Shipping from the US to Canada is stupid expensive.
The fluid from Pushkar should be arriving shortly.
I hate UPS!
Those f*ckers charged me $27.35 brokerage fee on a $78 order!It's cheaper to ship stuff from Europe and China than it is from the US. If I order anything else from WW I'll ask them to ship via USPS, if possible.
Shipping from the US to Canada is stupid expensive.
Merle Nelson
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- Region
- USA
Sorry to hear the expense issues.
Your doing a short ride or something to get mineral oil moving through all the cracks and crevices right? I'll be interested if you get metal chips or anything else coming out on this next flush.
Your doing a short ride or something to get mineral oil moving through all the cracks and crevices right? I'll be interested if you get metal chips or anything else coming out on this next flush.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
I asked Ravi (Zen ebikes) about doing a flush and he said just spin the wheel for 4 or 5 minutes, which is what I did.
Merle Nelson
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- Region
- USA
Well, clear with no chips sounds nice RE hub condition if run with no oil.
I would think your shifting should be smoother and sound level should be down. Nice.
I would think your shifting should be smoother and sound level should be down. Nice.
Deacon Blues
Well-Known Member
Received my fluid order from Pushkar today. This stuff is pricey! I got approximately two fluid changes for $100 (Can), after factoring in the exchange rate, taxes, and brokerage fees. I guess that isn't too bad if the fluid only has to be changed every 3000 to 5000 km (or once a year)
The hub has been refilled and the wheel is back on the bike, and I must say that putting the wheel back on was a real b*tch of a job. It would have been a lot easier that the hydraulic lines been longer. I realize that WW didn't want the lines too long, which would make it easier to snag them on something while trail riding, but having the lines 2 or 3 inches longer would have made the task a lot easier (for me, at least).
Now I need to closely monitor the hub for leakage. I'm hoping for the best (no leaks). We'll see......
The hub has been refilled and the wheel is back on the bike, and I must say that putting the wheel back on was a real b*tch of a job. It would have been a lot easier that the hydraulic lines been longer. I realize that WW didn't want the lines too long, which would make it easier to snag them on something while trail riding, but having the lines 2 or 3 inches longer would have made the task a lot easier (for me, at least).
Now I need to closely monitor the hub for leakage. I'm hoping for the best (no leaks). We'll see......
Pushkar is the owner of Watt Wagons.
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