Bendix cable operated 2 speed

[us56456712]

I posted my buddies 1957 Schwinn American that I have been fixing for him on "Fresh Finds" and got a lot of help. I want to give him better wheels, 26 x 1.75 alloy rims. The original front wheel had the wrong thread count bolt goobered on so the the axle threads are stripped, there was a missing spoke and both wheels have flat spots with wowed out bead walls. I deconstructed the rear wheel with the Bendix cable operated 2 speed and noted that there is a slotted bolt or screw stuck in the hollow part of the axle where the shifting mechanism was. I assume this is the shift pin? I am soaking the entire 2 speed coaster rear in penetrating oil and have set it by my furnace (its submerged under the penetrating oil bath in a coffee can). I hope a few months soaking will allow this to come apart. Usually soaking in penetrating oil works but you still need a lot of torque to unstick something. I can't see this small screw taking any kind of torque. I think this is why he took off the cable, lever and gear shifting activator, it became frozen in the winter decades ago. I was wondering if anyone can give me advice on getting this thing unstuck and what the chancres are of rebuilding it? I have a cable, shift lever and gear activator.

 

[Wildcat]

Here's the schematic of the manual 2 speed. I had that same hub but no pin or shifter, and at the time I thought it was a kickback hub that just didn't shift.
I would disassemble it and work on the pin from the other side also. This diagram should let you know if it's the correct shiftpin or one that's fabbed up. It looks like a spring and rod in the pic.

 

[us56456712]

Here's the schematic of the manual 2 speed. I had that same hub but no pin or shifter, and at the time I thought it was a kickback hub that just didn't shift.
I would disassemble it and work on the pin from the other side also. This diagram should let you know if it's the correct shiftpin or one that's fabbed up. It looks like a spring and rod in the pic.

Thanks. Yes its the spring and rod that is rust welded. I never thought about working from the other end. I didn't even notice that the axle was hollow all the way through. The axle hole opposite the shift rod is probably all stopped up with rust, grease and guk. Ill pull it out tomorrow and take a better look and see if it goes all the way through. I can't imagine that there is anything left of the spring.

 

[Wildcat]

It's been a few years, but I remember where the end of the rod should be, right where the slot is at the middle of the axle, where the two yokes slide through. Maybe you can soak that end in PB blaster also.

 

[us56456712]

I see what you are referring to on the diagram. Another good idea. You could probably work on it from they yoke slots. Boy I hope we can get this going. He said that all the brake parts and the cable and shifter were in coffee cans in his Mothers barn. When she died he just threw everything out. He is bummed but I told him he still has his first bike.
He told me that he had a generator and lights on it. His friend had a Cushman motor scooter with no lights. The Cushman towed the Schwinn at night and they could go around town that way, the Schwinn was the lights for both and the Cushman was the motor for both. He has some great memories from this bike.

 

[us56456712]

I submerged the Bendix hub in 50-50 soybean oil and acetone. There was a site on the net I found where someone rusted a variety of sizes of nuts and bolts in hydrochloric acid and salt and then soaked them in a variety of penetrating oils and brake fluid diluted with acetone. The vegetable oil and acetone worked better than any of them based on the torque it took to unstick them. So I gave it a try. 24 hours later the shift pin and spring came out easily and looking pretty much like new. I did give it a dose of PB Blaster the day before I started soaking and that didn't loosen it but I'm sure it helped. Amazing.

I will probably start rebuilding it tomorrow if the rest of it comes apart as easily. I might as well as it is below zero F and snowing and is going to be cold and snowy for at least the next 7 days. I won't be doing any riding until it stops and they plow away all the snow.

Tonight there is the start of a 200 mile sled dog race on main street downtown. They have the street blocked off and piled with snow and barricades up for about 5 blocks to keep the spectators out of the dog track. Too cold for me to watch as they are predicting 3F with 40 mph winds with a windchill of -10 to - 25F. The dogs love this cold for running and do much better than when it is in the 20s. Can't say the same for the musher. Seems like it would be a bust for downtown merchants as no one can get to the stores.

 

[Wildcat]

If the pin looks in good condition, then the whole thing is probably in good shape and will just need cleaned and lubed to be good to go.

 

[Nagant]

I was really happy to read that the pin and spring came out in good shape. Thanks for sharing the vegetable oil and acetone mix. That is a new one to me and I bet it will come in handy someday.

 

[us56456712]

I was really happy to read that the pin and spring came out in good shape. Thanks for sharing the vegetable oil and acetone mix. That is a new one to me and I bet it will come in handy someday.

Inexpensive compared to $18 a gallon for WD 40.

 

[Nagant]

Inexpensive compared to $18 a gallon for WD 40.

True but WD40 is not a factor for me because I don't use it to try and free up seized parts or a lubricant period. Others might but not me.

 

[us56456712]

True but WD40 is not a factor for me because I don't use it to try and free up seized parts or a lubricant period. Others might but not me.

I used PB but I can't find it locally anymore. Also WD is the only one I can buy by the gallon here. I didn't buy it because of the expense and because it doesn't seem to work all that well so I did research and found you could make your own. I figured homemade would work at lest as well as the WD and would be cheaper. After the Bendix soak by my furnace I soaked a freewheel in the homemade penetrating oil but put it in my garage. It has been real cold, single digits for a high and Thursday night they are expecting -30. The vegetable oil sunk to the bottom into a mass of gell and fat beads so I guess it has to be warm and agitated to work. It was a real mess to clean up as the glob fell over the lip of the juice can. Jury is still out on this one.