sturmey 3 speed help

[icyuod2]

my 69 aw sturmey 3 speed hub is misbehaving. all three gears are working, however, when i stop peddling and the bike is free wheeling i run into problems. when i start peddling again (in first or second) there always alittle slop/slack i have to take up before the bike starts moving. it almost seems the further i free wheel the more slack i need to take up (ie turn the crank 1/2 a rotation before theres power to the crank.

am i dealing with a broken part? or a poorly ajusted shifter. i tried ajusting it a few times.
any idea's? any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JLarkin]

There are multiple ways to adjust the shifter. One that has worked well for me is to put the shifter into third. Then take the slack out of the cable at the chain just before it starts to pull. This is usually a pretty good setting. Try that first.

 

[rick74304]

I had a 20' wheel that was doing the same thing,(single speed back pedal brake) I tried a simple lube, which helped, but didnt cure. I eventually wound up dismantling/cleaning/regreasing. Try the simple tricks 1st like lube and adjust, but be prepared for a tear-down dude :?
Rick

 

[JoKeR63]

You may some broken springs on some of the paws inside. They'll still catch, it's just taking some other source of force. Gravity, centrifical, ect.....

 

[icyuod2]

thx guys

i was instructed (and have set up others in the past) by setting the bike in second gear and making the end of the rod (where the chain connects) flush with the axle. seems to work pretty good.

after hours of ajustment, i'm figuring i have a broken spring/part.

thanks for the info guys, looks like i'll be doing my first tear down on sturmey hub.

 

[bring.doom]

thx guys

i was instructed (and have set up others in the past) by setting the bike in second gear and making the end of the rod (where the chain connects) flush with the axle. seems to work pretty good.

after hours of ajustment, i'm figuring i have a broken spring/part.

thanks for the info guys, looks like i'll be doing my first tear down on sturmey hub.

I have one that wont shift that I have been dying to use but after looking at the schematic I am deathly terrified of touching it, lol.

 

[Ed_Straker's_Rat]

thx guys

i was instructed (and have set up others in the past) by setting the bike in second gear and making the end of the rod (where the chain connects) flush with the axle. seems to work pretty good.

after hours of ajustment, i'm figuring i have a broken spring/part.

thanks for the info guys, looks like i'll be doing my first tear down on sturmey hub.

I have one that wont shift that I have been dying to use but after looking at the schematic I am deathly terrified of touching it, lol.

They can get nasty. I find that a nice big table to spread all of the parts out, plenty of light and an enlarged copy of the schematics helps. Oh, and not to forget alternating coffee and beer throughout the process is essential...

 

[Graylock]

Watch out for flying pawl springs. They are as big as p.........hairs and just as fast.:shock:

GL

 

[bring.doom]

I had it open once and just threw it back together, lol. I dont have a spanner wrench so I was using that as an excuse to dump the thing off at the lbs and have them fight it, lol. I would just get an old working shimano but that s/a has a super loud paw engagement that just sounds too cool not to use.

 

[maddogrider]

I had it open once and just threw it back together, lol. I dont have a spanner wrench so I was using that as an excuse to dump the thing off at the lbs and have them fight it, lol. I would just get an old working shimano but that s/a has a super loud paw engagement that just sounds too cool not to use.

I was thinkin the s/a was kinda anoying how loud it is comapired to my shimano.

Good luck man hope you dont get a spring in the eye :mrgreen:

 

[icyuod2]

after teaching myself to repair old broken down electro mechanical pinball machines, vintage pellet guns and such, i figure a 3 speed hub will be a walk in the par.

i've had lots of training with airbourne springs.
if i cant get it back together, i know just the guy that can.

 

[maddogrider]

Maybe if ya cant get it you could shoot it with a vintage pellet gun :lol: :lol:

You can do it

 

[roadmaster]

for s.a. hubs, a simple adjustment trick for older aw hubs was to shift it "in between" 2nd and third where there should be a point of freewheeling (ibg) or do as was already said, in 2nd the indicator chain should come out of the axle, the end of the chain flush with the axle end.

now for rebuilds, i've done about 8 or 9 s.a. aw hub rebuilds with 100% succsess rate. in fact i did it with a pipe wrench and a screw driver, wasn't too hard at all, just pay attention how things go and go slow. i also have a sw s.a. hub and its not worth trying. tried to do a shimano 333 hub and i will never try that again.

ya know, sometimes a little oil in th elube port goes along way. i use atf myself.

 

[bring.doom]

I had it open once and just threw it back together, lol. I dont have a spanner wrench so I was using that as an excuse to dump the thing off at the lbs and have them fight it, lol. I would just get an old working shimano but that s/a has a super loud paw engagement that just sounds too cool not to use.

I was thinkin the s/a was kinda anoying how loud it is comapired to my shimano.

Good luck man hope you dont get a spring in the eye :mrgreen:

I always like loud cassettes on my bmx and mtb. I also cut the mufflers off all my cars, hahaha. I like to be heard, haha.

 

[deorman]

The loud ratchet noise is related to the increased sturdiness over shimano freewheel 3-speeds. I've broken a couple of shimano's off road, much newer than bullet-proof old sturmeys, and nearly impossible to repair. Their coaster models are somewhat better, still no sturmey, or bendix either for that matter.

 

[roadmaster]

the hubs to avoid... shimano 333, s.a. sw hubs and to a point, the shimano 3sc. havent messed with anything newer than the 80's cuz i suppose they are alot more complicated. i'll stick with s.a's aw hubs.

 

[icyuod2]

i do really dig these aw's. they seem to be tough as nails and a dime a dozen.
gonna crack into it tomorrow. if things go horribly wrong, i have another aw on standby.

 

[JoKeR63]

I think everybody forgets that they have a camera here....
Just take pictures as you take it apart. Especially the pawls and springs.

 

[chris667]

I find flushing them out with white spirit and adding a couple of drops of gearbox oil (not engine oil) can help.
If the ticking is too loud, that generally means they don't have enough oil.

 

[maddogrider]

I find flushing them out with white spirit and adding a couple of drops of gearbox oil (not engine oil) can help.
If the ticking is too loud, that generally means they don't have enough oil.

Thats good to know because im putting a Sturmy 3 speed with a coaster brake on my build off bike.