# Sturmey Archer Rebuild



## wrongway (Mar 3, 2014)

Has anyone on here ever rebuilt one of these 3 speed hubs? I have one that is a 1964 AW model and it appears to be locked up. It's too cold right now to spend much time with it in the garage, but if I move the pedals back and forth there is slight movement the same in the hub. However, it would not get you down the road. I have spare hubs (one from '70 & the other from '63) so I might have the needed parts. The '63 seems to be ok so I thought about putting those guts in the '64 shell. Any pointers? Just watch the Youtube videos and learn from that? Take it to a specialist? Oh, can this be done on the rim?  Thanks!


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## Iverider (Mar 3, 2014)

Contact SirMike He seems to be the resident English 3 speed authority on here!


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## cl222 (Mar 3, 2014)

It can be done with the hub still in place and as far as learning either contact sirmike or watch a couple youtube videos.
There are a few tricky parts to it but once you learn its pretty easy.


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## rhenning (Mar 3, 2014)

I started doing it when I was 14 years old and am now 65.  If you can get a copy of Glenns Bicycle Repair book it has a several page section with pictures on how to do it.  Roger


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## Springer Tom (Mar 3, 2014)

Piece of cake, once you take it apart you won't believe how easy it is....it's so simple, even a Red Sox fan could do it.....I think......


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## wrongway (Mar 4, 2014)

Last night I found a GREAT video on YouTube that really explained it very well and went through everything. The guy didn't talk about what to look for that might be damaged, but he made it look pretty easy. The little springs look like the most tricky part! I think I'll give it a try soon!  Thanks!


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## SirMike1983 (Mar 4, 2014)

With the help of a bench vise and a few tools, you can swap the guts without getting into replacing pawls and pawl springs. That is assuming you have two AW hubs, which is usually the case. The best quality innards are from the late 1940s and 1950s. Quality declined during the course of the 1960s. 

The first 3 min of this video shows you how to remove the hub guts. To do a guts swap, follow those first 3 min forward, then reverse the process with the guts and shell you want to use. It's basically just taking the guts of one out and putting the guts of a better one in.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea6krXSs-lc


You can fix the hub as well. It will be more involved but you'll have another working hub. Follow the above video, and keep this with you:

Complete break down:

http://hadland.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/saaw.pdf


If you want to upgrade the functioning of the hub, when you're done, swap the 18 tooth cog for a larger one. I like 22, 23, and 24 tooth sizes.


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## Jennifer Parker (Mar 4, 2014)

rhenning said:


> I started doing it when I was 14 years old and am now 65.  If you can get a copy of Glenns Bicycle Repair book it has a several page section with pictures on how to do it.  Roger




I just got that book. It's great.


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## wrongway (Mar 5, 2014)

I probably should get that, too. I was looking the bike over last night and pulled the oiler plug and discovered rust. The crank wouldn't even turn at first. I think it's been awhile since this has been serviced. Any idea how to get those cotter pins out on the cranks? I already bent one!


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## SirMike1983 (Mar 5, 2014)

Apply heat to the area and wick in some Kroil or similar penetrating oil. Let it sit for a few hours or overnight. After that, there are a couple methods:

Best:
Bike Smith Design Cotter press. If you work on cottered bottom brackets regularly, it is worth it.

Ok: 
A C-clamp and a properly sized socket head. You're going to place the moving end of the C-clamp on the threaded part of the pin. The fat part of the pin should sit inside the socket head's hole with the fixed part of the C-clamp over the back of the socket head. Tighten the clamp so as to drive the pin into the open hole of the socket head. Once it moves a bit, you can probably push it the rest of the way with your thumb. They really are only tight for the first few turns of the C-clamp.

Poor: 
Brace the bottom bracket with something and strike down on the threaded part of the pin with a hammer. The blow needs to be firm and enough to strike out the pin but without damaging the cranks. You need to hit it once with just the right amount of force. Multiple hits or miss-strikes mean a bent pin.


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## wrongway (Mar 5, 2014)

Thanks. Yes, I tried my first one last night and have a slightly bent pin. I assume I can still buy new ones? I'm going to try the C-Clamp methd. I saw a similar YouTube video of a guy that used a small vice. Fifty years is a long time to not be apart. I imagine new bearings will be in order!


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## Jennifer Parker (Mar 5, 2014)

It's off subject, but anyone need drive rollers for the sturmey archer rear hubs? I just bought a box and I'll never use 50 of them.


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## SirMike1983 (Mar 5, 2014)

wrongway said:


> Thanks. Yes, I tried my first one last night and have a slightly bent pin. I assume I can still buy new ones? I'm going to try the C-Clamp methd. I saw a similar YouTube video of a guy that used a small vice. Fifty years is a long time to not be apart. I imagine new bearings will be in order!




Yes- look up "Bike Smith Design" and go for Grade A pins. Ask for them to be custom cut for Raleigh as well.


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## wrongway (Mar 5, 2014)

Jennifer Parker said:


> It's off subject, but anyone need drive rollers for the sturmey archer rear hubs? I just bought a box and I'll never use 50 of them.




Will I? Do I? Do they go in a 1964 SA 3 speed hub? Can you post a picture?


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## Jennifer Parker (Mar 5, 2014)

wrongway said:


> Will I? Do I? Do they go in a 1964 SA 3 speed hub? Can you post a picture?




I gets home. I make picture. It's NOS box of Sturmey Archer brand hub rollers, so I'm assuming universal fit within SA hubs. I'll check while I wait to get home.

Sheldon Brown's page of all things awesome says yes.


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## Jennifer Parker (Mar 5, 2014)

Okay. Here's some pictures. My hands have the shakes right now, so I'm having trouble measuring their length. Therefore, I set up some universal sized items to compare them to.


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## wrongway (Mar 6, 2014)

Thanks for posting that. I'm not sure where they go just yet, but I'll keep it in mind. If this semi-restoration goes well, then I'll attempt to do the same to my '63 Hercules.


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## Jennifer Parker (Mar 6, 2014)

They go in a coaster or multigear hub.


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