# Sturmey Archer Driver



## wrongway (Sep 14, 2017)

I have been on the hunt for a driver for a 3 speed hub. I currently have a 40's hub that I can't change the sprocket on because it doesn't have the snap ring. I found some on ebay. Will just any driver fit?


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## Andrew Gorman (Sep 14, 2017)

Any  Sturmey Archer AW hub driver should interchange with any other.  If you are getting rid of the 1940s driver, please let me know.  It uses a standard threaded cog if you can get it off, and replace it with any modern "track cog".  I just used a chain vise, like on a plumbers tristand to hold something similar and it worked really well.


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## wrongway (Sep 14, 2017)

Ok. I might just take a chance and buy one of the ones on ebay. I've never had a S/A hub open before, but I need to change the gearing on this as it's not very ride-able for me. It feels like I'm pulling a bus.....


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 16, 2017)

Make sure you get parts from a main factory hub, not a copy or license-built hub. Try to get a part as close in era to yours as possible. The above picture shows an evolution of AW drivers from the late 1940s/early 1950s to the 1970s. Notice that there are subtle differences in driver tine shape and thickness. The closer you are to your shape, the better. I've found all of these drivers will basically "run" the AW hub, but that if you get one very different from yours, the shifting will be dodgy or the neutral between Normal and High will expand (not a good thing).  

From left to right: drivers 1 and 2 will interchange. They're very slightly different, but pretty close. They both have plain, tapered tines.

The third driver is from the 1960s. It has "radiused" tines that are slightly different from earlier drivers.

The last driver is 1970s-era and is obviously different. It has a "step-down" and the tines are not as beefy at the bottom. 

In a pinch, they all should drive the hub, but you may find a bit of a loss in reliability if you get a hub from a drastically earlier era, and a much later part.

It gets worse if you get an Austrian-made or off-brand part. There were even more differences in the license or copy built AW hubs from other makers. Those may not interchange.


So.... they mostly do interchange, but avoid a very different era part or a part from a copy or license-built hub.


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## wrongway (Sep 25, 2017)

SirMike1983 said:


> View attachment 676944
> 
> View attachment 676945
> 
> ...



I made the swap this weekend. It seems to work and got well. However I can't seem to get it to stop intermittently slip in second. Is that related to the hub? I keep adjusting the cable to no avail. Also, for some reason this hub/shifter combo has always been really hard to downshift into low. Ideas?


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## wrongway (Sep 26, 2017)

....Also, the hub I took out looked like the one on the far left and I replaced it with one on the far right.


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 26, 2017)

Did it skip out of gear with the original driver? I would test the thing in a stock condition, if possible. If you still get skips, you've got something else internal going on in the hub. If it runs correctly, you'll want to locate a driver as close to the original as you can get. 

Also make sure the drive-side cone is set correctly so the hub gears center. AW drive-side cone should be finger tight, then back off a quarter turn or so (back off a 1/2 turn for an FW or S5 hub). After setting that, set the non-drive side cone based on feel. There should end up being just a hint of play in the wheel when you're done.


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## wrongway (Sep 27, 2017)

SirMike1983 said:


> Did it skip out of gear with the original driver? I would test the thing in a stock condition, if possible. If you still get skips, you've got something else internal going on in the hub. If it runs correctly, you'll want to locate a driver as close to the original as you can get.
> 
> Also make sure the drive-side cone is set correctly so the hub gears center. AW drive-side cone should be finger tight, then back off a quarter turn or so (back off a 1/2 turn for an FW or S5 hub). After setting that, set the non-drive side cone based on feel. There should end up being just a hint of play in the wheel when you're done.



No, I don't recall it skipping before. I still can't seem to get one of these apart so I only took it apart enough to grease the bearings and change the driver out. I only had the drive side apart and that is also all I adjusted. If I take it apart to investigate further, what should I be looking for?


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## wrongway (Sep 28, 2017)

Well, somehow I got it adjusted just right last night and was able to ride it the 3 miles to work with no problem. I really like the 46x20 gearing I went with, too. Just a fun and fairly comfortable bike to ride! Thanks!


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 28, 2017)

wrongway said:


> Well, somehow I got it adjusted just right last night and was able to ride it the 3 miles to work with no problem. I really like the 46x20 gearing I went with, too. Just a fun and fairly comfortable bike to ride! Thanks!




46 - 20 and 48 - 22 are good "all around" gearings. 

46 - 22 offers a little easeir push if you have hills, but tops out a little sooner.


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## wrongway (Sep 28, 2017)

SirMike1983 said:


> 46 - 20 and 48 - 22 are good "all around" gearings.
> 
> 46 - 22 offers a little easeir push if you have hills, but tops out a little sooner.



On my '63 Sports I have 48 - 22 and like it very much. It almost seems sporty.


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## Fladeeq (Oct 19, 2017)

You can use any sprocket which fit Torpedo!


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## Fladeeq (Oct 19, 2017)

You can use any sprocket which fit Torpedo!


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## marius.suiram (Oct 19, 2017)

I have a box with some Sturmey Archer parts, NOS.
As seen in the picture. And some axles too.


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## wrongway (Oct 24, 2017)

marius.suiram said:


> I have a box with some Sturmey Archer parts, NOS.
> As seen in the picture. And some axles too.
> View attachment 694758



Sorry, just now seeing this. Thanks for the offer. I got it figured out, but I'll keep this in mind.


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## rcslegacy (Dec 1, 2019)

Hey, I know this is a very old thread but if by any chance you guys are still around, does anyone have a threaded driver and/or cog available? any nos chainrings from that era would be amazing, as well. I have the detachable chainring.

I have a 3 speed raleigh which was originally purchased by my grandpa in 1950 and I fixed it up a few years ago and ride it everywhere, I've put a couple thousand miles on it so far. I've been looking for a threaded driver ever since I fixed it up because I slightly damaged mine while I was trying to get it apart, it still works but I'd like to have a non-damaged one.

also, I've started to get a lot of chain noise. I tried replacing the chain, and I made sure the chain line is good, and everything checks out but it still makes noise so I'm thinking my cog and/or chainring are worn.... do the cogs ever wear out on these bikes? And if so, can anyone offer any suggestions on how to tell which one it is? It would be awesome if I could find NOS versions of both...


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## wrongway (Jan 16, 2020)

rcslegacy said:


> Hey, I know this is a very old thread but if by any chance you guys are still around, does anyone have a threaded driver and/or cog available? any nos chainrings from that era would be amazing, as well. I have the detachable chainring.
> 
> I have a 3 speed raleigh which was originally purchased by my grandpa in 1950 and I fixed it up a few years ago and ride it everywhere, I've put a couple thousand miles on it so far. I've been looking for a threaded driver ever since I fixed it up because I slightly damaged mine while I was trying to get it apart, it still works but I'd like to have a non-damaged one.
> 
> also, I've started to get a lot of chain noise. I tried replacing the chain, and I made sure the chain line is good, and everything checks out but it still makes noise so I'm thinking my cog and/or chainring are worn.... do the cogs ever wear out on these bikes? And if so, can anyone offer any suggestions on how to tell which one it is? It would be awesome if I could find NOS versions of both...



Hey, rcslegacy, I sent you a PM about some parts I have including that driver. Let me know if you are interested.


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