# Sturmey Archer Issues



## wrongway (Mar 22, 2019)

I have an AW hub that just won't cooperate! For some reason as I pedal in most any gear the entire wheel shifts to the left and locks up. I have had this hub just apart enough to grease the bearings, loosening it from the drive side. It sounds good, shifts good, but locks up. I took the wheel off the bike and checked it, but nothing is loose. What gives?


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## Gordon (Mar 22, 2019)

Do you have the anti-rotation washers in place?


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## wrongway (Mar 22, 2019)

Further research and I think that the chain has a couple stiff areas in it. Could that cause issues? Cause it to lock up and send the wheel left? Also, the gearing is 46x17.


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## wrongway (Mar 22, 2019)

Gordon said:


> Do you have the anti-rotation washers in place?



Is that the little flat washers with tabs? If so, yes.


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## Gordon (Mar 23, 2019)

wrongway said:


> Is that the little flat washers with tabs? If so, yes.




Yes, that is correct. They are on the axle and fit into the dropout to keep the axle from turning.


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## SKPC (Mar 23, 2019)

Sounds like stripped axle nuts 1st.  Did it operate properly before you took it off the bike?


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## wrongway (Mar 23, 2019)

SKPC said:


> Sounds like stripped axle nuts 1st.  Did it operate properly before you took it off the bike?



It did actually up once before I had it off the bike.


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## wrongway (Mar 23, 2019)

wrongway said:


> It did actually up once before I had it off the bike.



Or rather, act up.


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## wrongway (Mar 23, 2019)

I tried putting another wheel on the bike and it did the same thing. I even tried changing the chain out.


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## SKPC (Mar 24, 2019)

"did the same thing" is not a clear enough description of the problem.  Is the bike on a rack? Are you riding it? are you shifting it? are you spinning the pedals? does it "move to the left" only when you are riding the bike?        "Another wheel" is not the sturmey wheel?  Do you have wrenches to tighten the axle nuts properly on these "failing wheels"? Broken axle?


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## Brutuskend (Mar 24, 2019)

wrongway said:


> I tried putting another wheel on the bike and it did the same thing. I even tried changing the chain out.



Are you using toothed washers? Are you sure the frame isn't cracked somewhere?


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## wrongway (Mar 24, 2019)

This bike is a late 60's Raleigh Sports. The wheel set is 26x1-3/8. It has a 46x17 gearing set up. I'm making it up as a model 21 that would have drop bars for a bike ride event coming up in June. It's been an experimental bike so it has had many different configurations over the last year or two. Last week while out testing it all seemed fine till I heard a loud noise and the rear wheel came to a halt. The wheel had shifted or slammed into the frame. This happened again on Friday even though I thought I fixed it. It's now on my bike stand and even though I've tried a different wheel and different chain it has done it again. I am going to check everything this afternoon completely. The first time it happened I thought the chain was to slack and it jumped off track, as it was off the sprocket. Puzzled.....


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## wrongway (Mar 24, 2019)

Oh, I forgot....when I've taken the wheel off the hub spins freely in my hands. No unusual sounds.


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## SKPC (Mar 24, 2019)

Excellent.  If the sturmey hubs' axle nuts are not stripped and tight but it still does this, then one of two things: your sprocket teeth or chainring teeth are badly bent somewhere or you have a totally busted axle internally, allowing the hub shell to move. If the hub shell feels loose when clamped in the frame tightly, the axle is busted..


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## wrongway (Mar 24, 2019)

I caught a picture of it when it happens. Also, at this point I can move the pedal back ever so slightly and pedal forward till it happens again. I'm going to chain the sprocket. Thanks.


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## wrongway (Mar 24, 2019)

Well, I adjusted the hub as close as I could just in case, changed the rear sprocket with another 17t one, got the chain as tight as I could and went on a test ride. No problems at all. I think I heard one small 'pop', maybe. Looks the hills just fine and got up to a decent speed. Fixed? Who knows..... Thanks all!


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## wrongway (Mar 24, 2019)

Oh, this is the old sprocket I took off. Looks fine.


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## SKPC (Mar 25, 2019)

Bent tooth left or right?  The big link pin in chain seems unusual in photo.  Maybe frozen?


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## wrongway (Mar 25, 2019)

SKPC said:


> Bent tooth left or right?  The big link pin in chain seems unusual in photo.  Maybe frozen?



You got better eyes than I do! I just can't see anything wrong, but I'm going to throw it out so I don't use it again! The chain is brand new, but almost does feel froze in a place or two. Odd.


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## PCHiggin (Mar 25, 2019)

Is your front sprocket or crank bent?


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## wrongway (Mar 25, 2019)

PCHiggin said:


> Is your front sprocket or crank bent?



I thought of that, too. I checked it. To me it seemed to almost have a very, very slight 'wobble' to it. I didn't think it would be enough to make a difference.


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## PCHiggin (Mar 25, 2019)

wrongway said:


> I thought of that, too. I checked it. To me it seemed to almost have a very, very slight 'wobble' to it. I didn't think it would be enough to make a difference.



Well,I'd change both with known good parts just to eliminate 1 more thing.I had a Typhoon with a bent crank give me grief before.It initially seemed the rear hub was the problem


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## RidgeWalker (Mar 25, 2019)

The chain concerns me. You say it is tight in a couple places. This can usually be remedied by removing the chain from the bike and isolating the individual links that are tight or frozen. Then working the links “sideways” back and forth perpendicular to the link pins or “axles “.  This problem often occurs when the link axle ( pin) is pressed in with a chain tool. The act of pressing the pin in applies pressure between the plates of the links and can cause a lot of friction resulting in the frozen areas of the chain that you describe.


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## Rambler (Mar 25, 2019)

wrongway said:


> I caught a picture of it when it happens. Also, at this point I can move the pedal back ever so slightly and pedal forward till it happens again. I'm going to chain the sprocket. Thanks.
> 
> View attachment 969880





wrongway, From your photo it appears to me that the sprocket tooth is catching the side plates of the chain so you most likely have a chain alignment problem.

The image below shows examples of *improper* and *proper* chain alignment. If you install the wheel in the frame then use a straight edge along the flat sides of the sprockets they should be in perfect parallel alignment.  If front crank and rear hub sprockets are perfectly aligned you should have no chain catching problems.





If your chain alignment looks like any of the three examples on the left your chain will catch the sprocket teeth as in the photo you posted.

If you are unable to position the wheel in such a way that the sprockets are aligned, then either the bicycle frame needs to be aligned or the wheel offset needs to be adjusted so as to center the rim to the hub. Either of these alignment tasks any competent bicycle shop should be able to do for you if you are unable to perform them.

Example of aligning a frame:




Wheel offset:


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## wrongway (Mar 25, 2019)

I'll have to check the frame, too. The chain-line seems straight, but maybe just enough off? One thing that concerns me is that when I'm tightening up the wheel in the frame I can angle it back and forth till I tighten it. I guess that's normal? It seems like there should be a better way to keep it inline?


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## PCHiggin (Mar 25, 2019)

wrongway said:


> I'll have to check the frame, too. The chain-line seems straight, but maybe just enough off? One thing that concerns me is that when I'm tightening up the wheel in the frame I can angle it back and forth till I tighten it. I guess that's normal? It seems like there should be a better way to keep it inline?




Check the frame using the above string method. Then tighten up the wheel and use the same string method to recheck the frame. You might have to add or subtract  spacers on one side. I have a 16" Pixie which was run over years ago  by the X. I straightened it out enough for my Son to enjoy that summer,the following year he had outgrown it and it sat for about 15 years. I almost tossed it but decided to fix it for the Grandchildren. I straightened out  the frame  and verified it with the above method. When I installed the rear wheel it was clearly off to  one side and the chain was binding. I rechecked it and it was nearly perfect 'till the wheel was tightened. I guess one chainstay just wouldnt go back into position when tightening the wheel. So,I spaced it out with a couple of washers,tightened it up and it works perfectly smooth,no binding and the string is equally spaced from the tubes.


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## wrongway (Mar 26, 2019)

I don't know what I did or didn't do, but took it for another ride around town last night. Uphills and downhills and flats. No problem at all. Performed flawlessly! Is it possible that sprocket was just enough bad and maybe that chain had to be....'broken-in'? I wish I knew.


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