Schwinn and the Sturmey-Archer SW.

[Miq]

 

[WillWork4Parts]

OK, hopefully I can explain this without confusing it further. I will do it in bullet points.

I have a pretty complete library of vintage Schwinn Reporters. I'm missing two issues for the year 1958. I'm missing Vol. 8 #2 February 1958. I'm also missing Vol.8 #5 May 1958.

In the twelve monthly Schwinn Reporter Issues, they talked about the New Sturmey Archer SW hub.........Six Times in the monthly Service with a Smile Column. This had to be a huge deal to keep hitting the same topic for six different months. You only have five of the articles, and I believe your missing the most important one which was Vol. 8 #8 August 1958. I'll get to that later.

Let's try and put some dates on the Schwinn Reporter service articles you have already posted.

Your first posted picture is either February or May 1958? It starts out saying Raleigh announces new 3-speed hub. LIKELY FEBRUARY

Your second posted picture is Vol. 8 #11 November 1958. It the one with the GoodYear store picture.

Your third posted picture is either February or May 1958. It talks about Repair and Adjustments and has the whole trouble shooting chart. LIKELY MAY

We both agree that the fourth picture is Vol. 8 #7 July 1958. It's the picture of the Schwinn Approved (Steyr?) trigger.

The fifth posted picture is Vol. 8 #9 September 1958. It shows the Florida Police Chief that retired.

The sixth article that is not included in your Sturmey SW Schwinn Reporter collection is from Vol, 8 #8 August 1958.
I'm sorry that I cannot scan and post it for you but will type it and answer any questions about it. August 1958 Service with a Smile by Keith Kingbay on page 5 of the Schwinn Reporter.
CHANGES IN THE STURMEY-ARCHER S-W HUB
Acting in the wake of a considerable number of dealer requests, a number of changes have been made in the Sturmey-Archer S-W hub as now supplied or to be supplied in the near future. Here are the changes: A nut and a Bushing are now used to keep the planet carrier in place. This was formerly held in place by a spring washer which, if loosened up, did not allow the hub to be shifted. Secondly, a one piece indicator spindle will now be used. This will be used for the right side and will be adjusted by bringing the shoulder to the end of the axle while the hub is in "Normal Gear". This, of course, necessitates the change of some parts. The following are the changes and correct part numbers. OLD HUB WITH TWO LONG AXLE NUTS AND A SPLIT INDICATOR, NEW HUB (I have omitted the part numbers) and only listed the description, axle 6", axle 6 1/4", axle nut right, axle nut left, indicator rod left, indicator spindle right side, axle key. The new hub can, of course, be readily identified on a bicycle since it uses only one long nut. There will, however, be no chance for error since the new axle is not drilled through.

No Sturmey-Archer SW pictures, or charts were shown in the Vol. 8 #8 August 1958 Schwinn Reporter, only what I have listed above.

SORRY YOU CHANGED YOUR PHOTO SEQUENCE, BECAUSE NOW IT DOES NOT MATCH MY MONTHS OF PUBLISHING
John

Thank you!
I started to say that I fully agree with your chronological order, but Oilit posted an SW hub with a 57 9 date stamp. My first image mentioning Raleigh should be from at least 1957, possibly a 1956 Reporter. The rest of the order looks correct.

I must have been editing the order while you were still typing, sorry I would have left it had I known. Definitely glad you used the page descriptors to clarify though!

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

Finally looking at these on something bigger than my phone.

If we could determine the date on the first reporter it would give us more info on the adoption of the first SW hubs right?
View attachment 2277450

I’m assuming it says “The SW hub will be used on Schwinn bicycles within the next few weeks”.

I went looking through 1957 Reporters for this and did not find it but found other Sturmey -Archer S-W references.

Vol 7 #2 February 1957 talks about the service fixes for the S-W hub "before" they announced the updated locking nut and bushing and the bulletin still was using the original design two-piece indicator spindle.

Vol 7 #7 July 1957 talks about how to modify the early production Schwinn Approved shifter. Basically, you removed the shifter cover, chamfered the pin holes in the cover and very slightly filed (rounded over) the pin on the shifter handle for easier shifting.

So, my takeaway is that these S-W shifting problems were known by at least February 1957, and it was well into 1958 before we saw any modifications and changes. It's no wonder why Schwinn abandoned the S-W for a substituted Steyr "Schwinn Approved" three speed hub. It was a bigger problem for Raleigh because they were married to Sturmey-Archer even if the hull had holes in it.

John

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

Thank you!
I started to say that I fully agree with your chronological order, but Oilit posted an SW hub with a 57 9 date stamp. My first image mentioning Raleigh should be from at least 1957, possibly a 1956 Reporter. The rest of the order looks correct.

I must have been editing the order while you were still typing, sorry I would have left it had I known. Definitely glad you used the page descriptors to clarify though!

I think your correct in your thinking, the startup S-W date has to go back into 1956. AND this just adds more fuel to the fire as to "how long it took Sturmey-Archer to come to grips with the design problem, develop and distribute the parts for a retrofit program, and then eventually dump the entire design of the S-W. They screwed around for a couple of years!

 

[WillWork4Parts]

View attachment 2277474

What, you've never had to follow a reference within a reference within a reference before? Keep up! Lol
Unfortunately, this is what I have to deal with daily using aircraft manuals....and yes, there are references to Service Bulletins or Engineering Orders that have changed after the manual you are working from was written and has referenced them.... luckily there are Revision Histories to keep things straight...and the Aircraft documents are supposed to be kept whole.

Definitely frustrating though.

 

[GTs58]

All this SW talk is quite the rabbit hole!

My 1961 fair lady has the Schwinn approved hub with the SA trigger shifter.

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

All this SW talk is quite the rabbit hole!

I was complaining at three pages, and now we have cracked seven! LOL
John

 

[Miq]

1954 SW Manual showing 2 large nuts

 

[GTs58]

1954 SW Manual showing 2 large nuts
View attachment 2277476

View attachment 2277477

They have that marked as a 1954 schematic? No really?

 

[WillWork4Parts]

That was a 1957 reporter. The Jaguar was new for 1957 so no Jaguars until the late 56 with a few promo's at some dealers in late 1956.

Check the January 1957 Fair Trade Price sheet if you don't believe us about this page of the Reporter.

It calls out the Starlet as a D66 model. The 57 Price Sheet calls out the Starlet as the F66 model for whatever reasoning that Schwinn decided they needed to do that...
The Jaguar Mark II ad here mentions "the big Christmas Market"..."in the months ahead" too.