Dear Robert, for me this sound you describe is one of the most endearing
qualities of the SA hub design.I had the same expierence as you describe
before Sheldon enlightened me. I used grease on the pawls of my three speed
hubs and they were quiet for the first few or even few tens of miles. As is
their nature the pawls eventually struggled free of the goop that I had put
them in and resumed their instinctive clicking behaviour. At this time I was
annoyed with their incessant clicking and was trying to make them act like
regular hubs and was drowning them in more and more and thicker and thicker
grease to make them shut up. Thanks to our dear friend, Mr. Brown and his
web site, I know better than to try and mute these fine bicycle
transmissions with gooey grease. Sheldon is right, the grease is not good
for the hubs, now I use light machine oil when building and replenish with a
few drops through the OIL hole every few days (50-100 miles). I have a 1974
S3C (coaster brake three speed) on my rain bike and it is in perfect
condition after joining me on well over 2000 miles worth of adventure in
mostly foul weather. The pawls hold no grudge and are happy now, they ride
merrily along urging me onward every revloution with the very clicks I was
trying in vain to squelch. (I think we could all learn a few things about
forgiveness from SA hubs)
After a few thousand miles on three speed hubs you too may grow fond of
their merry little clicks. Just by sound you know what gear you are in and
how fast the hub is turning. The hub really is talking to you. I am afraid
that I am now ruined for bicycles with conventional hubs, they seem anemic
and impersonal without the happy sound of the SA pawls in their slippery oil
bath.
Make sure to read both the SA web site and Sheldonbrown.com's notes on care
and feeding of your hub.
I wish for you and your hub many many miles of joy together on this bicycle.
Dave Reckoning (remove the N in notmail and make it an H to get to me
directly)
"Robert" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:Recently built up a wheel using an AW Sturmey Archer hub. I had it
apart to clean and inspect it . Few rides up and down the street
working out the bugs in the brakes on this recently built up bike.
Never noticed any noises. The bearings have the touch of play at the
rim and it shifts fine.
Yesterday after a short ride , I noticed a noise coming from the hub
in low and second gear when pedaling. No noise in high when pedaling.
Also, no noise in any gear when coasting. Best as I can describe it is
an on again off again chatter. But only in low and second when
pedaling.
Other than the obvious broken parts ect, anything in particular that I
should be looking for?
Likely source as it is in low and second only?
Thanks
