Sturmey Archer 3 speed AW gearhub. How it works.

Рет қаралды 200,902

Күн бұрын

An in depth look at the design and function of the classic Sturmey Archer 3 speed.
here is a link to to the NIG update.
• Sturmey Archer NIG
For another great write up with graphics and detailed explanations, check this out.
josephgunnwriting.wordpress.c...

Пікірлер: 205

@nikitis13 7 ай бұрын

I just purchased my first SA driven bicycle and was curious to know the inner mechanicals of operation. What a piece of brilliant engineering! Thanks for a well presented video demonstration.

@nigelbradley613 2 жыл бұрын

10yrs ago I bought a 'box of bits' which made a 74 Raleigh Chopper. I couldn't get the gears to work so bit the bullet, stripped them, got rid of all the solid grease from 40+ years of sitting. lubed up and put it back together and it worked like a dream. I also converted it to 9 speed by adding 3 sprockets and welding on a rear hanger for a derailleur and using a friction shift for that. The hub has now done in excess of 5000 miles and still going strong. Of all my bikes, it would be the one I'd choose if I was riding up to 70 miles. I laugh when people tell me derailleurs are 'complicated'

@jamesromano8666 11 жыл бұрын

GREAT job, Dan. I was born in 1958 and have one foot in the mechanical age and the other in the electronic age. It seems that an appreciation for mechanics has gotten drowned out by computers, video, circuits, and pixels. Thanks for an eloquent, clear lesson on the genius of mechanical design, and what happens when I click that little lever that enables me to get up the hill just a bit easier!

@andyclark1173 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dan. The best video explaining how this hub works. I have serviced all my hub geared bikes and have known the theory but your teaching explains all. Every time I’ve stripped a hub down I’m always amazed this feat of engineering has been around since 1902. Sturmey was a clever engineer.

@koosnaamloos4291 3 ай бұрын

About an hour ago, I opened an old 3-speed Sturmey Archer and found that three of those four prongs seen at 6:30 had broken off. No idea how that ever happened, but it did explain why the bike decided to fully lock up at speed. Thanks for the informative video!

@Ducati999cc 4 жыл бұрын

This thing is bulletproof. Ridden 4 years through rain and ice everyday, no problems at all.

@ttehr42 7 жыл бұрын

Much appreciated. Have cleaned and serviced these many times[ 50 years ago]. Now I know how they work completely.

@artv232 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for actually taking the time to make this video so that a bunch of us can learn this important aspect of bicycle mechanics. What a great explanation!

@johnd6487 3 жыл бұрын

Well I grew up (and still live) in Nottingham, UK and my neighbour over the road worked in the Raleigh factory making those very gears.. but this is the first time I ever saw how they actually work. Thank you for pulling back that curtain of mystery.. and giving me a bit of a ride down memory lane.. the factory site is all redeveloped as student accommodation for one of our universities now lol

@2wagondragon 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing. That's very interesting info on the factory site.

@johnd6487 3 жыл бұрын

@@2wagondragon You’re welcome. I’m sure I read that at one point in history it was the biggest factory in the world - but I might have dreamt that lol. If you look out the movie Saturday Night and Sunday Morning the factory stood in for itself as the lead characters workplace (in the novel he worked at at Raleigh)

@tarstarkusz 9 жыл бұрын

That was a pretty understandable demonstration and explanation of the workings of a 3 speed. I find it amazing that the palls can withstand the torque of going up a hill without become burred or otherwise damaged and also the really tiny springs that allow them to ratchet.

@lollycopter 6 ай бұрын

I guess as tiny as the pawls are, they're kind of like nails. Sheer them from side to side and they'll break, but angle and use them like a hammer and they'll be strong... as nails.

@menoahgunzel8146 3 жыл бұрын

Great video, I'm a bike class student in the Netherlands and have this chapter " speed hubs " it really helps me out. I'm gonna watch this video until I know 1000% sure how it works. Such a nice hub image that those Britians made this all without a PC os some kind of software! Brilliant! Greetings from the Netherlands.

@stevenolan3380 Жыл бұрын

Great demonstration - thank you - it is clear that you have spent many hours and it shows.

@eefacam10434 11 жыл бұрын

Bravo -great job! I'm very impressed at how you manage to remember the names of the components as the demonstration unfolds without any hums or hurs :)

@2wagondragon 11 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind comments. Semi retired trucker and semi professional bike mechanic. Not a mechanics teacher.

@kamilpotato3764 3 жыл бұрын

I got a problem with my 1980's SA 3 gear hub. It doesn't engage idle when walking bike(pedals are spinning). When pedalling I can feel force transmitted to pedals when I stop. I've have replaced chain, oiled hub, replace pin chain. Still no results. Bit hesitant to open it up.

@dallasgibson7578 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid! Rescued a 66 huffy sportsman with the same hub, currently rebuilding and greasing it now, this video helped so much with putting it back together!

@finster101 8 жыл бұрын

I always wondered how these things worked. Thank you for a good video explaining them. I subscribed and watched many of your other gearbox "tear downs" too. Good stuff!

@nkronert Жыл бұрын

After all these years, I finally get to see the genius that went into this design. While in 2nd gear I used to "preselect" 3rd gear while applying torque and the hub would stay in 2nd gear until I stopped pedaling for a fraction of a second. Then it would snap into 3rd. Now I finally know how that worked 😊. BTW I never felt that the neutral position between 2nd and 3rd was a design flaw. It was a cool feature 🙂.

@josephgunn9002 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Dan, wonderful job! I've always wondered what was going on inside the axle of my '65 three-speed stingray, now I know - kind of. Truthfully, I'm stunned by the complexity of the thing, both conceptually and in the nuts-and-bolts.. A testament to man's ingenuity and the beauty of engineering. All that, AND a Sting-ray bike - for around fifty-seven bucks! The good old days. Thanks again!

@2wagondragon 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the comment. The technology involved really goes all the way back to the industrial revolution.

@elbaronrouge 10 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video, really clear and informative, thank you for taking the time

@warrenwilbraham778 10 жыл бұрын

So good I had to applaud! Now I do not have to take it apart to see how it works. The part with the electrical tape at the end was genius. Thanks for the effort.

@Paul.C.Barreto 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dan. I've been curious about this system of gears for a while, and finally discovered your video. Very informative!

@alexanderboiko9283 3 жыл бұрын

Very easy to understand, thank you very much from 2021! Watched couple of videos before, didn't get the part with the pawls, with you video it's like 2+2.

@srriley7055 11 жыл бұрын

Outstanding. I've been riding SA hubs for 50 years or more - actually more - and had a rough idea of their functioning, but this really explains it. Good work.

@klausbrinck2137 Жыл бұрын

I watched other videos (there´s just a few of them), that were lacking a lot of information, watched them 10 times, and didn´t get it. This video explains it best, by far, and althought it has the usual length of such a video, it´s being perfectly explained 5 whole, separate times in this one single video. Through this repetition, I now have the feeling, that I understand the function since many years already (while in reality it´s just a couple of minutes), and that the knowledge has long matured in my brain... Thanks !!!

@Duffloop 4 жыл бұрын

Best explanation of the internals so far - nice work sir

@KizzaKat 10 жыл бұрын

Thanks for all the great videos Dan! I'm fascinated by the intelligence that goes into the internally geared hubs. Your videos do a great job explaining their workings and maintenance. I've owned many S.A. 3 speed hubs (AWs) and one 5 speed. While on the subject of gears, I think that the differential found on cars and trucks etc. is simply an ingenious invention. Necessity may be the mother of invention but brains make them happen! Dave D.

@DannyPRobinson 11 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, thanks for this. I've taken these hubs apart before and I had a rough idea how they worked, but this explained a lot more.

@richtedwards 11 жыл бұрын

Absolutely brilliant- really good explanation of what is going on- thanks for taking the time to make this film! best wishes Rich ( windmill hill bike doctor)

@clicknsee450 3 жыл бұрын

Knowing the input ,output anf reactionary is one thing but making it work engaging the required gears and disengaging the unnecessary gears is the genius thing made by the inventor.genius inventor.

@raggedybritches5798 Жыл бұрын

@13:58 Should that say "and they will engage the ball ring?" Glad to have discovered this channel; looking forward to learning more here. Thank you

@pascalvanlaere6709 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Dan for a very clear explanation , I finally understand how it works.

@p_khale07 5 жыл бұрын

Great Video Sir , extremely easy to understand !! Will try overhauling my grandfather's Raleigh , with the same (in video) SA-3speedhub. Great explanation !!

@mrqreeny 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome, I'm restoring my SA 3 speed from '86. Now I actually understand what is happening :)

@robstorms 9 жыл бұрын

Thanks for all the work you put into this to school us sheep. I really appreciate it ! Looked over a bunch of your vids, looks like you have an interesting and rich life !

@2wagondragon 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the comment. Yes, life is interesting. It doesn't take money to be rich.

@FatDelBoy 4 жыл бұрын

The sound is only quiet at start. A very clear explanation. I liked the tapes showing the power transmission through the gear

@SZINNAPALM 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for showing all the internals and the function of this hub you answered my questions plus you answered what the hell the new drive gear with the 2 rows of pauls was about I found it on my gt intruder bmx rear hub (standard fixed, No archer on it)

@coreyshelton1550 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this excellent informative video. I’m a Raleigh collector, so this to me was very valuable.

@jaroslav.karpycev 10 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Even though I'm not perfect in English I've understood everything so clearly! This was very interesting lesson.

@007DavidCraig 10 жыл бұрын

Have just bought a couple of"dahon"older folding bikes,great to have had an insight into how the"Sturmy Archer" gears work,they do seem lots more complicated than standard cogs etc with the"lever style operation"but maybe need less maintenance thanks for the informative+detailed explanations,lots of the time the detail is a little vague,yours is very explicate,cheers from Bonnie Scotland ,I want to use them in conjunction with my old vw camper(not running currently)fingers crossed next summer

@kathyfinn5996 Жыл бұрын

Awesome voice for a docu/video! Thanks for the explanation.

@tochriss 2 жыл бұрын

Always wondered how these work! Thanks for making the video.

@thtttttt 3 жыл бұрын

one of the clearer explanation. Thanks Dan!

@r872047 11 жыл бұрын

Awesome video, thanks for taking the time out to make this

@sato4kaiba 11 жыл бұрын

Good work on explaining the working of this hub. I am thinking about using one of these on my bike. Thumbs up!

@alex20116529 3 жыл бұрын

Fantatisc!!! I finally found someone that really explained how it works. Now understanding to gears I found the fault and fixed. Thank you so much!! You are a star!!!

@2wagondragon 3 жыл бұрын

Glad I could be of help.

@iDominooo 10 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for this very informative video. I learned quite a lot about the function of the gear and you explained it really good :) Cheers

@jaekib 7 жыл бұрын

Very nice presentation of an ancient enigma;). Thanks!

@2wagondragon 11 жыл бұрын

Thanks. always open to suggestions. I've been working on the lighting issue. I thought it was improving, but maybe not.

@downhill100km 10 жыл бұрын

Great! I have been searching a video about internal gear working. because I want to maintain a my sram T3 by myself. This video is very helpful to me and my brompton friends. I will link this video on my brompton online club S.Korea. Thank you very much.

@Cheezwizzz 5 жыл бұрын

Incredible piece of engineering, thx for sharing!

@clicknsee450 3 жыл бұрын

Nice teacher .some thing unfolded amazingly bright and clear.very clear understanding of this.no video on utube is better than this definitely.

@lightbeam6783 Жыл бұрын

This video brings back such fond memories. I had a 3speed Bomber Bicycle when i was a kid and I had to disassemble this same hub to replace the bearings and when I reassembled it , i had the issue you mentioned with the false neutral , and let me tell you I was a nightmare to get this adjusted correctly. Sometimes 2nd gear would engage and sometimes when shifting down from 3rd to 2nd i would get the slip and this sometimes resulted in painful injuries for a man downstairs... Thank you for this video!! Well presented!! I think the BSA hub is a better design.

@johnacord5664 7 ай бұрын

That is why it is called a NUT BUSTER!

@gregriutzel7834 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent tutorial!! Theory to practice professionally done.

@zelupl2063 6 жыл бұрын

You did great job explaining it. Thank You!

@clicknsee450 3 жыл бұрын

Really happy to understand this today .this is the best video on this 3speed hub.GREATTTTTTTTTTT VIDEO .

@trentpuentes5716 10 жыл бұрын

This is a great video to watch. I like how you take your time showing how everything works instead of going so fast I have to replay over and over to understand what happened. I do have one question for you. I also have an older sturmey archer from '61 that needs some cleaning. My question is how do I lubricate this correctly? I keep watching videos on how they use grease on everything. With your video everything is oiled and looks as if you don't use grease. Any videos or anything that can help me thanks.

@mikehall7806 3 жыл бұрын

Great video Dan. I've rebuilt my 1964 SA AW and I'm bench testing it in a vice. I can find all 3gears without the hub on but when I put the hub on I canot find 1st gear. I picked this hub up off of eBay just to see how thing actually work and to gain knowledge on refurbing one so I don't have a bike to put it on. Thanks, Mike

@2wagondragon 3 жыл бұрын

The one thing that comes to mind is that you may have over tightened the drive side cone when you re assembled it. It should be screwed down until it contacts and then backed off about 3/4 turn and locked down with the locknut. The bearing adjustment is done from the left side.

@mikehall7806 3 жыл бұрын

@@2wagondragon Well, I finally got het al back together and working. Here is a pic of the setup I came up with to check the shifting. I can turn either the axle nut and/or the brass lamp coupler to pull the chain and shift to all 3 gears. I'm posting the pic of the latest setup on bikeforums. Thanks , Mike

@stephenremington8448 4 жыл бұрын

Great video, easier to understand than the supposedly simple animation videos of planetary gears.

@CyclingBristol 11 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, many thanks for the careful explanation, I think I finally understand it but I still wouldn't like to try to put one back together.

@2wagondragon 11 жыл бұрын

You're quite welcome, and thanks for viewing.

@edjuaro2 6 жыл бұрын

This video was very helpful and informative!

@Gammaduster Жыл бұрын

best explanation on KZfaq, thanks a lot

@JeandePierre 11 жыл бұрын

Many thanks, this is very useful, and nice to have an in-depth explanation, instead of one reduced to soundbites. A suggestion (not a cristicism): may I suggest that you try using more even/diffuse lighting, and perhaps a less cluttered background, so that everything is more easily visible?

@2wagondragon 10 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the comment Trent. The outer bearings should be greased same as any bike axle bearings, but for the internals, a light oil such as ATF or light viscosity base oil with no additives is fine.

@trentpuentes5716 10 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the information. Now I can finish my rebuild.

@Schenectadont 9 жыл бұрын

+Dan Burkhart Would you also use ATF in the newer hubs such as the S-RF5(w)?

@2wagondragon 9 жыл бұрын

+Schenectadont I'm running an older XRF5 ball lock type on ATF, and it works splendidly well. Can't see why it would hurt a wide range type.

@manuelluis5456 6 жыл бұрын

Dan Burkhart Why it's soundless ??

@geoffreygee 11 жыл бұрын

Nice job. I appreciate your time and effort.

@GordoFlach 11 жыл бұрын

Superb video! Thank you for posting it! From Chile

@tompearce6312 6 жыл бұрын

I can't imagine how anybody came up with the idea for the hub in the first place! Great video anyway!!

@errcoche 5 жыл бұрын

Golden age of British innovation Tom. The British Midlands were the Silicon Valley of the turn of the late 19th Century and you had stainless steel being developed an hour up the road in Sheffield. They had no problem with the ideas. Materials and machinery to make their ideas were the problem. The engines in hybrids and fuel efficient models these days are based on ideas from 1882 ( Atkinson Cycle motor ) because developments we are making are in materials science.

@johnacord5664 7 ай бұрын

I thought that the 3 speed hub had been discontinued long time ago. I am thinking of ordering a 3 speed W coaster brake for that vintage cruiser i bought from a friend. The derailleur is OK, but it is vulnerable to dirt and damage. You can say that the internal gear hub is bullet proof. The only advantage of the derailleur, is you have more gears and that system is light weight I am getting back to the geared hub.

@cw32211 4 жыл бұрын

very good, clear and understanding, thank you.

@davidjones4452 6 жыл бұрын

really great explanation... thank you very much

@CJ-zk1kl 4 жыл бұрын

Very precise demo. Thanks

@AManIsNoOne67 8 жыл бұрын

Wow, THANKS! You just told me why the pedals spin freely in 3rd gear! A shift cable adjustment should do the trick... I was afraid it was broken. I just acquired 2 bikes, a '64 Schwinn and a '73 Raleigh, both with SA hubs...the Schwinn has the problem hub.

@enriquequintela4453 8 жыл бұрын

Very important video to me. thank you.

@frundlemud 9 жыл бұрын

Very good indeed. I have a K4 slightly different but this video will help me a lot.

@PCFithian 6 жыл бұрын

Excellent, thanks for posting!

@cloud-cr5gs 2 ай бұрын

Merci. J'ai un Raleigh de 1963. " Modernisé" surtout au niveau éclairage. Mais pour le réglage du moyeu ce n'était pas simple. Heureusement que youtube existe. Mais mon dieu que vous êtes " compliqué" les anglais 😂. Ma Jaguar 2,7 V6 ....il y avait un jeu de cale pour régler les tiges culbuteurs lorsqu'elles prenaient du jeu.Tout cela au bord de la route.... tellement british 😉

@adampax 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for such an informative video! I wished I'd watched that before I took my hub apart to clean the outer cogs. I am afraid I may have let a bit of degreaser in to the main hub, possibly around the ball bearings. Do you have any advice for me? (E.g. Should I just coat everything in fresh oil? If so, what kind is good?) Thanks!!

@laszlobacs9347 2 жыл бұрын

Great tutorial with attention to details and very informative, thanks for sharing. I am in process of rebuilding an SRC3 Sturmey Archer hub and unfortunately not able to find a video neither a pdf. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

@Jhandestam 8 жыл бұрын

Hi Dan! Great video, thanks! I have a question, my shifting cable has been breaking off and I just can't handle it anymore, riding on the 3rd gear is getting tough. Is there anyway I can lock the clutch in position so the 1st or 2nd gear is always driven?

@1961kickboxer 4 жыл бұрын

Very good explanation thankyou.

@joohop 10 жыл бұрын

nice work man thanks

@ajmann07 6 жыл бұрын

Great Job on explaining the internals of a planetary system. Wheres the best place to Purchase 3 or 5 speed for my Bike build. Or would you purchase a different brand ?

@joshgoudge7207 9 жыл бұрын

Brilliant, thanks for that!

@zagajan 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. Thank you !

@2wagondragon 11 жыл бұрын

I've explored 7 speed Sachs hubs, but never a 3 speed. My main concern is the unavailability of replacement parts for them,unlike Sturmey Archer which has parts support for hubs going back many years.

@cbpaton53 4 жыл бұрын

... excellent video, thanks. sound is fine on my ipad, just a little background hiss, which doesnt get in the way of the understanding :)

@diederiq 11 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the clear explanation,Dan! I came here because my Sachs 3speed hub is permamently stuck in 1st. I took it apart thinking I could grease it up & reassemble, but the parts got scrambled :( If you ever lay hands on a Sachs, could you do a dis,-& re-assembly? Even if you don't: Fantastic work work you're doing!

@yifus237 4 жыл бұрын

Best explain ever!

@gentlerowdy 8 жыл бұрын

excellent info Dan - the 1st & the 3rd gear of my Raleigh Sturmey archer gearbox is not shifting well...i dont know what has gone wrong.

@2wagondragon 8 жыл бұрын

There are a few things which could be causing these issues. It's possible the internals need servicing, but it's more likely that it is shift cable related. First, it's important that the little roller chain on the indicator, that little chain that comes out of the end of the axle, not have any seized links, and that it does not bind. It's important to ensure that the indicator rod is not screwed in tight. It must be threaded into the shift key until it stops, and then backed off at least a half turn. This is to ensure it does not bind. Check that, then check shift cable adjustment. The cable should be fully taut with the shifter in the first gear position, with just enough free motion that you can pull the indicator out a tiny bit before meeting hard resistance. If that does not solve the issue, it may be time to open the hub for an overhaul.

@jen3800 2 жыл бұрын

i think i understand this now, finally!! thank you! i may have to rebuild an old Japanese 4 speed hub soon. perhaps i can ask you for help if it comes in.

@scoop4321 6 жыл бұрын

I just bought a Huffy single speed cruiser with a steel frame (a cheap bike, I know), and I want to install a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub with a coaster brake. The rear hub spacing on the chain stay drop outs is 110 mm. I have researched and found only two Sturmey Archer 3 speed models with coaster brake that would fit: AWC (II) and S-Rc3(l). Both have 116mm outside locknut spacing. Which one do you think would be the best one for me? I think I can spread the rear drop outs wide enough to accept the 116mm hub.

@geepuller1 5 күн бұрын

Great video. I have a project where I want changeable gears without a freewheel (kids pedal tractor). Is there any hub that can achieve this? the freewheel in this video is unfortunately integral to the operation of the hub, I was hoping that I would be able eliminate it.

@Baltimore012 Жыл бұрын

Very much a teacher sir!

@tedvictor4918 3 жыл бұрын

The torc of the rotation of the week against the hab whenpedling makes that titer and clamping the rim makes it esyer to undo as you are then using the opposit tork to exspand the hud an release tention .

@California6567 11 жыл бұрын

You are brilliant ! I loved my old 3 Speed back in the early 70s, and now many years later I discover how the hub gearing works ! Are you a mechanics teacher, or a professional bicycle mechanic ?

@maxspruit8370 10 жыл бұрын

I just love your channel, it's so clearly explained! Is the picture of your channel taken on the Brouwersgracht in Amsterdam?

@2wagondragon 10 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the comments. The picture is from Amsterdam, but I have not personally been there, so I couldn't tell you the street name.

@moabe-biker6779 4 ай бұрын

Great video! I have a newer SX-rk3 I am having a problem with. It seems the spring is binding when I shift into 1st gear. When I shift into 2nd or 3rd the spindle chain relaxes but the IGH remains in 1st. I can maybe knock around the axle lightly and it will pop out to the right gear, or if riding I may hit a bump and that will release it out of 1st. Would you have any idea as to how I may remedy this situation? TIA!