Sturmey Archer Repair: Replacing Splined Sturmey Archer Cups/Ratchets

I've written previously about removing and replacing old-style Sturmey Archer non-drive sized cups/ratchets. In the early 1960s, Sturmey Archer went from a threaded cup and ratchet assembly on the AW hub to a splined assembly pressed into the shell. How to remove them?

Removal of splined cups/ratchets is fairly straightforward but requires some care. The hub must first be emptied of its contents in the usual way. (A guide to disassemble the AW and other Sturmey Archer hubs is available in various places on the internet, including Tony Hadland's site and Sheldon Brown's site).  

Next, the hub must be properly supported at the base of the flange. At the minimum, the hub must be carefully mounted on top of a solid vise so to maximize the contact area on the flange of the hub. Ideally you would have a close-fitting block of hardwood that contacts the entire flange, thereby distributing the force evenly. But in this case, I have the hub carefully set on the vise jaws. There is a substantial risk of damaging the flange if too little of the flange surface contacts your blocks/vise jaws. 

If the hub is mounted in a wheel, you can use the rim to hold the wheel and for leverage. This job is a bit easier with a whole wheel, but it can be done with just the hub mounted in the vise/blocks. 

Moderate heat is applied by a propane torch around the line where the cup/ratchet piece meets the hub shell. A small amount of Kroil or similar penetrating oil can be dropped into the joint from the top.

Next, a close-fitting punch (1/8 inch in my case) is used to punch-out the ratchet/cup from the top using moderate blows from a hammer onto the punch, and working evenly around the lip of the ratchet ring. Be careful that the punch stays on the lip and does not slip off, which can damage the ramped ratchet surfaces or the hub shell interior. Keep warming the joint and applying oil as needed. Once the ratchet/cup starts to push out, it will gradually get easier to move. You can lighten your strikes with the hammer on the punch as it pushes out. 

 

Once taken apart, you will see the spline teeth. Clean and inspect the teeth. They need not be perfect, but they should be fairly sharp and there should not be ground-down or missing teeth. Also inspect the hub shell teeth/splines. 

Re-assembly is straight forward. A good splined ratchet/cup should be sourced and pressed into place in your shell carefully using a bench vise padded with some wood blocks. A little grease helps prevent galling, but don't make a mess. You want the new cup/ratchet firmly in-place. Remember that your hub depends on those teeth grabbing and locking the cup/ratchet into place. 

I personally prefer the older, threaded style of cup that works with a bench vise and unscrews. However, it is possible to replace the splined type with a little patience and care.

 

Winding Down the Ride Season: Vintage Raleigh Bikes

 

The ride season is coming to an end here. The clocks have changed, so limited daylight in the evenings. The colder weather is also starting to move in. The past week or so has been unseasonably warm, which has allowed some additional ride time at the end of the season. I view these rides in the closing weeks to be a kind of "bonus". Given the limited daylight and the colder weather that typically comes in early November, being able to ride after October 20 or so is not a given. 

 

1958 Sports with a restored train caboose

Rides this past week were the 1958 Raleigh Sports and the 1948 Raleigh Sports Tourist. These are nicely preserved bikes from Raleigh's "golden age" of production quality. Raleigh was at the top of its game between 1946 and the early 1960s. 

1948 Sports Tourist

Handlebars, bell, and headlamp on 1948 Sports Tourist

These old Raleighs do pretty well in the limited daylight this time of year. The white on the rear fenders helps make them easier to see. Both bikes have fender reflectors and light sets. The Sports Tourist has a traditional incandescent set with a dynohub, while the 1958 Sports has a retro LED light set.

The Sports Tourist in particular has the classic "old school Raleigh look", with its glass-lens headlight, chain case, and quadrant shifter. The 1958 Sports has a little more modern look. Both are great riders. I especially love the 1950s FW four-speed hub on the 1958 Sports.

New England "Burning" Bushes - turn deep red in the fall

I've enjoyed this riding season. I lost a few days to an unusually damp August, but it still has been pretty good. I count myself lucky to have so many chances to ride.

 

  

When You're STILL Fiddling with Bike Set Up at the End of the Season

1940 Schwinn New World

  

“I must be taken as I have been made. The success is not mine, the failure is not mine, but the two together make me.”

-Charles Dickens, Great Expectations  

 

I almost never get the fit of a particular bike nailed-down on the first try. I suppose someone who is more or less flawless at rebuilding and fitting old bikes gets it right the first or second try, but I'm not among that crowd. True, some bikes take just a couple of tries for me. But others take several (or more) tries. It can be frustrating to find yourself in October and still trying to get a bike you rebuilt at the start of the season to fit you correctly... 

My 1940 Schwinn New World has been one of those bikes that takes several tries at nailing down the fit. I rebuilt this bike before the season started. The basic measurements should work fine for me: 26-inch wheels, 23-inch diamond frame. It started out with a B67 saddle, Schwinn tourist bars, and a long-type Schwinn "razorback" stem. The first few rides went OK, but nothing special. 

1940 Schwinn New World, as of October 26

After a few more rides, I decided I was not in love with how the bike fit. I swapped to a B66 saddle and found it slightly improved, but still not great. I fiddled with the saddle position several times but found it still was not especially comfortable. So I put the bike away for awhile and rode some other bikes.

I finally revisited the New World earlier this month. I removed the saddle and bars. I substituted in an old Brooks B73 saddle and a set of late 1930s Torrington bars. Torrington called these "North Road" bars, though they aren't really of the English "North Road" shape. They're closer to Schwinn's narrow touring bars, but with a little more sweep back. This made a big and helpful difference. The bars have about the same "worn" finish that the cranks and fender braces have, so they are period-correct and will work fine. 

 

Torrington Bars

A little more sweep back...

Torrington imprint on bar end

 

The B73 saddle allowed for a little more adjustment and added some cushion to the ride. The Torrington  bars are roughly the same shape as the Schwinn tourist bars, but have an additional inch of sweep-back.

Brook B73 saddle

 

I took the adjusted bike for a ride earlier this week, which happens to be the final week of the "regular" riding season for me. Once the clocks change I don't have enough daylight to ride during the week. I might still slip in a ride on a warm day or a weekend, but those are "bonus" rides.  The bike felt greatly improved. I'm going with this version of the bike, at least for the foreseeable future. 

Schwinn-Built brake caliper

 

Tips for making your bike more comfortable: 

• Use saddles, handlebars, stems, grips, and levers you know fit you and are comfortable. There's no shame in having a particular "type" or model of saddle or bars that work for you and sticking with them.

• Use a measuring tape to check the functional height of the saddle, reach to the handlebars, and other ergonomics. Knowing your "measurements" helps get you in the ballpark to start the final fitting. 

• Don't be afraid to mix things up if the bike feels off when you first ride it. Two of the same models and sizes of bike may have differing ride qualities, especially as vintage machines go.  

• Don't worry if you're late in the season and it seems like you are STILL trying to get the fit just right. 

• Don't be afraid to set aside a bike for awhile and come back to it when nailing down the fit gets frustrating.

• Don't force yourself to ride a frame that is way too small or way too large.

   

  

  Over the bridge...