Originally Posted by
dweenk
I was wondering if anyone has converted a Shimano bell crank to fit an S5 S/A axle. The diameter of the S/A axle is larger, but there is not a lot of wall thickness on the Shimano bell crank.
I am also wondering if the Shimano push rod could be a replacement for the S/A (I think the Shimano is a bit longer).
Use of a Shimano bell crank is possible, according to RHM and also according to the BikeSmith guy in Minnesota who sells the cottered crank tools and Raleigh cut cotters. Problem is that there is likely no tap available of the correct size. Not that I've been able to find, anyway. Someone said that Sheldon Brown used an AW axle as a tap.
As for the push rod, apparently a substitute can be fashioned from a proper gauge nail.
I have done neither of the above, just been thinking about it since I bought a 4 speed hub that is convertible to a 5 speed. I'm considering it but want to get the hub into a wheel and try it out as a 4 speed first. edit: My hub is an FG which is a combo of the dynohub and the FW hub