Bicycle Mechanics - Sturmey-Archer AW 3-speed hub slips, but are the parts bad?

I have a Sturmey-Archer model AW 3-speed hub on my Triumph roadster. A while back, it started slipping in all 3 gears. At first, I could pedal a little gingerly, and most of the time could get it to eventually "grip" and go (I was intimidated by the prospect of having to open up the hub), but after a week or so of this, it began to slip with no grip at all.

Having never gotten into a geared hub before, I did a little on-line sleuthing to try to figure out what part(s) might be at fault. From what I could learn from Sheldon Brown's excellent info on the hub, it seems that the clutch might be at fault. And so, I disassembled the hub and inspected the parts, to see if the clutch looked worn.

Strangely, the clutch looks OK to me, anyway. There were a couple of other parts that looked damaged or worn: one of the 4 planet pinion gears has two chipped teeth, the stamped steel outer dust cap (just inside the sprocket) is bent inwards a little, and one of the 2 low-gear pawls has a little worn area on one edge (see photo #4). The clutch itself looks OK, as do the pins, springs and bearings.

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-1.jpg

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-2.jpg

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-3.jpg

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-5.jpg

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-4.jpg

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-6.jpg

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-7.jpg

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-8.jpg

http://i541.photobucket.com/albums/gg379/bricology3/S-A_AW-9.jpg

Are any of the worn or damaged parts enough to account for the slippage? Or is it more likely that it was caused by mis-adjustment and/or improper lubrication? Or am I missing the picture, and there's something obviously wrong? Any advice would be appreciated!

That chipped tooth planet gear don't look good, new set of 4 .. I'd get new pawls ,and springs ..
fortunately all parts are available , United Bike Supply in Oregon , a wholesale to bike shops supplier ,

probably Harris on the east coast a retailer, SJS in UK on the other side of the pond.

You can find parts lists and diagrams on line , to quote exact numbers.

Thanks for the advice, Bob!

So, the clutch looks OK to you? And should I get both sets of pawls or just the pair where one of them is a little worn?

BTW, for some reason, Google isn't being helpful in finding a website for United Bike Parts. All of the links I could find redirected to "Canyon Cyclesports", and that site has a terrible interface that won't even allow browsing of their catalog. I'll try ordering through Harris instead.





That chipped tooth planet gear don't look good, new set of 4 .. I'd get new pawls ,and springs ..
fortunately all parts are available , United bike parts in Oregon , a dealer supplier ,

probably Harris on the east coast a retailer, SJS in UK on the other side of the pond.

You can find parts lists and diagrams on line , to quote exact numbers.

Thanks for the advice, Bob!

So, the clutch looks OK to you? And should I get both sets of pawls or just the pair where one of them is a little worn?

BTW, for some reason, Google isn't being helpful in finding a website for United Bike Parts. All of the links I could find redirected to "Canyon Cyclesports", and that site has a terrible interface that won't even allow browsing of their catalog. I'll try ordering through Harris instead.

Here's a link to United Bicycle Supply Sturmey Archer parts page. I don't have time right now to look up the parts you need, but they are in there.
http://www.unitedbicyclesupply.com/index.cgi?id=749172023320&c=Sturmey_Archer&sc=Hub_Parts

Dan at least has gotten the name right , I corrected my previous post.

more info : http://www.sheldonbrown.com/sturmey-archer/aw.html

http://www.sturmey-archer.com/

http://hubstripping.wordpress.com/3-5-8-speed-sturmey-archer/

Slipping in all gears suggests to me weak and/or gummed up pawls & springs. A flush&lube might have corrected things w/o disassembly.

Now that you have it torn down and cleaned up, I'd put in fresh Pawl Springs (HSA120) along with those new Planet Pinons (HSA292) and R.H. Pawls (HSA119).

As mentioned, UBI is a wholesaler. Sturmey has recomended BikeToolsEtc (http://www.biketoolsetc.com) for a N.A. retailer of individual repair parts for their hubs.

More good info (http://bikesmithdesign.com/SA/SA-Tips.pdf).
AW, the movie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea6krXSs-lc).

HTH,
tcs

I wondered if I might pose another question here. I've got a '72 AW that I just laced to a wheel. From third, when I shift it, I can only get one chain link to pull out, and when it does so, I get zero resistance, i.e. it spins freely. It's fine in third though, and I've been able to ride it without shifting.

I bought it from a friend who works with SA three speeds all the time, rebuilding and restoring them, but when he sent it, he said he hadn't yet tested it. For some reason, I ignored his warning, and I laced it to a brand new rim anyway.

I've rebuilt 3CCs before, but I've not fooled with any Sturmey Archer hubs. I could really use some advice.
Thanks in advance!

there is also a false neutral , if the shift from H to N, 2nd and 3rd, is not completed fully , there is some slipping,
then check your cable adjuster.

the ones made by the new Sturmey Owners, has redesigned the hub, NIG, no in between gears, is what I read, don't own one..

Supposedly the whole core swaps into older shells, to replace the works, but no witnesses have testified.. under oath . :D