jkucera

Hello,

I am a not-very-skilled mechanic, and in the process of replacing the cable on my Sturmey Archer three-speed, I think I did something bad to the shifter. It works, but when I downshift the trigger doesn't really bounce back how it's supposed to, and the red indicator bar that used to tell me what gear I was in has disappeared. I see there are several screws that would allow me to take the shifter apart, but will this result in even more disaster? I can't find anything on the web about working on this shifter (it's the DLS30 R3).

Thanks much for any help.

Josh

Dan Burkhart 

Are you trying to shift it with no tension on the cable? Pulling on the cable (bottom trigger) is a downshift, releasing(top trigger) is upshifting. If there is no tension, it will not release to the default position.

jkucera

No, there is tension in the cable, and it is shifting, but the shifter just doesn't bounce back like it should after it shifts.

Dan Burkhart 

Do you already have the new cable installed? It's possible you did not get the head of the cable properly seated and it's jamming up.
Just to review, (I'm assuming the below is a picture of your shifter)

To replace the cable, you need to shift to the 3rd gear position. Remove the little rubber plug on the right side.
Feed the old cable out through the hole, and feed the new cable in, ensuring the head is properly seated.
If you tried to do this step in any other gear position but 3rd, it not be likely to work.

jkucera

Yeah, that's the shifter I have. (Except, like I said, now that I "fixed" it I can't see that indicator bar.) And that's how I installed the new cable. And it does shift, but the shifter trigger (the downshift one) just sticks at the end of the downshift.

Dan Burkhart 

Well, I don't know what more to tell ya except maybe you're going to have to open it up. Disconnect the cable at the hub first to take the tension off. The screws are really small, so take care not to lose any.
I've installed those shifters, and I use the 5 speed version of it myself on one of my bikes, but I've never had cause to venture inside one.