zze86

So I picked up an old sears bike with the Shimano 333 3-speed hub. While the hub seems to be shifting and rolling fine I would like to disassemble it for cleaning and relubrication since who knows how long its been. From watching this disassembling video it appears that a special tool is needed to take apart this hub but I cannot seem to find it available on ebay or on the internets. Anybody know where I can pick one up or if there is an alternate method to go about this? I would love to use this as a beater winter bike.

I actually have a Shimano Nexus 8 hub just waiting to be used also but would prefer to use it on something a little...more quality? lol

dweenk

If the hub currently functional and you can't locate the tool you need for disassembly, perhaps the best solution is to flush and re-lubricate.

jiangshi

You may want to check here before proceeding:
Shimano 3-speed Hubs

Salamandrine 

I agree on the flush and relube, unless you are just irrepressibly curious.

These hubs are not terribly reliable. Shimano had a reputation back then for being junk, and the 3 speed hubs were part of that reason.

zze86

Thanks, sometimes you get so engrossed in the learning how to do something that you forget what your purpose is. All I really wanted to do is re-lube it.

So when I got home today, I went to task of taking the mechanism apart so I could get at the bearings and re-lube. Other than some corrosion on the cage, everything looks great. The teeth on the gears look fine, the races look excellent, bearings looked fine as well. Seems like this bike was hardly used and just put in a garage to collect dust and have things lean on it.

While I have the parts soaking in some solvent, I'm flipping the wheel over, back and forth, to clean and inspect the hub. As I'm doing so, "clank!" and I'm staring at the spindle on the floor. "Hmmm..." I'm thinking, processing, and finally mutter to myself, "I don't think that was supposed to happen". Sure enough, some shaking of the wheel and out pops the two keys that were supposed to hold the spindle in. It'd be laughable if it were not for being unable to find the tool. Actually, as I type this and try to imagine my face as I stared at that spindle for like 10 seconds, it's pretty funny.

And yes, I've read about the reliability issues of this hub. But $10 for the bike and the mechanicals appear to be just fine at this point, why not? Would make a fine winter beater and my commute route is at most a mile away from a bus line so it's not like I'll be stranded or anything.

Soooo....I guess I need to find a tool and disassemble this thing, lol. Anybody have one they'd be willing to lend or rent? I'm going to go check with the LBS tomorrow but I reckon they won't have the tool either.

Pompiere

Shimano 3 speeds are common enough that you may have batter luck finding a donor bike with a working hub.

zze86

I don't exactly want to spend more $$$ on this bike. $10, fine. $30 more for a hub + lacing up the wheel = not worth it. Plus there's always the Nexus 8 option.

Still hoping to find the tool or an alternative method. No time today to visit the LBS *sigh* darn chores.

Salamandrine 

If you can't find the tool, you may be able to tap tap tap it out with a punch and a hammer. I seem to recall these hubs sometimes had a provision for that. If that doesn't work, it wouldn't be impossibly difficult to improvise a tool, but it may not be worth the effort.

zze86

I saw a little notch and tried to tap it loose but no go.

I did come up with a makeshift tool though! And it worked beatuifully! Cheap and no mods necessary! I'll post pics up later tonight!

zze86

Posted for completeness in case somebody ever runs into the situation and encounters this post in a search.

It just so happened that one of the store I was heading to yesterday was one that catered towards a more rural population and carried hardware geared towards farming equipment and sure enough, I found a nut that slipped into the housing and engaged the teeth quite nicely.

When I got home I placed the nut into a vise and slid the housing onto the nut. Twist and voila! Everything can come out now! The hole is for a 1" bolt so the spindle can pass through it for re-installation! YMMV on the size of the nut, best bet is to take your wheel to the store.



Here you can see the nut inside the housing.


$1.00 fix!

nlerner

Well done!

Salamandrine 

Good one! and you saved $9.

ccardillo

I am overhauling a 333 currently and cannot for the life of me remove the ball cup. Looks like I need the tool but also cannot locate one. Local bikes shops dont even have one.
Is there anyone out there willing to lend me theirs? I would send it back after this job is done or I can buy it if you are looking to get rid of it.

Otherwise, anyone know the size of that but that nut that seems to maybe work?

Dont know what else to do...

dddd

This rebuild "hack" reminds me of working on the lower-level Fulcrum freehubs, where when a particular large metric size of Allen key isn't at hand, a 3/8" square-drive ratchet extension fits the (12-point internal) hollow bolt perfectly.
I've since learned to just service the freehub body (to tighten the freehub-body bearings) without removing it, using my socket-turned "cup/cone" tool:

snipe2084

For the tip about using a large nut! I’ve disassembled mine.
fyi, I used a nut for a 1” bolt. Got it at my local hardware store.

malibupaul

I’m using a nut just like in the images. I think it will work fine, but I’m having trouble getting the nut to engage because the Ratchet Planet Cage is in the way. I took everything else out of the hub and moved the Cage as much as I could but the wheel slips off the nut while in my vice. Any suggestions or just work at it?