TejanoTrackie 

I have a Shimano Model 333 3-speed hub that I am planning to build up into a 700c wheel for a lightweight commuter, and need to know what are the internal gear ratios. Can anyone help? Thanks.

yepyep

75%, 100% and 133% most likely...

ottothecow

Any way you can find an SA hub instead since you are building up the wheel?

I hear that those 333 hubs, especially the older ones, can be prone to breaking and are much harder to service than the SA hubs. I had a working one that I used for a while until it was stolen but it came in the wheel on the beater bike...if I was building a wheel...I might reconsider

mkeller234

^ I have read the same arguments against the 333 hubs. The earlier ones (with a simple 333 stamp in the shell) were supposed to be much worse than later models too.

My own experience with 2 early model 333 hubs have been good, both hubs functioned well... but I have no idea what to do if they break. My favorite part about the 333 hub is the cable adjustment, I think it is superior to the sturmey archer version.

noglider 

I think you can get a Sturmey Archer AW hub on ebay for about $25. It's a superb hub, and it has the same ratios as the Shimano hub.

wahoonc

Biggest problem with the 333 hub is no parts available. I would hate to go to the trouble of building up a wheel only to have to tear it down again because the hub toasted. I have broken one 333 in general riding, I have had better luck with the 3SC or the 3S hubs, but no parts available if they break. At least with SA you can swap innards if something goes wrong.

Aaron

Sirrus Rider

+1 And practically bulletproof too!

noglider 

+2 It was the internally geared hub of choice for a reason.

Grand Bois

You can get a new SA SRF3 hub for $53 with shifter. It has an aluminum shell with thick flanges and no neutral. It doesn't leak oil.

noglider 

Hey, I didn't know that. Who sells this hub? It does seem preferable to the AW, and the price isn't bad at all.

I'd miss the neutral gear. I was about nine years old when I discovered it. I use it as an aid to adjusting the cable.

Grand Bois

I got mine from aebike.com.

Neutral can be dangerous. I don't miss it at all.

The only thing I don't like about the new hubs is the plastic shifter. The old trigger shifters work perfectly with the new hubs. Mine is from the '70s.

Nobody can say for sure that the new hubs will last as long as the old ones. Remains to be seen.

bikemeister

Personally, I always thought the 333 shifting mechanism (pushing in a solid steel rod) was more durable than the Sachs or Sturmey's (pulling with a chain and tiny threaded rod).
But parts are hard to find. If you are in love with it, find another complete used hub to have on hand for spare parts.

TejanoTrackie 

Well, I'm not in "love" with it, just had it lying around complete with its cable and trigger and it's in really good condition. I also have a spare rim and the correct length spokes, so I don't have to buy anything else. I've since found another problem, however, namely the spacing is only 110mm, whereas my frame is 120mm. The axle is not long enough to space it out and I don't want to squeeze my dropouts that much. I looked at my old Schwinn Speedster 3-speed which uses a SA AW hub, and it is also 110mm. According to my Southerland's handbook, The Shimano 333 did not offer a longer axle, however the SA AW did, but I'd still have to source one as well as the cable and trigger assembly. It seems much more efficient and cost-effective to simply get the new SA SRF3 hub, which according to the vender info is already spaced for 120mm dropouts.

noglider 

I concur with your decision, now that I know how low-priced the SRF3 hub is. Plus it's been improved.

The Golden Boy 

Just yesterday my wife bought a late 70s Huffy Sportsman with the 333 threespeedhub on it.

What kind of maintenance do these guys need?

noglider 

A few drops of oil, once a month. That's it.

The Golden Boy 

Thanks!

I probably should start my own thread- rather than drag this one into tangent-land...

Sorry- I just saw the 333 3 Speed Hub title...

mkeller234

The 333 hub doesn't have the oil port like a SA hub does. I think you have to remove the shifter mechanism and that little rod inside then drop the oil through the axle.

gna

Some do. The one on my wife's Huffy has an oil port.

mkeller234

Maybe it's a difference between the early and later versions? Mine being the early model

Sixty Fiver

The 333 is a fairly durable hub and I believe that the gear ratios are a little broader than an SA AW as the high is higher and the low is lower. I ran one on my winter bike and had no problems with it and used synthetic oil to keep things moving freely.

The problem is, as mentioned, that it is nearly impossible to find parts and short of cannibalizing another 333 you will be screwed if it breaks down.

The old SA AW is still one of the best 3 speed hubs out there and if adjusted properly having it slip into neutral is not an issue.

I find that an oil lubed IGH has some advantages over a sealed hub as any contaminants will get flushed out whereas grease traps small particles and lets them grind into the hubs working parts. This may be one reason why an SA AW can last 50,000 miles whereas the modern Shimano 7 speed Nexus might only last 10,000 miles.

There is an oiler conversion available for modern Shimano IGH hubs and folks who like this are those that ride in very cold climates... one could also use synthetic grease instead of the factory lube although it would probably void your warranty.

The best AW hubs were made in the late 40's and fifties as the production quality was so much better than later versions and had really peaked... you can notice the difference between a 50's hub and 80's AW hub in how much smoother the older hubs are.

I am building up a 1954 Raleigh road bike with it's original hubs and 700c wheels and plan to use it for some old school touring... I also found a cyclo conversion kit to turn it into a 9 speed. The kit consists of a triple cog, derailer, and shifter and I have also made dual drives for SA hubs with modern parts.