noglider 

I don't normally like Kenda tires, but the Kendas on my friend's 3-speed were impressive, especially considering the price. I have Schwalbe Delta Cruisers on my Rudge, and I don't like them. Maybe I overinflated them.

Even though your brake pads are hardened all around, Neal's trick of filing them may work. Still, Kool Stops will work best, and it's not a sin to use them.

I also love your Philips pedals. Keep them if they're not uncomfortable.

Your work is impressive. I would never have disassembled the pedals. I would have just dropped oil in.

Good luck with the headset. It should go better than your cotters.

With some elbow grease, you may be able to get the yellow color off the headlight lens.

Moving the tail light to the left side may work, but you'd be surprised at how visible it is from the wrong side. The wheel will block it from a car driver's view for only a second as he passes.

I think the chrome tip on the front fender looks different from a Raleigh tip. I could be wrong.

photogravity

Thanks! It's the bicycle that gets ridden the most of the many I have in the collection. I have another frameset, not yet revealed here on the forum, nearly as special as the Rapide that just jumped to the front of the queue. I haven't been able to take pictures of it yet, but will post pictures here once I do.

I don't know of a serial database for Phillips, but someone out there might know of one.

Velocivixen

QUESTION: The headset top is different. The pressed in part looks angled like the sides of a wok.

In this sits a metal "bowl", on top of which holds the ball bearings. As I tighten down the top race this "bowl" slips & changes it's angle. The bike is in the stand and the wheel is off. I think once I have the wheel back on & bike on the ground I can slightly unscrew the top race, use a tiny screwdriver to move the "bowl" so it's level then tighten. Here's the bowl - sorry for the blurry photo.

Am I doing something wrong????

Salubrious

I would expect it to self-level once you've got it threaded down correctly. Is that not the case??

forestine

What a big project, but that's going to be one sweet bike.

jyl

What a cool project. When it is rideable, if you'll meet me at Velocult to show me the bike, I'll buy the beer.

Velocivixen

I sort of think you're right in that once it's on the ground it will self level. It's not at this point (in the stand) so even though it's adjusted correctly when I turn the handlebars far to the right/left it binds up. I can see that the space below the top adjustable race is not even all the way around, thus the binding.


UPDATE: Wow, I've learned & completed a lot today. My goals were to finish cleaning/drying/lubing the chain and repacking/new ball bearings headset. I did those things. To aid in drying the chain went into the oven at 175 for 45 minutes (thanks to @pastorbobinnh for this info), as it was still warm I added trip-flow and "massaged" the chain. I felt that the heat would help the tri-flow get into where it needed to go. I think I actually heard the chain say, "Aaaaah....thank you" as I completed the lubrication.

The headset is something I've never seen, as described above. Races were dry with hard, gummy oil, but underneath pristine. Whoohoo!

Tore apart front wheel hub and all was going well initially. I'll take a photo of the rim strip but it was cloth and connected at the valve stem opening with a metal clip of some sort!!! & they left the extra length of fabric attached like a belt for a person! Ended up buying rubber rim strips, appropriately sized tubes and Kenda K40 26 x 1 3/8" all black tires. I wanted solid black for now. The two cones were slightly pitted, but used them anyway, as that's all I had. One cone has NO flats - completely round; the other cone has the usual flats. One side of the hub had dust cover, but looked like it might be a permanent dust cover and the left side was open with no dust cover. It's hard to get the lock nuts tight without moving the cone that has no flats. I finally got it as good as I could & put it on the bike.

I have been in an unheated garage for 10 hours!!! I hardly ate & only came in to make more coffee & see if you all had answered any questions. Just so you know, before I pose a question here I make a sincere effort to search online & on this forum for an answer. So I'm not just asking away...willy nilly. I am a very focused person when there is something I am interested in. It delights me to have to come up with creative solutions. However, sometimes I get too involved...too focused. I have to step back and remind myself that there is more to my life than fixing up old bikes (it's hard to believe, I know).
Anyway, the drain hole on the rear hub is open & facing the ground with newspapers to allow the WD-40 to drain. I'll oil it tomorrow, remove the wheel & clean the outside only. However, I will​ eventually pop that baby open & clean, etc. Remember, I enjoy taking freewheels apart!

Velocivixen

I just found out how & why to adjust my English front hub like a vintage Raleigh front hub. Here's a video explaining how and WHY.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdyyhbZ9_7Q


I couldn't figure out how to reassemble my front hub and hadn't noticed that one cone was round with no wrench flats. The axle has a raised lip on one side only where the threads end. The cone that is completely round with no wrench flats screws all the way to that lip. That side ALWAYS goes on the right side (drive side) of the bike. THERE ARE NO LOCK NUTS (someone added lock nuts to mine confusing things).



Then you screw the adjustable (cone with the flats) in like usual. This side with the adjustable cone nut always goes on the LEFT side of the bike. Put the wheel into the fork dropouts, tighten the right side (drive) frame nut. Now, adjust the adjustable cone nut until the hub/axle is as loose as possible, but with NO play. According to the video, you then back off the adjustable cone exactly 1/2 turn, then fully tighten the frame nut to hold it in place.

The reason you always keep the adjustable cone nut on the bike's left side is because when you ride & the wheel/axle turns forward, the adjustable cone will want to unscrew & push itself laterally to meet the fork (which acts as a lock nut). BRILLIANT! Now I get to go disassemble my front wheel hub and reassemble with confidence.

I hope I'm not telling you all something you already know, but for someone down the line who is new to old English bikes or old Raleighs this is crucial information.

pastorbobnlnh 

The cone adjustment on these old English bikes is new information for me! I do have one old Sturmey Archer front hub and this information will probably solve the the issues I have with it! And when I begin to tackle my Phillips, I shouldn't be confounded! Many thanks!

rhm

Speaking of your pedals:

They have a nice pair in the Speedplay Pedal Museum:


I have a pair that are in good shape as well, but the rubber pads are completely gone. I replace the missing rubber with a slab of that insanely thick leather I use for saddles, which worked pretty well. I may have an extra dustcap; not a "correct" one, but something that will fit the threads.

noglider 

Yes, I did know that about those front hubs, but it's fine that you posted it, as you can see.

We three-speed nuts are also familiar with the cloth rim strips and the belt-buckling way they are used. They last longer than rubber strips, but of course, they don't last forever.

How are the spoke lengths? It's pretty common to see the alarming sight of many spokes on Raleighs that are too long and protrude from the nipples. And if they're not too long now, they might be one or two mm too long if you switch to CR18 rims. You can remedy that with a file.

Number_6

My belated congratulations on the Phillips! Riding the old Schwinns put some soul into my riding. May the Phillips add to yours!

You were wondering on tires. I put Schwalbe HS159 whitewalls on the Suburban- I've ridden it a lot and I'm glad I got them- wonderful ride and look. I have the Col de la Vie here to put on my Sports when I get to that bike- they do look good! I got both types via Amazon for around $40 a pair (I suspect the Col de la Vie was a closeout as there were only a pair left from the vendor). The new Felt DL-1 knockoff has a mystery OEM Kenda on it-.I can't find an exact match on the Kenda site. I've not had an hour on the bike- but I see no need to replace them- they seem quite fine so far. They do have a deeper, knobbier tread than most tires of this ilk,

One thing I strongly suggest as you put things back together- go to the auto parts store and get a tube of anti-seize. It's not a lube, but a prevents rust and other corrosion- things will not just come off easy but will stay tight as well after you reassemble. Use it it on what's tough to get off, surfaces as well as threads. I used it on a few places with my Speedster rebuild- most notably the stem. The nut on that was a serious bust off. I don't care for doing that again...

wahoonc

I rebuilt some a while back and cut the rubber blocks from old car tires, put a couple of pieces together so the old tire tread was up. Believe the tires were Michelin X tread off my dad's 1968 Renault The bike they went on was an old Phillips 3 speed, long since gone.

Aaron

Velocivixen

Good Morning and thank you for the additional support. New question. I removed the steel cable clips, shined them up, then put them in the ultrasonic cleaner with water & Dawn. I took them out......wait....it's coming.....rust formed miraculously before my eyes! So if I ride this bike in the rain how do the clips keep from rusting? I can put a coat of wax on, but....?

wahoonc

I use Turtle Wax Chrome Polish in the bottle... There is a another product that is used for restoring chrome, used it on my handlebars, but my buddy took the bottle back and I can't remember what it is called, but it leaves a protective coating on the chrome that beads water.

I also use Simichrome... which also leaves a thin coating of something to help protect against rust.

Aaron

noglider 

I put oil on parts that tend to collect rust.

Salubrious

You can also find cable clips that are chromed. I see them at donation bike shops fairly frequently.

I suspect that in your case the parts were originally plated with something less durable- cadmium seems unlikely (a white dust would have been found and its quite toxic) so I suspect some form of galvanizing. You could always send the parts out for a nickel-plating... or chrome plating for that matter.. but unless you have a number of other parts to do its not worthwhile. Varnish can work quite well too.

wahoonc

The other stuff I couldn't remember was called StrongArm pretty amazing stuff, I have a couple of buddies that swear by it and use it for everything.

Aaron

Number_6

Sounds like the steel in my '66 Corvair. I could sit and watch it rust in the driveway on a warm, sunny, dry day...

I had the same problem with the Speedster in various places. I drove back from Georgia after Christmas through a lot of rain with the bike on a rack. Much to my dismay, I found a lot of light tan and thin rust spots shortly after I returned. I'm going to clean that all up when spring comes. I may use an oil, but I'd like something I'd apply with less frequency and fuss- so I am looking into clear spray-on protectants.

photogravity

Linseed oil works wonders on that kind of stuff. It goes on oily and then hardens into a shell of sorts.

poprad

Great thread VelociV. Lovely project, excellent documentation, feels like we're wrenching right along with you. Thanks for taking the time to post well-done pics and a cohesive writeup. I can't wait to see the finished project!

repechage

Should be a Mini Moke if you were in The Village.

Number_6

That was in '66. Before I resigned.

Be seeing you,
John Drake

noglider 

Ooh, good idea!

Velocivixen

Update for today: I took off the front wheel and sure enough I had the axle assembly in all wrong. I corrected it, and I took off those locknuts that someone had put on, since they're not needed (see above post). However, when I spun the wheel I heard this rhythmic thumping sort of noise!!! I adjusted the cone several times and that didn't fix it. Then I saw it....the spokes right near where they entered the hub were slightly rubbing on the inner fork blades (fork dropout is 95mm-not sure if this is normal for this era of bike). So that explains what those "locknuts" were being used for - as spacers!!! So I put them back and all is well with the world.

Here is a close up photo of the cloth rim strip with the metal "latch" that went around the valve stem hole. They even left about 6" extra cloth beyond the latch. Lots of rust where each nipple was.



I also took the bike off the stand and readjusted the headset, which I thought would "self level" (see post above where I described the top race setup). I've got the headset dialed in but when the handlebars turn to extreme right/left seems to want to bind. It has to be that self leveling top race because all the races/surfaces were pristine with new ball bearings and tons of grease. Good enough I guess.

Removed rear wheel & cleaned outside of hub & cogs. What a mess!



I have a 30+ page Technical booklet & have downloaded relevant pages, diagram with part numbers & had to match the part numbers on the parts to their correct names so that when I read the instructions I know what they're talking about. OMG! My head is about to bust.

I'm gonna step back from the hub itself and clean up the brake levers, brake calipers, fenders and reinstall. Will rebuild drive side pedal - I love doing pedals. They are taken for granted & neglected until something bad happens, then they get complained about. So they're component "underdogs" & I love them.

OPINION? Should I use NEW brake/shifter housing (black)? Or should I keep original? I cleaned original with 0000 steel wool & citrus degreaser & they look like new. A real pretty soft pearl/beige/gold. On one hand I'd like to keep the various colors down to just 1 or 2 so as not to visually "overwhelm" the bike. Black is nice because it will match the saddle, new grips, and solid black Kenda K40 tires. Dynamo lighting cable is pale grey, so that's another color in the mix with this faded red, now oxblood bike with gold pin striping. On the other hand, having brand new black housing on an obviously weathered, faded bike might look ridiculous - like lipstick on a pig.

Grips old brake cable housing

That's it. Please advise, lecture, instruct.....you get the picture.