Originally Posted by
sciencemonster
Shoota half can of WD 40 in there, slosh it around for a good long while, then drain it for a good long while. Repeat a couple times. Then add a tablespoon of 30 weight. Adjust the cable as per instructions in the link above.
Like new.
This procedure put the hub in my just-purchased Raleigh back into shape. I got the bike in good overall condition, but it hadn't been ridden in years, and the third speed just freewheeled.
The WD-40 flush has it shifting perfectly. I guess the WD is solvent enough to cut through the gummy deposits and free the pawls so they can engage.
Draining the hub and then adding oil is a necessary step. Leaving the WD-40 in the hub likely wouldn't harm it, but it is too light a "lubricant" to protect the mechanism of the Sturmey-Archer hub. It can't cling to surfaces well enough to use in place of oil.