This is a Suntour 3 Speed hub off of a 1974 Columbia Sports III.

I have lost my first gear on the bike. In other words, first and second are the same intensity. Third is fine. This happened after I took it off the frame and started pulling parts to clean and regrease the hub.

this bike doesn't have a Pulley on the frame. It has a full length housing that runs to maybe 6 in past the wheel. It then has a very strong clamp that holds the housing to the frame. I don't beileve that I moved it

I pulled it off of the frame and started taking off the parts. On one side of the hub. I got down to the spring on one side and a lock ring (I think)on the other side. I put a little oil in the gears below the spring and then put it back together. I cleaned off some of the grease on the outside of the parts. I regreased the bearings and tightened the cups until there was minimal movement. I was very carefull to line all of the parts up in order when I took them off.

Can you take a picture ?

What is cable tension like in first ?

Is third gear really 3rd, shifting "1st", "1st", "3rd", or does it shift "1st", "1st", "2nd" ?

Whenever you remove the rear wheel on a three speed you have to adjust the cable tension when you put the wheel back on. If the Suntour is a Sturmey Archer clone most shifting problems are caused by incorrect cable tension. Here's a link on adjusting the cable tension.

https://oldbikeblog.blogspot.com/2008...her-three.html

I took off the wheel and adjusted everything today. when I put it back on, it worked better. It would slip in and out more frequently. The only way that I can get it to slip in and out is if the cable is very tight.

I am almost100% positive it is second , second , third because of what it is doing and when it is in third gear, the cord is loose.

Thanks for the help.

Maybe the cable should be semi-tight when in 3rd. There should be an adjustment screw connected to the cable that you can turn to take up the slack. If the cable is loose, then when shifting, you are first taking up slack instead of moving the mechanism at the hub.

Odds are your cable is mis adjusted and simply not pulling the internal clutch all the way to first.

SA hubs use the same internal power path in 1st and 2nd, with a ratchet that allows 2nd to overrun 1st (the slow clicking). When the cable is pulled out a bit more, a part of the sliding clutch disengages the 2nd gear ratchet allowing the hub to turn at the lower speed of 1st.

Shift to 1st and forgetting the lever for the moment, pull the cable as far as you can and see if it has more to go. If so, that's your problem, and you need to tighten (shorten) the cable a bit. If there's no more thread on the adjuster, back off or disconnect the adjusting barrel, loosen the cable stop clamp and slide it up the stay about 1cm and tighten. Then attach the cable and adjust so it pulls all the way out less about 1/32" when in first.

This reminds me of when I was a kid and discovered that you can make the 3 speeds work by adjusting the cable so the arrow lined up. The only 3 speed bikes I have ridden since are the Citibikes, but these 3 speeds are slow, slower and slowest.

with out the cable, the gear in S-A type hubs selected is 3rd.. the cable pulls into 2nd then 1st.

A common problem with home servicing of SA (and the indicator chained hubs) is that if the indicator (the small rod and chain that connects the cable end to the hub's insides) is not threaded as far into the hub's insides (the axle key) then the previous cable tension adjustment will be wrong. The indicator chain/rod needs to be fully threaded in AND then backed off only enough to have it line up with the cable. Too much threading into the hub will distort the chain (and possible damage). Too little and the indicator's tiny threaded end might pull out of the axle key. Andy.

I'm Sturmey (UK) factory trained, and a big believer in adjusting hubs by the book -- shoulder of indicator lined up with end of axle in 2nd.

BUT- this only works on hubs built to spec, using the original indicator. These days, many are fitted with analog spindles whose rods are longer or shorter, or on older hubs may have nbeen rebuilt and the axle moved slightly. So my Plan B & C adjustments are, 1st gear = indicator 1/32" shy of fully out, or locating the dead spot between 2nd third, and adjusting the cable so it's midway between the two.