sc3 innards in tcw shell
 

Hi all. I want to convert a single speed Raleigh roaster to a 3 speed. The rear rim is 40 holes and 28inch 635 mm, and this frame only uses a front rod brake (rear is coaster only). I currently have a sturmey archer tcw hub from 1963 which has 40 holes but I hear these hubs are not to be used without a supplementary rear brake because the brake is driven through the drive gears. I also have a sc3 laced to a 26 inch echoing RIM but the shell is only 36 holes. I cant seem to come across a 40 hole sc3 hub and would rather not pay for one if I can convert this tcw shell with the sc3 innards. Does anyone know if it is possible to put the sc3 innards into a tcw shell? Thank you

IMO- unless you object to a coaster brake, I'd simply use your existing TCW as is. The issues about brake failure are overblown, and in any case you have the front brake already.

For the record, and to give you a sense of proportion, SA made and sold countless numbers of this hub over a span of decades. The problem, such as it is that if the gear cable is trimmed wrong and allows the hub to drop into the "dead zone" between 2nd 3rd, you'll lose the brake too. It's manageable by keeping the hub adjusted, and after all, you don't want to drop into the dead zone when pedaling either. Both the ubiquitous AW and TCW share this flaw(?), and many of use wouldn't be here today if it was as serious as people would have you believe.

But realistically, rear brakes are really only speed check and control brakes, and hard stopping power can only come from the front brake anyway.

I realize this is an old thread, but in case anybody is wondering, the S3C, TCW, and old AWC hub shells are completely interchangeable.

I am currently looking to do something similar, as in adding a coaster brake to my Raleigh DL-1 for rainy days but can't seem to find a 40 hole TCW or S3C shell. They are rare as hen's teeth. I might just buy a new 36h westwood rim from yellow jersey and lace it up to the S3C I already have.

And as FBinNY said, as long as your TCW's shifter cable tension is properly adjusted, you shouldn't have issues with it slipping out of gear during braking. That being said, since rod brakes are completely useless in the rain, it still would be valuable to have the assurance of a coaster brake that works 100% of the time.