I am restoring 70's Murray-built Western Flyer which has a Shimano "333" internal 3-speed hub that does not shift out of 2nd gear. I saw this hub on ebay and I am wondering if it would work with the 18-tooth sprocket from the old hub: Shimano Vintage 3 speed Internal Rear Hub SG-3S31 36 H.

First things first: does the hub have an oil port? If it does, put some oil in the hub and ride it for awhile. You can get the 3 in 1 in the blue can at the hardware store, but regular motor oil or ATF will work, too. If it doesn't have an oil port, you can take the bellcrank off and pull out the pushrod and squirt some oil right into the hub.

Second, check to make sure the hub is adjusted correctly. When in second gear, you should be able to see an 'N' or a red circle on the hub bellcrank:



You may need to tighten or loosen the knurled cable to the bellcrank to get it to adjust. See here for a quick explanation.

Try those things and you should be able to get it to shift.

If the bell crank has been removed, or you just want to check the adjustment, screw it all the way onto the axle, then back it off to align towards the cable. Then, tighten the lock nut. then adjust the cable with the shifter in the 2nd position to put the N in the center of the window. Then, when you are in 3rd, there should be no tension on the cable. When in 1st, the cable should not be able to be pulled out any more.

I broke a bell crank once and I was able to keep the bike going until I got a new one by using a metal rod and an acorn nut to hold the hub in a lower gear.

I have 2 of these hubs sitting in a parts bin. You are welcome to have one for the cost of shipping if you are interested.

Thanks for the replies. I am pretty sure that something inside the hub is broken, since I have already tried degreasing/oiling, adjusting the cable tension, and riding it around. It seems permanently locked in second gear. Mr. mparker326 - I would gladly take you up on your kind offer! Do you accept PayPal, or a check? Thanks!

just send me an email to my username at yahoo.com and we can discuss.

I know this is an old post, but it's the closest thing I've found to resolving issues with my Shimano SG 3530 36 hole 3 speed hub on my old Schwinn. It now only shifts between hi and lo with no neutral. Looking for a spec sheet on this unit, possibly parts if needed, or a good interchange unit or a easy upgrade to make this old bike more efficient as well.
Thanks, Dave

You may want to post in the ISO "In Search Of" section above. You're more likely to get a helpful response. I have nothing to add, as I've never used one of those hubs. Best.