BikeManDan

1968 SA 3 speed

I'm having a problem where I can't get it to shift into its final gear. The indicator chain gets caught because of the angle its at and doesn't allow that last little pull of the chain.
When manually pulling the chain (with the cable disconnected) straight out of the hub, the chain can extend fully out. But once you bend the chain it can only reach 2 out of the 3 gears

Any advice?

rhenning

The chain needs to be replaced as it is in some way kinked or frozen and will not bend around the corner. Roger

BikeManDan

The chain is a replacement. The original broke

rxda90

I've had similar problems with an old S/A on my '69 Hercules. This worked for me ...

Take the chain out, and kinda feel how each link moves to see if it's binding. If you find a stuck link, manipulate it manually to see if you can free it up. Oil the chain. You might check to see if the nut that the chain rides over is smooth and free of smuts.

Good luck!

MnHPVA Guy

Could you have a long indicator and a short axle?

Grand Bois

That was my first thought.

My second thought was that that the OP said "final gear" and yet his description of the problem sounds like it won't go into first.

g-funk

Dan,
Maybe you're missing a washer on the axle and the nut is too far in? I have a baggie with like 20 grams, err I mean 20 keyed SA washers. holler if you ned a few. Do you actually have a shop over there in Chanate Village? If so I'll stop by sometime.

nlerner

I've found that if you screw the indicator in too tightly, you can get the problem you describe, kind of a kink in those little linkages. It should just be hand tight, not cranked down.

Neal

bikingbrit

Mine did that after I had the wheel off to fix a flat. I found that rotating the axle 180 degrees fixed the problem. So I painted one side of the axle flats so that paint up = good shifting. No problems since. I suppose the shifting mechanism has worn a little over the years and is now sensitive to gravity and thus axle orientation.

JunkYardBike

That's been my experience. Even hand tight was too tight. I read somewhere to hand tighten until it stops, then back it out 1/2 a turn.

385xza

Are you sure it is not cable tension that is causing the problem ? If the fulcrum clip is in the wrong position you can run out of cable travel before you can select all gears.

Rabid Koala

+1 to the above.

graywolf

Screw it in until it stops, then back it out until the links of the chain line up with the cable. They do not bend properly sideways