For the love of English 3 speeds...
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Moving on to the next problem . . . .
After finishing my first Sports project, I ran across a free women’s Sport that I’m going to rebuild for my daughter. It is in very nice (but dirty) condition, and it should clean up nicely. It looks like this example:

But of course, I’ve run into a problem. The rear hub shifting mechanism seems to be stuck. If I recall correctly with my other AW hub, when I pulled on the indicator chain, the chain would move a few millimeter thereby allowing the gear change to occur. On this AW hub, when I pull the indicator chain, it won’t budge. I took the hub mostly apart and sprayed WD-40 all around to clean things up (it was pretty gummed up), but the shifting mechanism is rock solid stuck. Any suggestions?
Again, thanks for all the help!
After finishing my first Sports project, I ran across a free women’s Sport that I’m going to rebuild for my daughter. It is in very nice (but dirty) condition, and it should clean up nicely. It looks like this example:

But of course, I’ve run into a problem. The rear hub shifting mechanism seems to be stuck. If I recall correctly with my other AW hub, when I pulled on the indicator chain, the chain would move a few millimeter thereby allowing the gear change to occur. On this AW hub, when I pull the indicator chain, it won’t budge. I took the hub mostly apart and sprayed WD-40 all around to clean things up (it was pretty gummed up), but the shifting mechanism is rock solid stuck. Any suggestions?
Again, thanks for all the help!
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I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that I have to retire my LTD-3. There are a few cracks in the paint around the lugs, and they seem to be growing.
The good news is I found a replacement. A 1964 Mercury Courier. Never heard of Mercury before, but it looks like it was made by Raleigh. I'll be swapping some parts over, wheels, tires, saddle and maybe more. The kidapult will be removed, but is in surprisingly good shape. I'm tempted to seek out a more exciting chainguard. The heron chainring from the LTD-3 will likely be swapped over as well.
The good news is I found a replacement. A 1964 Mercury Courier. Never heard of Mercury before, but it looks like it was made by Raleigh. I'll be swapping some parts over, wheels, tires, saddle and maybe more. The kidapult will be removed, but is in surprisingly good shape. I'm tempted to seek out a more exciting chainguard. The heron chainring from the LTD-3 will likely be swapped over as well.
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String Test
Tried the ol' string test on the Robin Hood and it passed...
I then loosened the front wheel bearing cone and it seems to have improved
but I'm not 100% on this one.
Took the hub apart and re assembled, still doesn't shift properly.
I'll try a different trigger today and see if that helps.
Tried the ol' string test on the Robin Hood and it passed...
I then loosened the front wheel bearing cone and it seems to have improved
but I'm not 100% on this one.
Took the hub apart and re assembled, still doesn't shift properly.
I'll try a different trigger today and see if that helps.

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Hmmmm. Straight frame, straight fork and newly serviced headset. You don't suppose it's that front tire? Hard to imagine that could cause it, but I never liked those Schwinn type ribbed treads.
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I'll try to swap out the whole wheel with one I know is good and see how it responds..
Will a 26 x 1 3/8 tire fit on a 26 x 1 1/4 rim?
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Just when you think you've seen every Raleigh rebadge, along comes another one. I'd keep that chainguard. The paint might come up nicely with a compounding and wax. The rims don't look too bad. Check page 655 @johnnyspaghetti posted a novel method of cleaning rims that I'm planning on trying sometime.
Beaver was a chain of hardware stores here in Canada that went out of business 20+ years ago.
It had a headbadge like this...

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To find compatible rim/tire combinations, ignore the nominal "26" x [whatever]" size and look for the standardized ETRTO size designations, which show the bead seat diameters. E.g. a nominal 26" x 1-3/8 tire will have a ETRTO size of 590-35, where the first number represents the bead seat diameter and the second number the width. The bead seat diameter is the important number, and must match that of the rim you intend to mount it on. You have much more leeway in the width, with frame clearance being the ultimate limit on how wide you can go.
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I spent an hour or so determined to fix the 69 Robin Hood..
The wandering front end was the fault of a slightly bent stem, barely noticeable.
Replaced and fixed.
Shifting problem was corrected by replacing the indicator chain with a slightly shorter one.
Now to take it out for a nice ride.
It has a 19T cog and now that it's working properly I have a new chain to install.

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But of course, I’ve run into a problem. The rear hub shifting mechanism seems to be stuck. If I recall correctly with my other AW hub, when I pulled on the indicator chain, the chain would move a few millimeter thereby allowing the gear change to occur. On this AW hub, when I pull the indicator chain, it won’t budge.
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Thanks for the reply. All I can remember is that my bike was black, had 3 gears, fenders, and I think it had a light like yours, rear coaster brake, and front rim brake. I guess the bell was an add on. Hope I can find a photo among the souvenirs some day.
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Thanks again for the help.
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Just when you think you've seen every Raleigh rebadge, along comes another one. I'd keep that chainguard. The paint might come up nicely with a compounding and wax. The rims don't look too bad. Check page 655 @johnnyspaghetti posted a novel method of cleaning rims that I'm planning on trying sometime.
Today I removed the kidapult, and wiped away a bit of the dust. It looks like there is some pinstriping on the frame that matches the chainguard, so I think I'll have to keep it on there. Might be tempted to line the lugs with the same color as the pinstriping if I want it to look extra fancy.
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That is an awesome idea for cleaning the rims. These are clean enough that they won't need much work to look new. My Raleigh has a nice set of alloy 650b rims laced to a modern dynamo hub and an AW from '75. The Mercury will get those, and the stock wheels will be used to get some other 3-speed rolling again.
Today I removed the kidapult, and wiped away a bit of the dust. It looks like there is some pinstriping on the frame that matches the chainguard, so I think I'll have to keep it on there. Might be tempted to line the lugs with the same color as the pinstriping if I want it to look extra fancy.
Today I removed the kidapult, and wiped away a bit of the dust. It looks like there is some pinstriping on the frame that matches the chainguard, so I think I'll have to keep it on there. Might be tempted to line the lugs with the same color as the pinstriping if I want it to look extra fancy.
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I reassembled the hub, and damned if it doesn't work! I'm pretty sure that if I kept on with the PB Blaster, it would have loosened up, but it really needed to be cleaned, too. Now all I need to do is find where I placed a few of the parts - of course, I set them aside in a a safe memorable place somewhere.
Thanks again for the help.
Thanks again for the help.
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I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that I have to retire my LTD-3. There are a few cracks in the paint around the lugs, and they seem to be growing.
The good news is I found a replacement. A 1964 Mercury Courier. Never heard of Mercury before, but it looks like it was made by Raleigh. I'll be swapping some parts over, wheels, tires, saddle and maybe more. The kidapult will be removed, but is in surprisingly good shape. I'm tempted to seek out a more exciting chainguard. The heron chainring from the LTD-3 will likely be swapped over as well.
The good news is I found a replacement. A 1964 Mercury Courier. Never heard of Mercury before, but it looks like it was made by Raleigh. I'll be swapping some parts over, wheels, tires, saddle and maybe more. The kidapult will be removed, but is in surprisingly good shape. I'm tempted to seek out a more exciting chainguard. The heron chainring from the LTD-3 will likely be swapped over as well.
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That is an awesome idea for cleaning the rims. These are clean enough that they won't need much work to look new. My Raleigh has a nice set of alloy 650b rims laced to a modern dynamo hub and an AW from '75. The Mercury will get those, and the stock wheels will be used to get some other 3-speed rolling again.
Today I removed the kidapult, and wiped away a bit of the dust. It looks like there is some pinstriping on the frame that matches the chainguard, so I think I'll have to keep it on there. Might be tempted to line the lugs with the same color as the pinstriping if I want it to look extra fancy.
Today I removed the kidapult, and wiped away a bit of the dust. It looks like there is some pinstriping on the frame that matches the chainguard, so I think I'll have to keep it on there. Might be tempted to line the lugs with the same color as the pinstriping if I want it to look extra fancy.
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Thanks for the advice! I sprayed PB Blaster in the hub and let it sit for most of the day - nothing. It was still stuck. So I disassembled the hub again and spent some time figuring out what should move and what shouldn't. There were a couple things that looked like they should slide, so I ever so gently pried them loose. They weren't corroded, but they were firmly stuck with gunk. The parts I freed up were the sliding clutch and the thrust ring (I have no idea). After the axle and the sliding parts were cleaned and oiled, I reassembled the hub, and damned if it doesn't work! I'm pretty sure that if I kept on with the PB Blaster, it would have loosened up, but it really needed to be cleaned, too. Now all I need to do is find where I placed a few of the parts - of course, I set them aside in a a safe memorable place somewhere.
Thanks again for the help.
Thanks again for the help.
Last edited by johnnyspaghetti; 05-22-18 at 12:41 PM.
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Moving on to the next problem . . . .
After finishing my first Sports project, I ran across a free women’s Sport that I’m going to rebuild for my daughter. It is in very nice (but dirty) condition, and it should clean up nicely. It looks like this example:

But of course, I’ve run into a problem. The rear hub shifting mechanism seems to be stuck. If I recall correctly with my other AW hub, when I pulled on the indicator chain, the chain would move a few millimeter thereby allowing the gear change to occur. On this AW hub, when I pull the indicator chain, it won’t budge. I took the hub mostly apart and sprayed WD-40 all around to clean things up (it was pretty gummed up), but the shifting mechanism is rock solid stuck. Any suggestions?
Again, thanks for all the help!
After finishing my first Sports project, I ran across a free women’s Sport that I’m going to rebuild for my daughter. It is in very nice (but dirty) condition, and it should clean up nicely. It looks like this example:

But of course, I’ve run into a problem. The rear hub shifting mechanism seems to be stuck. If I recall correctly with my other AW hub, when I pulled on the indicator chain, the chain would move a few millimeter thereby allowing the gear change to occur. On this AW hub, when I pull the indicator chain, it won’t budge. I took the hub mostly apart and sprayed WD-40 all around to clean things up (it was pretty gummed up), but the shifting mechanism is rock solid stuck. Any suggestions?
Again, thanks for all the help!
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Very well could be. I copied that image from yahoo images. I indicated that the pic was “an example” of the one I have, not intending it to be the actual bike. My bike is in pieces in boxes, so a pic of that wouldn’t have worked well. I just hope my project ends up looking as nice as yours.