chico1st

when it rains my SA 3sp skips, like the actual hub gears slip... its not a huge deal but any idea what I can do about this?

rhm

You mean the hub freewheels when you pedal forward, right?

There are a couple reasons why a hub might do this, but I wouldn't expect any of them to be related to the rain. In which gear(s) does it do this? If you've noticed it primarily in 2 and 3, it's probably a cable adjustment problem. So maybe the rain is lubricating the indicator chain or the shift cable and allowing the return spring to pull it a little farther than usual, thus throwing the cable out of adjustment? Try this: (1) oil the indicator chain, (2) manipulate it a bit to work the oil in to where it's needed, and (3) readjust the cable.

Just a guess... if that doesn't do it, maybe someone else will have an idea. Good luck!

sciencemonster

Does it skip thru the whole ride, or just mostly at the beginning of the ride? Does it actually start when it rains, or do you just mean on rainy days it tends to skip?

I would hazard a guess that your hub is gummed up with thick oil and cold weather has the pawls sticking. A good couple of rinses with WD40, then some sewing machine oil (or anything 20W) would be my first step. But then, that would be my first step no matter what the problem was...

nlerner

Time to move to the desert?

Neal

Andrew F

Skipping in the rain is fun, haven't done it in years, rain the afternoon, shall give it a try. Thanks for the idea

^^^^^^^^^^
What he said.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Hey is that good for 3 speeds? I can imagine its well suited actually.

I've got a TON of that stuff.

chico1st

I have been told not to use WD40 because it will disolve all my future lube. Any comments on that?

And yeah ill try those fixes both of you mentioned.

rhm

It would be a bad idea to put a bunch of WD40 in a hub and then let it sit there, unridden, for many years. The solvent would dry up, leaving the rest drying up as a gluey gooey mass. But it would be okay to put a bit in there and then ride it for a while. How much do you use this hub, and how long have you been using it? If it's an old hub you've only started using recently, then a little WD40 (or other solvent) is a fine idea. If you've already been riding this hub for a good while, and this problem has only just begun, then regular oil is probably better.

sciencemonster

WD40 is not a solvent. It is a very light machine oil and wax in a handy spray can. You are not lubricating with the WD40 - you just use it to work all the old crap loose. Spray half a can in there, ride around the block, then drain it all out. Repeat.

THEN, lubricate with the oil. You could use a solvent or degreaser, but that seems a little harsh. WD40 works nice, it only has a little wax, and it's got a handy straw to fit in the filler hole. I would never put solvent in a hub, but that's just me.

People diss WD40 for a variety of reasons, but it is actually a very handy tool. Spray in on the innards of your vintage bike lights and it will keep them from rusting. Spray it on a rag and wipe your dull old paint, and you've got a nice polished bike. Spray it on a mess, and it loosens the mess without nasty chemicals. It's just a terrible lubricant, but then, it was never designed to be a lubricant.

sciencemonster

Light machine oil = sewing machine oil = 20W. It's what you should use when you feel like using 3-in-1. For small motors, old mechanisms like projectors or kitchen appliances...just about anything. I don't know about nylon gears and all this newfangled disposable crap they make now, but for old stuff, you can't go wrong.

chico1st

Ive been riding this hub for about 6 months daily, but its always been a little ... strange (its old but was new to me). I figured I would wait until winter and open it up to clean it... but i guess i could use WD40 if its widely recommended.

From wikipedia:

sciencemonster

Learn something new every day - I hate that. The mineral spirits would evaporate away in a few minutes - I think it cutting or diluting your lube in the future is a non-issue - it's in there to cut the mineral oil so it will spray. Also, most of whatever you put in an AW hub leaks out the seams - it makes a big mess when you flush one out. You might want to not use your brakes until you clean whatever you use from your rim, or just clean your pads afterwards.

Still, that would explain why it does such a good job cleaning!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_spirits

Interesting - it's used mixed with cutting oil for thread cutting.

I use a big can of that, too, to clean when I take stuff apart.

tcs

Since this is the Classic and Vintage list: "Lubricate the hub using a good Cycle or Sewing Machine Oil." Sturmey-Archer hub catalog, 1933.