Internal hub gear problem

fimm

I have a bicycle with a three-speed Sturmey Archer internal hub gear. I removed the wheel in order to fix a puncture and the spindle in the middle came out. I got it back in but I seem to have damaged the gear - I can get the top and bottom gears OK, but the middle gear slips. I have fiddled with the twirly thing that adjusts the gear level tension but I either only get 2 gears, or get the middle but it slips. Does anyone have any suggestions of anything else I can try?

(I did try searching the forums, as I suspect it isn't a novel problem, but I couldn't find anything.)

thedemoncleaner

This sounds similar to a problem I had with my 5 speed sturmey. Sounds like it's not aligned properly. Assuming it's similar to my hub, you can probably see a red line or groove on the pin that goes into the hub (attached to the little chain on the end of the cable), this needs to be aligned with the edge of the hub. On the 5 speed it needs to be aligned when in 2nd gear, I suspect it might be the same for you. If not aligned perfectly you can have problems with it.
You can adjust it by fiddling with the tension on the cable. Hope this helps, I realise I haven't explained it particularly well, but it might get you on the right track.

Wooliferkins

Here is a guide to adjusting a SA 3 speed. Seem to remember it was a little fiddly, not done it since I was a school,long ago before the earth was hard.