Sturmey S3X 3 speed fixed...problems problems

mangizmo

I Bought a three speed fixed S3X Sturmey hub last week and had it built into a wheel, but I am having some big problems, namely gear slipping. I have tried adjusted the toggle selector chain tension extensively and although top and middle gear seem OK now (although I feel nervous when climbing incase it slips), the lowest gear is not even useable as it just slips intermittently. The thing that scares me is that on a fixie, using the middle gear and climbing, you are often giving it some real pressure, and on one occasion, the gear slipped and I was off.....no harm done, but it could have been really bad
Do these hubs take time to bed ....is mine faulty....whats going on, I am disapointed as I love it when its working, but I have lost confidence....and the lowest gear just doesnt seem to stay engaged whatever I do.....anyone else had any issues ?

stickman

This maybe the inner cable, lubricate it by spraying grease through the outer or grease the inner before threading if you are able to do either. Most important, make sure the inner isn't being squashed at the fulcrum clip.

rogerzilla

The coloured blob on the indicator chain must be level with the end of the axle in gear 2. The cable must not be kinked and must move freely.

Check you have the correct indicator chain for your axle length (there are two - orange blob is for 120mm spacing) and that the cable runs freely. You must use the dedicated S3X shifter too - the cable pull is different to the other SA three-speed shifters.

These hubs do have no-drive positions between the gears, so also be sure that the shifter clicks into place each time you change gear. It's not as foolproof as the old triggers were - they sprang between gears and couldn't be positioned halfway

Finally, although most people route the cable via the BB, it's not the best way to do it. In the old days all the club racers ran it along the top tube and down the seatstay, where it's less affected by frame flex and doesn't get kinked between the chain and chainring when you fix a puncture. You'll need a "fulcrum clip" and a roller from Old Bike Trader or eBay.[/img]

mangizmo

Great thanks for that, I love it and it seems to work finenow in both gear 3 (direct) and gear 2, the bottom gear (gear 1) is now the problem, it slips unpredictably, I will double check your suggestions but I think its all OK
It was slipping in gear 2 but that seems to have stopped now, I am hoping bottom gear does the same, I will let you know...thanks

pete.whelan

Doesn't sound as though the sliiping porblem that could be had with the original ASC hub has been fixed 60 yrs on.

I have an ASC and it needs very careful adjustment to avoid it slipping. Even with the correct lever, make sure it engages positively (give it a little wiggle to make sure it is really in position).

At one time I got to the point of either only pushing really hard in direct gear (3) or holding onto the lever when out of the saddle

rogerzilla

As soon as mine's run in and would benefit from cleaning out and regreasing, I must pull it apart and see what's inside. It's supposed to be based on the current 5-speed, and from the cutaways I've seen, seems to have compound planets.

Another thought: how much play do you have at the rim? Try loosening off the LH cone completely, resetting the RH cone (screw it all the way in then back it off half a turn, certainly no more than 5/8 of a turn, then lock it with the lockwasher and nut) then readjusting the axle bearings at the LH side so there is *infinitesmal* play at the rim.

On the AW and others, excessive RH cone clearance causes the no-drive position to become far too wide. Mine was pretty loose out of the box.

mangizmo

rogerzilla wrote:

Another thought: how much play do you have at the rim? Try loosening off the LH cone completely, resetting the RH cone (screw it all the way in then back it off half a turn, certainly no more than 5/8 of a turn, then lock it with the lockwasher and nut) then readjusting the axle bearings at the LH side so there is *infinitesmal* play at the rim.
.

Ah Ha !!!!.....you might be on to something there as I have just checked it and its loose !!!!.....I will re-adjust it and report back....thanks for that
V

rogerzilla

The only other thing I can think of is that the dropouts are out of parallel. This bends the axle slightly and muffs up the shifting on any hub gear. Chances are that it's just bad cone adjustment though.

mangizmo

rogerzilla wrote:

The only other thing I can think of is that the dropouts are out of parallel. This bends the axle slightly and muffs up the shifting on any hub gear. Chances are that it's just bad cone adjustment though.

I think that was it, top gear (direct) and middle gear are 100% OK, I think the lowest gear is OK now too, although I am still cautious and I need a bit more time to be sure, I also get the impression that it is getting smoother the more I use it.....thanks again
V

rogerzilla

Yes, typically there's a big difference over the first 100-200 miles as the gear teeth get polished.

Ideally you should strip, clean and re-grease the internals once this running-in process is complete, but SA haven't yet produced a technical PDF for this model. The grease is readily available from SA specialists and is a sort of thick gel. I expect you could use SRAM IGH grease as an alternative. To disassemble a SA hub without damage you really need the big ball ring spanner, which is about £15.

The great thing about the older SA hubs is that you just feed them a drop of oil every now and then and any wear particles eventually get flushed out - grease means the hub doesn't leak, but is a bit inconvenient otherwise!

satanas

Any updates on reliability or further opinions on this hub? I'm very seriously considering getting one and building a bike around it - provided it works okay. I think I could get away with riding fixed for commuting and audax with 3 gears, but not so much with one!