Troubleshooting the Sturmey-Archer
Sprinter 5 Speed Bicycle Hub
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Sprinter page
Jumping and self-changing gears:
Other Problems:
Hub runs stiffly, drags on pedals when free-wheeling. | No gears at all. | Sluggish gear change.
- Kinked or stiff gear cable - Replace or lubricate cable.
- Twisted indicator chain/catching gear selector pulley - Replace
indicators/Re-align gear selector pulley.
- indicators not screwed in fully - Screw in fully.
- Deformed or weak planet cage circlip - Fit new circlip.
- Worn planet cage pawls - Replace pawls.
- Worn gear ring splines - Replace gear ring.
- Worn primary sun pinion - Replace primary sun pinion.
- Worn or ineffective gear selector key - Replace gear selector key.
- Worn driver pawls - Replace pawls.
- Incorrect right hand cone adjustment - Re-adjust
the hub
- Worn clutch washer - Replace.
- Kinked or stiff gear cable - Replace or lubricate cable.
- Twisted indicator chain/catching gear selector pulley - Replace
indicators/Re-align gear selector pulley.
- indicators not screwed in fully - Screw in fully.
- Deformed or weak planet cage circlip - Fit new circlip.
- Worn planet cage pawls - Replace pawls.
- Worn gear ring splines - Replace gear ring.
- Worn primary sun pinion - Replace primary sun pinion.
- Worn or ineffective gear selector key - Replace gear selector key.
- Worn driver pawls - Replace pawls.
- Incorrect right hand cone adjustment - Re-adjust
the hub
- Worn clutch washer - Replace.
- Ineffective clutch sleeve spring - Replace.
- Worn sun pinion spring - Replace.
- Worn gear ring splines - Replace gear ring.
- Worn gear ring pawls - Replace pawls and springs.
- Weak or sticking gear ring pawl springs - Clean the hub, lubricate
and/or replace pawl springs.
- Worn driver pawls - Replace pawls.
- Worn right hand ball ring ratchet teeth - Replace ball ring.
- Worn clutch washer - Replace.
- Kinked or stiff gear cable - Replace or lubricate cable.
- Twisted indicator chain/catching gear selector pulley - Replace
indicators/Re-align gear selector pulley.
- indicators not screwed in fully - Screw in fully.
- Worn gear ring splines - Replace gear ring.
- Worn gear ring pawls - Replace pawls and springs.
- Weak or sticking gear ring pawl springs - Clean the hub, lubricate
and/or replace pawl springs.
- Worn secondary sun pinion - Replace secondary sun pinion.
- Worn or ineffective gear selector key - Replace gear selector key.
- Worn driver pawls - Replace pawls.
- Worn right hand ball ring ratchet teeth - Replace ball ring.
- Tight or weak clutch spring - Clean the hub and fit new spring.
- Incorrect right hand cone adjustment - Re-adjust
the hub
- Worn clutch washer - Replace.
- Worn clutch - Replace.
- Kinked or stiff gear cable - Replace or lubricate cable.
- Twisted indicator chain/catching gear selector pulley - Replace
indicators/Re-align gear selector pulley.
- indicators not screwed in fully - Screw in fully.
- Worn gear ring splines - Replace gear ring.
- Worn gear ring pawls - Replace pawls and springs.
- Weak or sticking gear ring pawl springs - Clean the hub, lubricate
and/or replace pawl springs.
- Worn secondary sun pinion - Replace secondary sun pinion.
- Worn or ineffective gear selector key - Replace gear selector key.
- Worn driver pawls - Replace pawls.
- Worn right hand ball ring ratchet teeth - Replace ball ring.
- Tight or weak clutch spring - Clean the hub and fit new spring.
- Incorrect right hand cone adjustment - Re-adjust
the hub
- Worn clutch washer - Replace.
- Worn clutch - Replace.
- Worn / ineffective indicator spring - Replace axle assembly.
- Kinked or stiff gear cable - Replace or lubricate cable.
- Twisted indicator chain/catching gear selector pulley - Replace
indicators/Re-align gear selector pulley.
- indicators not screwed in fully - Screw in fully.
- Worn or ineffective gear selector key - Replace gear selector key.
- Worn sun pinion spring - Replace.
- Worn gear ring pawls - Replace pawls and springs.
- Kinked or stiff gear cable - Replace or lubricate cable.
- Twisted indicator chain/catching gear selector pulley - Replace
indicators/Re-align gear selector pulley.
- indicators not screwed in fully - Screw in fully.
- Worn or ineffective gear selector key - Replace gear selector key.
- Worn sun pinion spring - Replace.
- Ineffective clutch sleeve spring - Replace.
- Worn gear ring pawls - Replace pawls and springs.
- Kinked or stiff gear cable - Replace or lubricate cable.
- Twisted indicator chain/catching gear selector pulley - Replace
indicators/Re-align gear selector pulley.
- indicators not screwed in fully - Screw in fully.
- Ineffective clutch sleeve spring - Replace.
- Kinked or stiff gear cable - Replace or lubricate cable.
- Twisted indicator chain/catching gear selector pulley - Replace
indicators/Re-align gear selector pulley.
- indicators not screwed in fully - Screw in fully.
- Deformed or weak planet cage circlip - Fit new circlip.
- Ineffective clutch sleeve spring - Replace.
- Pawls stuck - Clean and re-grease.
- Broken gear selector key - Replace gear selector key.
- Rusty or frayed gear cable - Replace cable.
- Worn gear indicator coupling - Replace indicator coupling.
- Bent axle - Fit new axle.
- Damaged axle slots - Fit new axle assembly.
- Distorted axle spring - Replace axle assembly.
- Damaged gear selector key assembly - Replace gear selector key
assembly.
- Ineffective cable run - Re-align cable.
Thanks to Jane Thomas, who originated these pages, later revised © 2007 by Sheldon Brown
If you would like to make a link or bookmark to this page, the URL is:
http://sheldonbrown.com/sturmey-archer/sprinter5-troubleshooting.html
Last Updated:
by John Allen