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Troubleshooting the Sturmey-Archer
Sprinter 5 Speed Bicycle Hub

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Jumping and self-changing gears:

Other Problems:

• Hub runs stiffly, drags on pedals when free-wheeling
• No gears at all
• Sluggish gear change

1. Jumping in first gear

• 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.

2. Jumping second gear

• 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.

3. Jumping in third gear

• 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.

4. Jumping in fourth gear

• 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.

5. Jumping in fifth gear

• 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.

6. Self changing between 1st and 2nd gear

• 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.

7. Self changing between 1st and 3rd gear

• Worn gear ring pawls - Replace pawls and springs.

8. Self changing between 4th and 5th gear

• 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.

9. Self changing between high and low gears

• Worn gear ring pawls - Replace pawls and springs.

10. Self changing between 2nd and 3rd gear

• 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.

11. Self changing between 3rd and 4th gear

• 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.

12. Hub runs stiffly, drags on pedals when free-wheeling

• Chainstay ends not parallel - Re-align (free-wheeling unparallel chainstay ends can cause axle bending).
• Incorrect cone adjustment - Re-adjust both cones
• Distorted dust caps - Replace dust caps.
• Corrosion due to lack of lubrication - Disassemble hub, clean and re-grease
• Planet pinions are not timed correctly - Check and re-time the pinions (See Diagram 15)
• Brake rubbing (Sprinter Elite hub only) - Re-adjust brakes

13. No gears at all

• Pawls stuck - Clean and re-grease.
• Broken gear selector key - Replace gear selector key.

14. Sluggish gear change

• 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.

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Thanks to Jane Thomas, who originated these pages, later revised © 2007 by Sheldon Brown

Last Updated: by Harriet Fell