Replacing a wheel into a frame the other day I must have somehow kinked the 
gear indicator chain as it was jammed solid inside it's tube.  I removed the 
nut to release the chain, but the chain came away with the nut, leaving the 
indicator rod still screwed into the hub with no way of getting hold of it 
to remove it.  The gear hub is on a little wheeled (20 x 1 3/8) shopping 
bike, and these wheels are not widely available, and even if I found a new 
one it would probably be cheaper to buy a complete bike off Ebay for the 
wheel.

I don't mind getting my hands greasy, and am not a complete mechanical 
numpty so is it possible to dismantle the hub to get at the indicator rod 
from inside?

Lesson learned.  Remove indicator rod/chain before fitting wheel nuts, or at 
least check it is not kinked!!

Bill

On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:56:56 +0100
"Bill"  wrote:

> I don't mind getting my hands greasy, and am not a complete
> mechanical numpty so is it possible to dismantle the hub to get at
> the indicator rod from inside?
> 
It certainly is, but I'm afraid it's been that long I can't remember
how.  Someone who can will be along in a bit, or failing that I can go
take one apart to refresh my memory (but not in the next few days
because I've got a lot on ATM).

"Bill"  wrote...
> Replacing a wheel into a frame the other day I must have somehow kinked 
> the gear indicator chain as it was jammed solid inside it's tube.  I 
> removed the nut to release the chain, but the chain came away with the 
> nut, leaving the indicator rod still screwed into the hub with no way of 
> getting hold of it to remove it.  The gear hub is on a little wheeled (20 
> x 1 3/8) shopping bike, and these wheels are not widely available, and 
> even if I found a new one it would probably be cheaper to buy a complete 
> bike off Ebay for the wheel.
>
> I don't mind getting my hands greasy, and am not a complete mechanical 
> numpty so is it possible to dismantle the hub to get at the indicator rod 
> from inside?
>
> Lesson learned.  Remove indicator rod/chain before fitting wheel nuts, or 
> at least check it is not kinked!!
>
It is possible to dismantle the hub with the broken indicator on place, but 
I don't think it would help, if I remember correctly. The rod threads into a 
short toggle the ends of which engage with a slot in the axle. However, the 
rod is never screwed hard into the toggle, and can usually be "stirred" out 
with a narrow screwdriver pushed down the axle beside it. The rod has 
shoulders where it narrows so that the chain can be riveted onto it. These 
should allow enough purchase. I have dealt with many broken indicator chains 
and I can't remember any difficulties in extracting the rod.
    I expect Sheldon Brown's pages give details of the mechanism and 
disassembly.

Mike Sales

On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:25:05 +0100
"Mike Sales"  wrote:

> It is possible to dismantle the hub with the broken indicator on
> place, but I don't think it would help, if I remember correctly. The
> rod threads into a short toggle the ends of which engage with a slot
> in the axle.

You push the toggle to the drive side and the end of the rod pops out
of the axle. But I can't remember the least involved way of gaining
access.  ISTR that just removing the sprocket carrier and the spring
behind it is enough, but as I said it's been a long time.

On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:56:56 +0100, Bill wrote:

> Replacing a wheel into a frame the other day I must have somehow kinked the 
> gear indicator chain as it was jammed solid inside it's tube.  I removed the 
> nut to release the chain, but the chain came away with the nut, leaving the 
> indicator rod still screwed into the hub with no way of getting hold of it 
> to remove it.  The gear hub is on a little wheeled (20 x 1 3/8) shopping 
> bike, and these wheels are not widely available, and even if I found a new 
> one it would probably be cheaper to buy a complete bike off Ebay for the 
> wheel.
> 
> I don't mind getting my hands greasy, and am not a complete mechanical 
> numpty so is it possible to dismantle the hub to get at the indicator rod 
> from inside?
> 
> Lesson learned.  Remove indicator rod/chain before fitting wheel nuts, or at 
> least check it is not kinked!!
> 

You broke the chain - there will probably be a bit left inside the axle.

Try winkling the rod/bit of chain out with a small pin, long screwdriver,
or long narrow tweezers.

Once out, the chain can be replaced (rivetting them on is/was a common
operation in real cycle shops) or it may be able to be repaired if you have
not torn any links and have the patience; it does not need to be perfect,
just reasonably straight and most importantly free at every joint.

"Rob Morley" wrote
> "Mike Sales"  wrote:
>
>> It is possible to dismantle the hub with the broken indicator on
>> place, but I don't think it would help, if I remember correctly. The
>> rod threads into a short toggle the ends of which engage with a slot
>> in the axle.
>
> You push the toggle to the drive side and the end of the rod pops out
> of the axle. But I can't remember the least involved way of gaining
> access.  ISTR that just removing the sprocket carrier and the spring
> behind it is enough, but as I said it's been a long time.


Ah, of course. It makes it reachable. However, I usually got away with 
stirring it out and threading in a new indicator. Bill should make sure he 
gets a new indicator ( i.e. rod and chain) of the correct length. The rod 
length to shoulder is the crucial measurement. Though these days there is 
perhaps no choice.

Mike Sales

On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:18:25 +0100
"Mike Sales"  wrote:

> Bill should
> make sure he gets a new indicator ( i.e. rod and chain) of the
> correct length. The rod length to shoulder is the crucial
> measurement. Though these days there is perhaps no choice.
> 
As the rod is used to adjust the cable properly it's quite important
to get the right length if you can.

On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:14:24 GMT, _
 said in
<17duxukneepl2$.10z1x7872ww81.dlg@40tude.net>:

>Once out, the chain can be replaced (rivetting them on is/was a common
>operation in real cycle shops) or it may be able to be repaired if you have
>not torn any links and have the patience; it does not need to be perfect,
>just reasonably straight and most importantly free at every joint.

I think I have a spare somewhere!

Guy
-- 
May contain traces of irony.  Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

Mike Sales wrote:
> "Bill"  wrote...
>> Replacing a wheel into a frame the other day I must have somehow kinked 
>> the gear indicator chain as it was jammed solid inside it's tube.  I 
>> removed the nut to release the chain, but the chain came away with the 
>> nut, leaving the indicator rod still screwed into the hub with no way of 
>> getting hold of it to remove it.  The gear hub is on a little wheeled (20 
>> x 1 3/8) shopping bike, and these wheels are not widely available, and 
>> even if I found a new one it would probably be cheaper to buy a complete 
>> bike off Ebay for the wheel.
>>
>> I don't mind getting my hands greasy, and am not a complete mechanical 
>> numpty so is it possible to dismantle the hub to get at the indicator rod 
>> from inside?
>>
>> Lesson learned.  Remove indicator rod/chain before fitting wheel nuts, or 
>> at least check it is not kinked!!
>>
> It is possible to dismantle the hub with the broken indicator on place, but 
> I don't think it would help, if I remember correctly.

It might do - it depends where the break is.  Once the driver and spring 
are removed, turn the wheel on its side and the indicator rod might drop 
down far enough to get hold of the broken end.

-- 
Andrew

"Rob Morley"  wrote in message 
news:20080927134030.1a32eb18@bluemoon...
> On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:18:25 +0100
> "Mike Sales"  wrote:
>
>> Bill should
>> make sure he gets a new indicator ( i.e. rod and chain) of the
>> correct length. The rod length to shoulder is the crucial
>> measurement. Though these days there is perhaps no choice.
>>
> As the rod is used to adjust the cable properly it's quite important
> to get the right length if you can.
>

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BICYCLE-STURMEY-ARCHER-HUB-SPARES-4-ITEMS-PICKNMIX_W0QQitemZ190224987474QQihZ009QQcategoryZ58089QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

 Mixed S A hubs spares, 4 for a fiver (including toggle chains)

    Tom

On Sep 27, 1:14 pm, _ 
wrote:
> On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:56:56 퍝, Bill wrote:
> > Replacing a wheel into a frame the other day I must have somehow kinked the
> > gear indicator chain as it was jammed solid inside it's tube.  I removed the
> > nut to release the chain, but the chain came away with the nut, leaving the
> > indicator rod still screwed into the hub with no way of getting hold of it
> > to remove it.  The gear hub is on a little wheeled (20 x 1 3/8) shopping
> > bike, and these wheels are not widely available, and even if I found a new
> > one it would probably be cheaper to buy a complete bike off Ebay for the
> > wheel.
>
> > I don't mind getting my hands greasy, and am not a complete mechanical
> > numpty so is it possible to dismantle the hub to get at the indicator rod
> > from inside?
>
> > Lesson learned.  Remove indicator rod/chain before fitting wheel nuts, or at
> > least check it is not kinked!!
>
> You broke the chain - there will probably be a bit left inside the axle.
>
> Try winkling the rod/bit of chain out with a small pin, long screwdriver,
> or long narrow tweezers.
>
> Once out, the chain can be replaced (rivetting them on is/was a common
> operation in real cycle shops) or it may be able to be repaired if you have
> not torn any links and have the patience; it does not need to be perfect,
> just reasonably straight and most importantly free at every joint.

"_" is a paedophile by his own admission:

http://groups.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_frm/thread/7bd06f1abd3f07fe#