Schwinn 2 speed kickback hubs
- Thread starter GTV
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So do I. Ive come to the point that if waiting is the case I put it back together anyway, its good practice, then all the bits are there in place rather than God knows where.......
I only found out about these kickback hubs on this site, and I'm fascinated! I got a three speed S/A, but I love the idea of no wires!
So, by some good fortune, I happened to see a red band on Craigslist for $40. I grabbed it, and Vintage Bicycles is lacing it up for me next week. I'm excited to see how it works for me.
So, by some good fortune, I happened to see a red band on Craigslist for $40. I grabbed it, and Vintage Bicycles is lacing it up for me next week. I'm excited to see how it works for me.
deven_science said:
That's what sold me! Let us know your impressions when you get it on.
On another note, I'm still dealing with the tire debacle. Seems the company I ordered from is completely out of all Fat Frank's, so they are offering me a refund on one tire, plus a £10 voucher towards my next order. I can deal with that. I just need to find another distributor that has one black wall and one black reflex in stock so I can set up my bike and my girlfriends Elgin.
Here you go. Some parts on the blue and yellow will interchange, some won't. These charts should help you figure out which is which. The charts will tell you the blue and yellow hub shells are not interchangeable but I think that's due to the spoke count and not any internal machining.
Maybe Clancy can post these charts in the appropriate sticky thread. Gary
Maybe Clancy can post these charts in the appropriate sticky thread. Gary
I was checking out that diagram the other night here
http://www.trfindley.com/pgbndxhbs.html
Just for fun I took my blue and yellow bands apart enough to swap the hub arms, and indeed they do switch over perfectly fine. Without going any further, I can't see a single difference in the two hubs other than what's scripted on the hub arms, the hole count, and the color of the bands. I'm pretty confident the parts should swap over, the only major difference is the gearing.
http://www.trfindley.com/pgbndxhbs.html
Just for fun I took my blue and yellow bands apart enough to swap the hub arms, and indeed they do switch over perfectly fine. Without going any further, I can't see a single difference in the two hubs other than what's scripted on the hub arms, the hole count, and the color of the bands. I'm pretty confident the parts should swap over, the only major difference is the gearing.
GTV said:
I'll buy your old yellow gears if you want. You simply need to change number 31 and 34, for 19 and 21 in this picture (or the pic in the post above). If you look carefully, you will see the Blue band (overdrive) rotates the planet gears, and the Yellow Band (underdrive) rotates the ring gear.
http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle245/picture921
any other questions I can probably help.
J
Thanks!
I haven't pulled them apart yet, decided to turn my shed into a garage first so I can take on some side work ($$$). Then, it's on. I did snatch an old mountain bike from my dads place, going to rob the aluminium rims for this project.
I haven't pulled them apart yet, decided to turn my shed into a garage first so I can take on some side work ($$$). Then, it's on. I did snatch an old mountain bike from my dads place, going to rob the aluminium rims for this project.
Got it! It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Took it apart, cleaned it all thoroughly, greased liberally, put all of the overdrive "blue" guts in the 36 hole yellow shell, and reassembled. Gearing should be exactly what I'm looking for. Only thing to do now is paint the stripes, think I'll go black. I "bench" tested it and it seems to work just fine. One thing I'm not sure of, how much do I tighten the bearing retainer? I just went until I could feel it binding up, then backed it off a tad. Sound ok?
When I button those hubs up I like to leave just a bit of side to side play. Maybe 1/16" or so. Check it again when you tighten the axle nuts and make sure the slop is still in there.
Also, very important: when you mount it, put the strap and screw around the frame and through the brake arm but don't tighten it until the very last or you can put the guts in a bind. Also make sure you have a bit of sag in your chain. Kickbacks don't like tight chains.
You could also paint the stripes yellow and blue to show that it's a hybrid between the two.
Give us a report when you get it on the road. I've always wanted to do this but never got around to it. Gary
Also, very important: when you mount it, put the strap and screw around the frame and through the brake arm but don't tighten it until the very last or you can put the guts in a bind. Also make sure you have a bit of sag in your chain. Kickbacks don't like tight chains.
You could also paint the stripes yellow and blue to show that it's a hybrid between the two.
Give us a report when you get it on the road. I've always wanted to do this but never got around to it. Gary
Thanks for the info. I'll back it off a hair. I think I'll mount it in the frame with the crank, get a chain and test it out before I lace up a wheel.
I thought about doing it red (like my bike would have had), but the arm is a dead giveaway that it isn't. I also thought yellow/blue/yellow would tell the story of what it is, or one of each, but I don't need a rainbow on my hub :wink: Since the bike is black, the bands will look good in black, too.
I thought about doing it red (like my bike would have had), but the arm is a dead giveaway that it isn't. I also thought yellow/blue/yellow would tell the story of what it is, or one of each, but I don't need a rainbow on my hub :wink: Since the bike is black, the bands will look good in black, too.
B607 said:
All correct. A Bendix kickback will roll very slowly, and can even eat up the races if the bearings are adjusted "correctly". I leave them quite loose, even 3/16 play at the rim, just so they roll good. It seems to harm nothing, and in fact they seem to last longer and shift better.
That 'too loose is better than too tight' is good (even great) info! FWIW, an old mechanic friend of mine used to do the same with automobile wheel bearings, and said the same thing. He claimed he had seen more bearing damage in a lifetime of fixing by those adjusted too tight than a tad 'too loose'.
On the bike hubs, just make sure the 1/16" or so of play is felt at the rim, not at the hub/axle.
On the bike hubs, just make sure the 1/16" or so of play is felt at the rim, not at the hub/axle.
Thought I should give my thoughts on this now that I've been running it for about a year...
So, I did the "hybrid" blue guts/yellow shell hub, 1:1 low gear and 1.5:1 high, standard Schwinn 46t chain ring and 20t sprocket (part of the blue guts). 2.3:1 low, 3.45:1 high. With a 26" wheel (Fat Franks) pushing my middleweight Jaguar it feels TALL! It is absolutely fantastic for short blasts around town if you live on level ground like I do. I LOVE getting on it and slamming the pedals back to engage high gear. Real hooligan stuff! Nothing like it! In short, it makes for a great high speed, going out to the bars bomber. However, after about 10 miles I am whooped! I stay out of top gear, and honestly sometimes the 1:1 feels to tall from a dead stop when I'm tiring.
I recently rebuilt a red band hub (.67 low, 1:1 high) and installed it back in the 62 American (26") it came from. It has the same tooth chain ring but a 18t sprocket so high gear is ever so slightly taller than the Jag's low. 2.56:1 high, 1.71:1 low. For my area, low gear is ridiculously low, it is never needed. And top end is the same as any other Schwinn from the period.
This got me thinking that a perfect all around kickback hub would have one gear on each side of your original single speed gear. A low gear a little lower than standard, and a high gear a little higher. An easy way to do that would be to put a 52t Mag chainring with your red or yellow band hub. This would give a 1.94 low and a 2.89 high. Best of both worlds, in my opinion.
So basically, the guys who commented on this thread first were absolutely correct.
Now I want to build another bike and try it out!
So, I did the "hybrid" blue guts/yellow shell hub, 1:1 low gear and 1.5:1 high, standard Schwinn 46t chain ring and 20t sprocket (part of the blue guts). 2.3:1 low, 3.45:1 high. With a 26" wheel (Fat Franks) pushing my middleweight Jaguar it feels TALL! It is absolutely fantastic for short blasts around town if you live on level ground like I do. I LOVE getting on it and slamming the pedals back to engage high gear. Real hooligan stuff! Nothing like it! In short, it makes for a great high speed, going out to the bars bomber. However, after about 10 miles I am whooped! I stay out of top gear, and honestly sometimes the 1:1 feels to tall from a dead stop when I'm tiring.
I recently rebuilt a red band hub (.67 low, 1:1 high) and installed it back in the 62 American (26") it came from. It has the same tooth chain ring but a 18t sprocket so high gear is ever so slightly taller than the Jag's low. 2.56:1 high, 1.71:1 low. For my area, low gear is ridiculously low, it is never needed. And top end is the same as any other Schwinn from the period.
This got me thinking that a perfect all around kickback hub would have one gear on each side of your original single speed gear. A low gear a little lower than standard, and a high gear a little higher. An easy way to do that would be to put a 52t Mag chainring with your red or yellow band hub. This would give a 1.94 low and a 2.89 high. Best of both worlds, in my opinion.
So basically, the guys who commented on this thread first were absolutely correct.
Now I want to build another bike and try it out!
A little more info... I kept the wheel set from the American when I sold it and installed them on a Typhoon. At first I had a little 36t chain ring on there, talk about short gearing! It was great for cruising around a swap meet but that was it. Later, I found a 52t Mag chain ring and swapped that on. Perfect. Still enough grunt to get going in low, and a great, comfortable top end.
I sold that bike on and built another similar geared set up on my '59 Traveler, except this time I used 700c wheels with 700x38 tires, about 28" tall. I've been using it as my work commuter and I love the gearing. Good and fast.
I bought the hub on eBay and it worked right out of the box. I was feeling lazy so I just laced it up to the 700's and went for it. Now it's squeaking like crazy, so it's due for a rebuild. I'm having trouble finding the two pronged tool to take the drive side apart. All of the other ones I've done have come apart easily, not this one, I need the tool. Any leads/ideas?
I sold that bike on and built another similar geared set up on my '59 Traveler, except this time I used 700c wheels with 700x38 tires, about 28" tall. I've been using it as my work commuter and I love the gearing. Good and fast.
I bought the hub on eBay and it worked right out of the box. I was feeling lazy so I just laced it up to the 700's and went for it. Now it's squeaking like crazy, so it's due for a rebuild. I'm having trouble finding the two pronged tool to take the drive side apart. All of the other ones I've done have come apart easily, not this one, I need the tool. Any leads/ideas?
Easy to make your own 2 prong tool from a short piece of 3/8 inch black pipe. Use a dremel or a hack saw to cut out between the prongs. If you use a piece of pipe that is threaded on one end you can screw on an elbow or a tee and add pipe for a handle.
