Non-turn washer necessity

Quoted message said:

How necessary are non-turn washers on internally geared hubs? If the
hub has a drum brake will the brake arm provide enough support to
prevent the hub from turning? The reason I ask is that I just bought a
Sturmey Archer X-RD8 hub and it only comes with non-turn washers for
horizontal dropouts. The bike I'm putting it on is and old Cilo Pacer
road bike with front entry dropouts with an angle of about -15 degrees.
Sturmey makes a fulcrum lever with an angle that compensates for this
on the drive side, but on the non-drive side the brake arm is still
angled too far down. I don't think Sturmey makes non-turn washers for
dropout angles other than horizontal (0 degrees). Shimano does, but
the axle diameter is smaller. I could get a Shimano one and file it to
fit, but I'd rather not go through the hassle if I can simply run the
hub without the washers.

I think you need the washers.

I am not familiar with that hub, but if the washers are the kind with
a tab and two small projections, try diffenent orientations - you may
find one that works well enough. I had to do this on the machine I
have that uses a shimano 7-gear hub.

I believe that the washers are hardened, and you may not be able to
file them. Judicious application of a small stone with a die grinder,
foredom, or similar tool may suffice.

jtaylor said:

Quoted message said:

How necessary are non-turn washers on internally geared hubs? If the
hub has a drum brake will the brake arm provide enough support to
prevent the hub from turning? .... I could get a Shimano one and file it
to fit, but I'd rather not go through the hassle if I can simply run the
hub without the washers.

I think you need the washers.

You need the washers. I had a Shimano 7-speed nexus hub that only came
with one such washer, and I could not stop it from rotating occasionally
under load -- and the tendency is worse in low gears, which you tend to
push harder in order to climb the hill. I doubt that the brake arm will
help.

The fancy 14-speed hubs come with a long bracing arm instead of just these
washers -- they do it right (well, for $1000, they should).

--

David L. Johnson

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