On Wed, 4 Mar 2020 04:28:06 +1100, "Rod Speed"
wrote:

snip

Where did I learn that. I don't know,

I do, by trial and error and being able to try different
things and see what worked and what didn't.

One of the neighbours kids presented me with a box
full of bits from a bicycle epicyclical gearbox. I had only
a vague idea of how they worked but was able to
assemble it again just by using the wear marks.

I've just stripped, cleaned and re-assembled 3 x Sturmey Archer X-RD3
hubs (3 sp with drum brake) and about to do an AW (3).

As you say, with the right viewpoint the parts on a worn unit often
speak for themselves. Polished, worn, not worn, burred or stained /
rusty are all clues re what was previously touching what.

And springs / ratchet pawls need to go together in a way the pawls are
being loaded against their respective ratchets.

I love seeing individual, clean, functional mechanical parts emerging
from a black greasy blob and knowing it has all gone back together
nicely and with fresh lube [1] etc.

It's rewarding to then use that equipment for years and have it work
reliably and well.

Cheers, T i m

[1] On the early maintenance instructions it mentions reassembling and
'greasing' whereas other and possibly later instructions it recommends
against using grease and using 'Sturmey Archer Oil' (what else g)
instead.

On the hub with integrated drum brake I used a very light waterproof
grease (inc the ratchet pawls) and it works perfectly and I feel it's
less likely for 'lube' to migrate through from the gearbox to the
brake.

On a non braked hub that wouldn't matter so much and so I'm thinking a
light Hypoid gear oil might be best, something that might resist wear
on the gear faces and spindles. It also needs to be heavy enough to
stay coating all the main moving parts, whilst being light enough to
get in all the fine spaces but not run out if the bike is laid on its
side. The outer bearings / cones I would still grease, simply because
I believe it would stay put better, offer better weather protection
and therefore be better for preventing wear.