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I have a 1972 Schwinn Breeze with a Sturmey Archer AW 3-speed hub (no coaster brake). I would like to replace the internals of the AW hub with the internals of an AWC hub (which has a coaster brake).

Is this conversion possible without replacing the outer casing of the AW hub? Not sure if the two hubs have interchangeable internals.

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    I'm guessing not - but if you're mechanically inclined you could open both, and compare? Or even dry-fit the guts of the coaster-hub into the other shell? The safest answer would be to relace the rim onto the coaster-hub. Do please let us know what you find out.
    – Criggie
    Jul 19, 2017 at 2:31
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    Theres more than one AW and AWC hub. You can look at the parts diagrams here for the AW and AWC you have and compare them, and maybe see if its doable.
    – Batman
    Jul 19, 2017 at 3:39
  • I don't have access to an AWC, and was researching the feasibility before buying one. I think, since one spoke is already loose on the AW hub, purchasing an AWC and re-spoking completely wouldn't be too crazy. We'll see once it arrives! Thank you for your comments. Jul 21, 2017 at 1:18

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My AWC hub was incompatible with AW hubs.
I find re-spoking much easier than working inside 3-speed hubs.
I left those 3-speed bikes behind at a beach house, but based on memory:
- AWC internals are removed from the coaster brake side, while
- AW internals are removed from the sprocket side.

3-speed hubs that I disassembled seemed beyond repair,
but to help reach your own conclusions about relative difficulty,
this video seems representative:
Clean/Lube Sturmey-Archer 3-Speed Hub - YouTube

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  • Welcome to SE - that's a useful data point, but its a very short answer. Are you able to expand your answer with more information?
    – Criggie
    Jan 14, 2019 at 6:11
  • Thanks, the difference in how the internals are removed makes me confident that I don't want to attempt this :) Jan 16, 2019 at 4:47

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