I am starting the reassembly of my Ranger. The large brass VFO dial
drive mechanism (Jackson Drive?), is a bit tight and bumpy when
turned. I tried getting a little light oil down inside where the thing
rotates but this didnt seem to help much. Can this thing be taken
apart and lubricated somehow? After turning it a bunch it seems to
have loosened a slight amount but still can barely turn it by hand and
feels like the bearings are dry. Any suggestions?? Thanks de Randy,
WB5KCM

OM, I'm holding one of those in my hand, even as we speak. It feels
bumby, so to speak, and is dry as a bone. What I've done is work in
some WD so as to clean some of the old grease out and then work some new
lubricant in. I'm told the unit uses a pressed in bearing and can't be
taken apart, short of ruining it. That's the word I have.... It worked
on two Valiants I've re-done and the drive is the same as on your Ranger.

wb5kcm wrote:

I am starting the reassembly of my Ranger. The large brass VFO dial
drive mechanism (Jackson Drive?), is a bit tight and bumpy when
turned. I tried getting a little light oil down inside where the thing
rotates but this didnt seem to help much. Can this thing be taken
apart and lubricated somehow? After turning it a bunch it seems to
have loosened a slight amount but still can barely turn it by hand and
feels like the bearings are dry. Any suggestions?? Thanks de Randy,
WB5KCM

On Mar 16, 3:23 pm, K3HVG wrote:
OM, I'm holding one of those in my hand, even as we speak. It feels
bumby, so to speak, and is dry as a bone. What I've done is work in
some WD so as to clean some of the old grease out and then work some new
lubricant in. I'm told the unit uses a pressed in bearing and can't be
taken apart, short of ruining it. That's the word I have.... It worked
on two Valiants I've re-done and the drive is the same as on your Ranger.



wb5kcm wrote:
I am starting the reassembly of my Ranger. The large brass VFO dial
drive mechanism (Jackson Drive?), is a bit tight and bumpy when
turned. I tried getting a little light oil down inside where the thing
rotates but this didnt seem to help much. Can this thing be taken
apart and lubricated somehow? After turning it a bunch it seems to
have loosened a slight amount but still can barely turn it by hand and
feels like the bearings are dry. Any suggestions?? Thanks de Randy,
WB5KCM- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

When you say WD, are you sayng WD-40 ? You are spraying on the drive
and then rotating it until you feel like it has gotten into the
bearings? Thanks

Yes, exactly. WD-40 is not a real lubricant (grease or oil), in
reality, so one needs to replace it with something permanent, at some
point. I've been messing with this old one I have, at the moment. The
WD-40 made it somewhat better but the old grease is still flaking out.

Beings that this one is a goner, anyway, I tried to "open it". I guess
I have to agree with the sage advice I once got. It appears it is
sealed or maybe that hex-shaped end threads on to the mounting threaded
end? It looked like it might. But, no... it won't come apart and all
I've done is make it far worse. Don't try this with yours or it'll end
up like this one!!! hi!!

Just try and lubricate it externally.

On Mar 16, 5:52 pm, K3HVG wrote:
Yes, exactly. WD-40 is not a real lubricant (grease or oil), in
reality, so one needs to replace it with something permanent, at some
point. I've been messing with this old one I have, at the moment. The
WD-40 made it somewhat better but the old grease is still flaking out.

Beings that this one is a goner, anyway, I tried to "open it". I guess
I have to agree with the sage advice I once got. It appears it is
sealed or maybe that hex-shaped end threads on to the mounting threaded
end? It looked like it might. But, no... it won't come apart and all
I've done is make it far worse. Don't try this with yours or it'll end
up like this one!!! hi!!

Just try and lubricate it externally.

Hey Jeep, I will take your advice! I am letting it soak in WD-40 now
to see if it will get a little inside and loosen up some of the old
grease. I will then attempt to put something a little heavier in
there, oil or grease. I did put it in my cordless drill and run it
back and forth for a while and this seemed to help a little. I noticed
that it gets a little warm doing this and shows that all the old
grease has long since dried out. 50 year old grease. Thanks for the
info. 73, Randy, wb5kcm

"wb5kcm" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Mar 16, 5:52 pm, K3HVG wrote:
Yes, exactly. WD-40 is not a real lubricant (grease or
oil), in
reality, so one needs to replace it with something
permanent, at some
point. I've been messing with this old one I have, at
the moment. The
WD-40 made it somewhat better but the old grease is still
flaking out.

Beings that this one is a goner, anyway, I tried to "open
it". I guess
I have to agree with the sage advice I once got. It
appears it is
sealed or maybe that hex-shaped end threads on to the
mounting threaded
end? It looked like it might. But, no... it won't come
apart and all
I've done is make it far worse. Don't try this with
yours or it'll end
up like this one!!! hi!!

Just try and lubricate it externally.

Hey Jeep, I will take your advice! I am letting it soak in
WD-40 now
to see if it will get a little inside and loosen up some
of the old
grease. I will then attempt to put something a little
heavier in
there, oil or grease. I did put it in my cordless drill
and run it
back and forth for a while and this seemed to help a
little. I noticed
that it gets a little warm doing this and shows that all
the old
grease has long since dried out. 50 year old grease.
Thanks for the
info. 73, Randy, wb5kcm

I wonder if soaking in a solvent like Naphtha would work
better than the WD-40. It might take a couple of soaks to
clean it out, that is, assuming the stuff can get in at all.
Then, if you can get it clean relubricate by soaking in
light synthetic oil. The problem with trying to replace
grease is that you can't get it in where oil might
penetrate.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Mar 17, 8:13 pm, "Richard Knoppow" wrote:
"wb5kcm" wrote in message

oups.com...



On Mar 16, 5:52 pm, K3HVG wrote:
Yes, exactly. WD-40 is not a real lubricant (grease or
oil), in
reality, so one needs to replace it with something
permanent, at some
point. I've been messing with this old one I have, at
the moment. The
WD-40 made it somewhat better but the old grease is still
flaking out.

Beings that this one is a goner, anyway, I tried to "open
it". I guess
I have to agree with the sage advice I once got. It
appears it is
sealed or maybe that hex-shaped end threads on to the
mounting threaded
end? It looked like it might. But, no... it won't come
apart and all
I've done is make it far worse. Don't try this with
yours or it'll end
up like this one!!! hi!!

Just try and lubricate it externally.

Hey Jeep, I will take your advice! I am letting it soak in
WD-40 now
to see if it will get a little inside and loosen up some
of the old
grease. I will then attempt to put something a little
heavier in
there, oil or grease. I did put it in my cordless drill
and run it
back and forth for a while and this seemed to help a
little. I noticed
that it gets a little warm doing this and shows that all
the old
grease has long since dried out. 50 year old grease.
Thanks for the
info. 73, Randy, wb5kcm

I wonder if soaking in a solvent like Naphtha would work
better than the WD-40. It might take a couple of soaks to
clean it out, that is, assuming the stuff can get in at all.
Then, if you can get it clean relubricate by soaking in
light synthetic oil. The problem with trying to replace
grease is that you can't get it in where oil might
penetrate.

--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA


--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It looks like the WD-40 did penetrate. I let it soak over night and
then ran the drive back and forth with my drill. I noticed that there
was some very dark oil coming out of the seams. Tried oiling it with a
light gear oil while running it with the drill motor. The oil seemed
to penetrate into the seam area. After all this was done, I really did
not see any improvement. I will go ahead and use it like it is. Its
actually no too bad, just not as smooth as I would like. I will be
looking for a smooth drive replacement later...maybe find one at a
hamfest or ebay later. Thanks for all the input and suggestions. I am
going to go ahead and put the Ranger back together and get it going
now.
73 de Randy, WB5KCM

"wb5kcm" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Mar 17, 8:13 pm, "Richard Knoppow"
wrote:
"wb5kcm" wrote in message

oups.com...

Snipping here...

I wonder if soaking in a solvent like Naphtha would
work
better than the WD-40. It might take a couple of soaks to
clean it out, that is, assuming the stuff can get in at
all.
Then, if you can get it clean relubricate by soaking in
light synthetic oil. The problem with trying to replace
grease is that you can't get it in where oil might
penetrate.

--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA


--
Posted via a free Usenet account
fromhttp://www.teranews.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

It looks like the WD-40 did penetrate. I let it soak over
night and
then ran the drive back and forth with my drill. I noticed
that there
was some very dark oil coming out of the seams. Tried
oiling it with a
light gear oil while running it with the drill motor. The
oil seemed
to penetrate into the seam area. After all this was done,
I really did
not see any improvement. I will go ahead and use it like
it is. Its
actually no too bad, just not as smooth as I would like. I
will be
looking for a smooth drive replacement later...maybe find
one at a
hamfest or ebay later. Thanks for all the input and
suggestions. I am
going to go ahead and put the Ranger back together and get
it going
now.
73 de Randy, WB5KCM

Perhaps the bearing surfaces were damaged. If you get a
replacement it might be interesting to take this one apart
to see how its constructed.


--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com