[Boatanchors] Johnson Ranger VFO Access Question

[Bill Cromwell]

On 12/27/2013 06:01 PM, Whitebear1122 wrote:
>
>> The one time I was in a Johnson VFO was back around 1996 when I had to get into my Valiant VFO cabinet to replace both tubes and the charred 18K VR current limit resistor.
>>
>> Today I'm looking inside my Ranger VFO.  I was given this Ranger by an SK last year. It had sat on his floor next to the operating desk since at least 1970.  It looked horrible, corroded, and I know he had a mouse problem it the shack.  Imagine my surprise when I took some GOJO to the cabinet and front panel and it cleaned up to an 8 out of 10.  It was 40 years of floor grime, not corrosion after all.   I opened it up and the insides look like new other than a bit of grime.  No mouse scat at all. I need to recap the electrolytics of course.  I powered it up this afternoon and it works for the most part, good power output, but the VFO is jumpy by several hundred cycles, not sure if it's mechanically induced or what.   Tuning the main tuning suggests it may be mechanically induced.
>>
>> I would like to open up the VFO to retighten all the screws and nuts, put a little DeOxit on the variable capacitor, and make a few measurements.  I removed the side of the vfo cabinet.  Oh my gosh, I had forgotten how tight things are in there.  If I want full access to the vfo, I need to remove the top.  There are screws holding the top to the sides along the front panel side so I can't get at them.  Looking at it, I'm wondering if the only way to get good access to the VFO for mechanical tightening is to completely remove the front panel.  Wow, that sounds like a huge effort!
>>
>> How on earth do you get good access into that VFO cabinet without removing the front panel or is it even possible?
>>
>> 73, Scott WA9WFA
>
Hi Scott,

I got into mine some time ago and I now have to do it again. The old 
girl needs serious TLC. You do have to remove the front panel. The 
biggest *gotcha* is being very careful when you remove the dial assembly 
- especially the reduction assembly. It's coupling to the tuning shaft 
is fragile and unobtanium! Everything else is pretty obvious. You did 
already notice that it looks like the front panel has to come off and 
you got that exactly right. And you'll have to remove other parts to get 
at the ones you really want.

Make sure you have all the places where the VFO shield box pieces fit 
together and all of the places where VFO box and the final amp shield 
meet the chassis very clean and the screws and nuts are in good 
condition and tight. Be just as careful assembling that dial as you were 
when you disassembled it. The main thing is to not let the weight of the 
reduction drive *hang* on the coupling to the inner tuning shaft. Be 
sure that is supported at all times. The rest of it is all just 
methodical plodding along like a blindered donkey. Take copious notes 
about how things were mounted before and even pictures if you have a 
camera or cell phone that gives you useable resolution. Do you have a 
manual for it? I have paper and PDF. Paper is invaluable if you can get it.

Good luck with your Ranger.

73,

Bill  KU8H