[Heathkit] SB-303 tuning mechanism

[Precision Carburetor DP]

HI Bill.

That's a very common problem with the entire Heathkit SB line of radios.
There are websites devoted to the repair of this problem.  The short answer
is there are five keyed washers on the LMO shaft just as it enters the LMO
housing.  These keyed washers enable you to turn the LMO dial five
revolutions to tune 500kc.  These five washers must be free so you can
rotate the dial five revolutions.  Yours are stuck together.  The best
repair is to remove the LMO and clean off all the old lube and reinstall
fresh lube.  The SB-303 has the RITTY board on top of the LMO making it more
difficult.  Most Heathkit guys will cringe but you can spray WD-40 where the
LMO shaft enters the LMO case and work it back and forth to free it up.
Some people use a soldering iron to heat up the area to free it.  I have
repaired more than one of these but I remove the LMO and rehab it.

BTW $100 for a clean SB-303 is a deal.

73.

Jerry

W2JI