[ICOM] Stiff VFO dial when turned on

[John G.]

Found the REM oil at Wal-mart last night, tried it on the encoder shaft last 
night when the power was out (couldn't do anything else then) and it worked 
just fine.  VFO dial spinning again like it should.  Thanks for all the help 
and advice, and what a cheap fix!

73 John AF5CC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Fiber" <gfiber at comcast.net>
To: "'ICOM Reflector'" <icom at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2012 3:54 AM
Subject: Re: [ICOM] Stiff VFO dial when turned on


> Jim,
>
> I suspect you are correct. Though during my time at Icom, 1989-2001, 
> can't
> remember ever seeing any of the tech's spray any lube into the encoder. I
> think it was the IC-775 when I first encountered any encoder actually
> seizing up and we replaced the ones that came through the shop found that
> way. I do remember receiving HT's that were dropped into water and sprayed
> with WD-40, Mostly we just reboxed those and returned them to the owner
> unrepaired.  Trying to clean them up enough, remove the WD-40,  so solder
> would stick took more time than a customer was willing to pay for and it 
> was
> not always successful.
>
> The old IC-735 you can actually change out the leds and "rebuild" that
> encoder, newer ones are mostly a circuit board inside, looks like a grey
> code or similar encoder with wipers the contact the circuit board within.
>
> Gary K8IZ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net] 
> On
> Behalf Of Jim Hargrave
> Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 6:16 AM
> To: ICOM Reflector
> Subject: Re: [ICOM] Stiff VFO dial when turned on
>
> Gary,
>
> I suspect the difference between cold and warm-up is the old grease/lub
> congealing when cold and becoming more fluid as the radio warms up. Just a
> guess. I had this happen on one of the VFO encoders in my FT-920. I found 
> it
> pretty tight one morning when I first turned it on.
>
> I never had a problem with my IC-735 encoder, but lubricated it anyhow.
> There was a noticeable difference even though it did not feel tight before
> the lub job. It was probably a matter of time and it might start to freeze
> up. Its 26 years old, but still plugging along.
>
>    73s de Jim
>       W5IFP
>
>
>  > -----Original Message-----
>  > From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>  > [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Gary Fiber
>  > Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2012 4:25 PM
>  > To: ICOM Reflector
>  > Subject: Re: [ICOM] Stiff VFO dial when turned on
>  >
>  >
>  > Before you spray all sorts of lube onto the shaft just give the tuning
>  > knob a little pull, it just pulls off and see if its not
>  > smashed against
>  > the face a little to much. Can't explain the difference between being
>  > "cold" and warmed up effecting the turning though.
>  > I have seen other encoders, IC-775 I seem to remember,  tie up
>  > but can't
>  > remember seeing one from a 706 series do that.
>  >
>  > Gary K8IZ
>  >
>  > On 12/13/2012 12:42 PM, Jim Hargrave wrote:
>  > > John,
>  > >
>  > > You may just need some shaft lubrication. I would suggest
>  > removing the knob
>  > > and spraying a little "Tri-Flow" on the encoder shaft. Let it
>  > penetrate
>  > > while rotating the shaft. Tri-Flow is a combination penetrant
>  > and lubricant.
>  > > It has Teflon in it and does not gum up like WD-40.
>  > >
>  > > I lubricate all my tuning shafts with Tri Flow on a periodic
>  > basis. Just a
>  > > little dab will do you.
>  > >
>  > >      73s de Jim
>  > >         W5IFP
>  > >
>  > >
>  > >    > -----Original Message-----
>  > >    > From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>  > >    > [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of John
>  > >    > Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2012 12:44 PM
>  > >    > To: ICOM Reflector; ic706 at yahoogroups.com;
>  > ic-706MKIIG at yahoogroups.com
>  > >    > Subject: [ICOM] Stiff VFO dial when turned on
>  > >    >
>  > >    >
>  > >    > I have an Icom 706 original (so it is 16 years old or
>  > so) and I have
>  > >    > noticed recently when I first turn on the radio, the VFO dial is
>  > >    > rather stiff (the lever is in the least tension
>  > position).  After the
>  > >    > radio has been on for a while it does seem to loosen up
>  > some.  Has
>  > >    > anyone else noticed this problem?  Could the encoder be
>  > going bad, or
>  > >    > what else could cause this condition?
>  > >    >
>  > >    > 73 John AF5CC
>  > >    > ----
>  > >    > Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
>  > >    > Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
>  > >    > Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
>  > >    > To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>  > >
>  > > ----
>  > > Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
>  > > Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
>  > > Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
>  > > To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>  > >
>  >
>  >
>  > --
>  > Gary Fiber K8IZ
>  > GROL PG-19-6691 with Shipboard Radar Endorsement
>  > Washington State Resident
>  >
>  > ----
>  > Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
>  > Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
>  > Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
>  > To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> ----
> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net Icom Users
> Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/ To
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>
> ----
> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
> Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
> Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
> To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html