[MFJ-Ameritron] Fixing solution for the roller inductor

[Hart Engel]

If you have ever bought a tuner from mfj that has a roller inductor, you 
will have noticed that the dial is very hard [or tight] to turn.
I have nothing better to do but fix the problem, during the massive power 
out here in Southern Ontario/Toronto area.  By the way my power was out for 
41 hours.
So I opened up my 969 tuner and found it had a gear driven counter which I 
found is the main culprit behind the cause.  Here is how I fixed it.

Open the cover, and be careful there are screw heads that scrape the inside 
cover while taking it off.  To remove the scratch marks used a black magic 
marker.

Having the tuner dials in front, go to the far right top side of the front 
panel above the numbers, find and remove the two screws [put them somewhere 
where you won't lose them perferably with the cover screws].
You'll see L-shaped piece of aluminum that is holding the actual counter 
itself.  Carefully pull the cover back with the numbers facing in the up 
position [it out it comes].

After that take the two other screws of the back in separate the actual 
counter from its mounting bracket.  The mounting bracket is the 
troublemaker.  You will have noticed the two slotted holes that the screws 
were in [holding the counter in the bracket].

The problem is these two slotted holes have to be chiseled out using a small 
rounded file, make them in fact longer about 1/8 to 1/4.  This way when you 
remount the counter you can loosen the two screws on the plate and raise the 
counter up which in turn releases some of the pressure that the small gear 
puts on the main gear.  Resulting in less pressure on the brass rod [which 
is the main turning shaft on the roller inductor] give you a much smoother 
turning capacity one rotating the dial [using one finger].  Oil/lubricant is 
not recommended in my opinion for this modification.

When putting the counter's mounting bracket back on [and remember to put the 
counter on the bracket to screws semi tight]. Remember to have the roller 
doctor not turned counterclockwise all the way before mounting the counter 
back in [as if you were in the 000 or start position].

Remount the counter and bracket to the top right holes, make sure these are 
tight.
Tighten the screws that mount the counter [the ones you lengthens], play 
with the dial and see if it's easy to turn.  If it isn't re-loosen the two 
screws and lift the counter a little higher, and at this point it will be up 
to you to adjust it to your liking.  Once you like how the roller fields 
just tighten the two screws and remount the cover and you have that.
After turning the roller dial all the Way counterclockwise you'll see a 
small hole just to the right of the numbers.  But a small flathead 
screwdriver in it and pushed gently.  This will recalibrate the counter to 
000.
You can also use this modification to straighten out the counter numbers 
[some MFJ models have a slanted counter dial].  Giving the tuner a better 
appearance and look.


Hart

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