[R-390] Removing Megacycle Change shaft

[Jim Whartenby]

PaulI took the advice from those who should know gear works, the clock collectors.  Their advice is not to lube gear teeth, it will only attract dust over time and gum up the gear works.  Pivot points are a different story and should be oiled, do not use grease.  I use Tufoil full strength for this, see below.  You can use any synthetic oil you like.  The Tufoil bottle I have is very old and uses their old slogan "The transistor of lubricants."
I use WD-40 from the gallon container as a solvent along with your favorite detergent, use something that does not attack aluminum, then a water rinse and repeat till clean.  I use old spray bottles each filled with one of the above liquids.  An acid brush on a wood dowel will get the hard to reach spots.  Follow the final water rinse with an alcohol rinse to release the water.
Once the gears are clean and the pivot points and slug rack rollers are oiled, you will be amazed at how easy it is to rotate the frequency knobs.  It only takes a drop of Tufoil applied from the point of a bamboo skewer to lube a pivot point.  Avoid the temptation of over doing the lube.  Less is more.Regards,Jim
Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.  Murphy 

    On Thursday, June 18, 2026 at 09:30:33 AM CDT, Barry via R-390 <r-390 at mailman.qth.net> wrote:   

 You might have better luck with a different solvent other than isopropanol.  Naphtha works well for me but others have their favorite degreasers.

Synthetic oil is my choice for lubricating the shafts and bushings as well as the rollers for the slug racks.  It doesn't harden over time.  A bit of oil on the gear teeth should be enough.  There's really not much need for grease on those teeth.  If you've gone so far as to disassemble the gear train, then some oil between the split gears is good as well.

Aligning isn't all that difficult.  There is documentation in the manuals as to how do that but the folks on the list can offer good advice as well.

Have fun,
Barry - N4BUQ

> I have panel off and waiting for a gear clamp off a MC shaft assembly I just got
> on eBay.
> 
> Going forward, is there a COMMERCIAL source who sells clamps that would work as
> gear clamps, (Bristol or hex or slotted) for other clamps that might break?
> 
> Thanks for the help. I might need help with aligning this thing to read correct
> frequency when I am done, lots of gears! But I will read the literature and
> hope I get it. At least now that this is apart I can clean off the gears/gear
> teeth with isopropanol and “re-lube”. I assume just put light oil on the shafts
> themselves, not the teeth on the gears?
> 
> Paul
> 
> From: r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net <r-390-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of
> Jacques Fortin via R-390 <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at 8:17 AM
> To: Paul Roche via R-390 <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Cc: R390A <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [R-390] Removing Megacycle Change shaft
> 
> Chapter 10 again: Read everything to the end !
> Jack14 iPhone 16e
> 
> Le 16 juin 2026 à 23:09, Paul Roche via R-390 <r-390 at mailman.qth.net> a écrit :
> 
>
> <image0.jpeg>
> <image1.jpeg>
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> I dont know if you can get see this. Now what? I see how to remove the KHZ gear
> but not sure about the clutch disk and the “gear” above it.
> 
> Paul
>> On Jun 16, 2026, at 10:09 PM, Jacques Fortin via R-390 <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Here is the needed clamp.
>>
>> 73, Jacques, VE2JFE in Montreal
>>
>> Hello Nick,
>> Good try, but the hole on this one is too big (0.435) the one to be replaced
>> measures 13/32" (0.406).
>> <00-99-SM-B-178486-CLAMP.pdf>
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