Hello All,
I see the little clip that slides into the groove that keeps the tuning shaft from slipping off the function switch shaft is missing. This is probably how the dial cord got pulled off. It's a C clip, similar to what holds the shaft onto a volume control, but the groove is shallower. It has to be a clip that doesn't block the tuning knob. I've tried a few, but nothing seems to work. I have to find a local store that actually sells C clips that aren't e-clips. Maybe one of them will work.

What kind of clip might have been on that shaft?

Thanks,

Dave

Possibly a wire spring clip. They are a special type of snap ring that consists of a uniform, round cross-section spring wire formed into 3/4 of a circle. They snap into the groove and protrude above the surface of the shaft enough to act as a stop for a close-fitting sleeve. A good auto supply store should stock them in the diameter that you need.

:Possibly a wire spring clip. They are a special type of snap ring that consists of a uniform, round cross-section spring wire formed into 3/4 of a circle. They snap into the groove and protrude above the surface of the shaft enough to act as a stop for a close-fitting sleeve. A good auto supply store should stock them in the diameter that you need.
:
Hi, I've made a couple out of paper clips they worked fine. Also you can pick up spring steel rods a most hobby shops, heat it up a bit and with some needle nose you can fashion one. Best of Luck, George T

I've done similar 'ad hoc fab jobs" using thin brass rod stock. Forms easily and is just springy enough to stay in place. You can wrap a length around the shaft for a couple of turns, then clip out a partial-circle section and bend it flat. Works acceptably for radio applications where there is very little thrust force encountered. You want to have enough of a circle to let the clip stay on the shaft, but not so much that it will be necessary to grossly deform the clip to install it. Something like 200 degrees of a circle should work OK.

These wire clips are very common in precision machinery, and I've owned various vehicles that used them. But these applications are more demanding and the clips are always made of high-strength spring steel, and are tough to remove without the aid of an expanding-jaw pliers.

:I've done similar 'ad hoc fab jobs" using thin brass rod stock. Forms easily and is just springy enough to stay in place. You can wrap a length around the shaft for a couple of turns, then clip out a partial-circle section and bend it flat. Works acceptably for radio applications where there is very little thrust force encountered. You want to have enough of a circle to let the clip stay on the shaft, but not so much that it will be necessary to grossly deform the clip to install it. Something like 200 degrees of a circle should work OK.
:
:These wire clips are very common in precision machinery, and I've owned various vehicles that used them. But these applications are more demanding and the clips are always made of high-strength spring steel, and are tough to remove without the aid of an expanding-jaw pliers.
:
Going to have to keep an eye out for them. They sound like the ticket. I use several E clips but they at times don't work with the appication as well as you would want them to. The bad thing about the C clips is when you pop them off they go airbourn and go MIA.LOL. Best 2 U all, George T

If like the clips that are on the shaft of potentiometers perhaps one could use a spring just a bit smaller than the shaft and cut out a turn from the spring and slip onto the shaft.

Clifton

::I've done similar 'ad hoc fab jobs" using thin brass rod stock. Forms easily and is just springy enough to stay in place. You can wrap a length around the shaft for a couple of turns, then clip out a partial-circle section and bend it flat. Works acceptably for radio applications where there is very little thrust force encountered. You want to have enough of a circle to let the clip stay on the shaft, but not so much that it will be necessary to grossly deform the clip to install it. Something like 200 degrees of a circle should work OK.
::
::These wire clips are very common in precision machinery, and I've owned various vehicles that used them. But these applications are more demanding and the clips are always made of high-strength spring steel, and are tough to remove without the aid of an expanding-jaw pliers.
::
:Going to have to keep an eye out for them. They sound like the ticket. I use several E clips but they at times don't work with the appication as well as you would want them to. The bad thing about the C clips is when you pop them off they go airbourn and go MIA.LOL. Best 2 U all, George T
:

I just wasted a few hours going to a "good" auto supply store, where they had no idea what I was looking for and never heard of such a thing. They tried to force on a c-clip. It went on but it was too wide and the knob wouldn't go in. So they sold me a box of springs for $7.00 so I could make this spring clip that they never heard of.
I tried control shaft clips but they were too wide and would not allow the knob to be pushed on.
This problem is extremely frustrating. The spring clips have to exist. One was on the shaft at one time.
Maybe someone has another idea of what will work.

Thanks,

Dave
:If like the clips that are on the shaft of potentiometers perhaps one could use a spring just a bit smaller than the shaft and cut out a turn from the spring and slip onto the shaft.
:
:Clifton
:
:
:::I've done similar 'ad hoc fab jobs" using thin brass rod stock. Forms easily and is just springy enough to stay in place. You can wrap a length around the shaft for a couple of turns, then clip out a partial-circle section and bend it flat. Works acceptably for radio applications where there is very little thrust force encountered. You want to have enough of a circle to let the clip stay on the shaft, but not so much that it will be necessary to grossly deform the clip to install it. Something like 200 degrees of a circle should work OK.
:::
:::These wire clips are very common in precision machinery, and I've owned various vehicles that used them. But these applications are more demanding and the clips are always made of high-strength spring steel, and are tough to remove without the aid of an expanding-jaw pliers.
:::
::Going to have to keep an eye out for them. They sound like the ticket. I use several E clips but they at times don't work with the appication as well as you would want them to. The bad thing about the C clips is when you pop them off they go airbourn and go MIA.LOL. Best 2 U all, George T
::
:
:

"Roll yer own" as described earlier. Clifton had a great suggestion. You can find small extension springs in various diameters/strengths at "real" hardware stores like True Value or Hardware Hank (don't bother trolling the hardware aisle at Wal-Mart). Only hitch is that you will need to grind the spring apart with a cutoff wheel in a Dremel tool in order to get a clean cut (and avoid ruining a good sidecutter) Or use the brass rod approach, which you can form easily with a sidecutter.

Hello Again,

I just tried rings from springs and the knob pulls those right off too. Even the tiniest springs that are held on really tight can be pulled right off. There has to be something that will hold it on and allow the knob to go in it. There was one there once.

Dave
:I just wasted a few hours going to a "good" auto supply store, where they had no idea what I was looking for and never heard of such a thing. They tried to force on a c-clip. It went on but it was too wide and the knob wouldn't go in. So they sold me a box of springs for $7.00 so I could make this spring clip that they never heard of.
: I tried control shaft clips but they were too wide and would not allow the knob to be pushed on.
: This problem is extremely frustrating. The spring clips have to exist. One was on the shaft at one time.
: Maybe someone has another idea of what will work.
:
:Thanks,
:
:Dave
::If like the clips that are on the shaft of potentiometers perhaps one could use a spring just a bit smaller than the shaft and cut out a turn from the spring and slip onto the shaft.
::
::Clifton
::
::
::::I've done similar 'ad hoc fab jobs" using thin brass rod stock. Forms easily and is just springy enough to stay in place. You can wrap a length around the shaft for a couple of turns, then clip out a partial-circle section and bend it flat. Works acceptably for radio applications where there is very little thrust force encountered. You want to have enough of a circle to let the clip stay on the shaft, but not so much that it will be necessary to grossly deform the clip to install it. Something like 200 degrees of a circle should work OK.
::::
::::These wire clips are very common in precision machinery, and I've owned various vehicles that used them. But these applications are more demanding and the clips are always made of high-strength spring steel, and are tough to remove without the aid of an expanding-jaw pliers.
::::
:::Going to have to keep an eye out for them. They sound like the ticket. I use several E clips but they at times don't work with the appication as well as you would want them to. The bad thing about the C clips is when you pop them off they go airbourn and go MIA.LOL. Best 2 U all, George T
:::
::
::
:
:

I even showed them this at the auto supply store:

http://img.directindustry.com/images_di/photo-g/constant-section-retaining-rings-11813-3850131.jpg

and they still had no idea what I was talking about.

:Hello Again,
:
:I just tried rings from springs and the knob pulls those right off too. Even the tiniest springs that are held on really tight can be pulled right off. There has to be something that will hold it on and allow the knob to go in it. There was one there once.
:
:Dave
::I just wasted a few hours going to a "good" auto supply store, where they had no idea what I was looking for and never heard of such a thing. They tried to force on a c-clip. It went on but it was too wide and the knob wouldn't go in. So they sold me a box of springs for $7.00 so I could make this spring clip that they never heard of.
:: I tried control shaft clips but they were too wide and would not allow the knob to be pushed on.
:: This problem is extremely frustrating. The spring clips have to exist. One was on the shaft at one time.
:: Maybe someone has another idea of what will work.
::
::Thanks,
::
::Dave
:::If like the clips that are on the shaft of potentiometers perhaps one could use a spring just a bit smaller than the shaft and cut out a turn from the spring and slip onto the shaft.
:::
:::Clifton
:::
:::
:::::I've done similar 'ad hoc fab jobs" using thin brass rod stock. Forms easily and is just springy enough to stay in place. You can wrap a length around the shaft for a couple of turns, then clip out a partial-circle section and bend it flat. Works acceptably for radio applications where there is very little thrust force encountered. You want to have enough of a circle to let the clip stay on the shaft, but not so much that it will be necessary to grossly deform the clip to install it. Something like 200 degrees of a circle should work OK.
:::::
:::::These wire clips are very common in precision machinery, and I've owned various vehicles that used them. But these applications are more demanding and the clips are always made of high-strength spring steel, and are tough to remove without the aid of an expanding-jaw pliers.
:::::
::::Going to have to keep an eye out for them. They sound like the ticket. I use several E clips but they at times don't work with the appication as well as you would want them to. The bad thing about the C clips is when you pop them off they go airbourn and go MIA.LOL. Best 2 U all, George T
::::
:::
:::
::
::
:
:

These are probably too thick:

http://www.amazon.com/Crescent-External-Retaining-Stainless-Passivated/dp/B00D2B1LDO/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405797893&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=constant+section+retaining+ring

They have to be out there; maybe Graingers?

Richard

Richard,
I tried one of these and it's too wide. It cannot be more than maybe 1mm thick. It was probably a piece of hardened spring steel, no larger in diameter than a wire.

Dave
:These are probably too thick:
:
:http://www.amazon.com/Crescent-External-Retaining-Stainless-Passivated/dp/B00D2B1LDO/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405797893&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=constant+section+retaining+ring
:
:They have to be out there; maybe Graingers?
:
:Richard
:

:Richard,
: I tried one of these and it's too wide. It cannot be more than maybe 1mm thick. It was probably a piece of hardened spring steel, no larger in diameter than a wire.
:
:Dave

Maybe one of the cylindrical battery contacts could be used if you could find one the right diameter and cut a section of it?

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=cylindrical+battery+contacts

Richard

Edd,
I'll have to print this out to learn how to make the correct Z clip. I just "wasted" $50.00 on snap rings and a good snap ring tool. I might need a snap ring in the future. So I'll keep them.

Thanks very much,

Dave
:
:

: : : : : : : : :Sir Dave. . . . . : : : : : : :Just now catching up on reading this, but YES, the quirky FM problem is STILL the same as I filled you in on, in another like encounter in years past times. : : :With variable L being used on FM, it IS possible to grossly mis align the FM oscillator, whereas on a variable condenser type of tuner, just it doesn't have : : the range to do that. : : :Plus . . . on the backward strung dial cord aspect, if you had erred in that manner, the AM stations would also be reversed. : : :Now to the "C" clip topic, and that is what it is on the Zeniths. : : :Just an old generation soft compressable iron "C" clip . . . no tempered spring steel involved . : : :How many have I pulled over time, in " underhauling " band switches, vol controls and tone controls internally. : : :And yes. even your tuning shaft. : : :They are soft iron and actually a bit hard to get off, but easy to slip back on and then crimp closed with multiple rotary pinchings from a pair of pliers. : : : : : : :I have the illustration of one at Z while the other ones just don't measure up. : : :#1 and #2 are of hard spring steel and don't encircle around the shafts square cut groove FAR enough. : : :If you can find them, #3 and #4 are potentials, but usually require a pair to make up for the thickness needed to take out shaft free play. : : : : : : :If I have misplaced or lost an OEM "C " Clip , I just dig thru my old TV-VCR-Radio junker chassis and cut out a metal square of soft iron/steel a wee bit : :larger than the outer end diameter required. : : :(The metal guage is being right at the thickness of a dime. . . . . initially compare against your shafts groove width to confirm ) : : :Then I drill a central 1/4 hole and start grinding down the initial square of metal, until its an overall diameter of a nickels thickness greater than the central hole. : : :Then a cut of wheel in a Dremel tool makes the two cuts at the top that lets the clip be compressed down to a smaller diameter, when aligned on the shafts square cut groove. : : :Factoid: : : :With my 68 year collection of ALL types of metal washers, (20# + ) I surely could find several candidates that would only require minor mods to work. : : :The way that a Zeniths shafts groove is square cut, any attempt of trying a single link /turn of a spring, results in its getting swallowed on down into the groove. : : Any larger link sizing attempt , wont go on down in enough to POSITIVELY hold its place on the groove. : : : : :Clip Depictions: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :73's de Edd : : : : : : : : : : : : :I'm assigning my TV remote control with the name "Waldo" . . . . . .for obvious reasons ! :. : : : : :: :

:
:
:
:::Richard,
::: I tried one of these and it's too wide. It cannot be more than maybe 1mm thick. It was probably a piece of hardened spring steel, no larger in diameter than a wire.
:::
:::Dave
::
::Maybe one of the cylindrical battery contacts could be used if you could find one the right diameter and cut a section of it?
::
::http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=cylindrical+battery+contacts
::
::Richard
::
:
: