I have a general question on stiff, hard to turn tuner on a U.S. Radio Corporation chassis 1007. I am in the process of bringing this radio back on line and this is one of the issues I have noticed. I was thinking to spray it with a solvent or tuner cleaner but it dawns on me there can be no conduction between the two plates but as a side issue I was wondering how to clean them up. What is best to use? I do have some tri-flow spray (not oil but silica based) and I was wondering if I should give it a shot on the axle. Thanks in advance.

Edward

Hi, Edward. Usually, a shot of WD40 or your favorite lube on the shaft end-bearings is enough to free things up.

I'm not sure what your concern is about assuring "no conduction between the two plates." The rotor and stator leaves can't touch, or the radio won't work - but lubing the shaft end-bearings shouldn't affect that. If the rotors and stators are already clashing, and that is what's causing the stiffness, then that's a little different problem, requiring that the tuners be physically adjusted.

I clean tuner leaves by giving them a shot of canned air and then a pipe cleaner moistened with electronics cleaner (not containing any lube), being careful to not bend the leaves. Best not to use any lube since it will cause dust to collect and stick to the tuners.
Doug

:I have a general question on stiff, hard to turn tuner on a U.S. Radio Corporation chassis 1007. I am in the process of bringing this radio back on line and this is one of the issues I have noticed. I was thinking to spray it with a solvent or tuner cleaner but it dawns on me there can be no conduction between the two plates but as a side issue I was wondering how to clean them up. What is best to use? I do have some tri-flow spray (not oil but silica based) and I was wondering if I should give it a shot on the axle. Thanks in advance.
:
:Edward
:

Thanks for the information. My concern with conduction is that certain lube type cleaners are slightly conductive and may change the capacitance or if any of the "leaves" are close it could cause a short where one might not have existed before. I just figured that the air space was supposed to be a dielectric here and I did want to check befoe I do something wrong.

:Hi, Edward. Usually, a shot of WD40 or your favorite lube on the shaft end-bearings is enough to free things up.
:
:I'm not sure what your concern is about assuring "no conduction between the two plates." The rotor and stator leaves can't touch, or the radio won't work - but lubing the shaft end-bearings shouldn't affect that. If the rotors and stators are already clashing, and that is what's causing the stiffness, then that's a little different problem, requiring that the tuners be physically adjusted.
:
:I clean tuner leaves by giving them a shot of canned air and then a pipe cleaner moistened with electronics cleaner (not containing any lube), being careful to not bend the leaves. Best not to use any lube since it will cause dust to collect and stick to the tuners.
:Doug
:
::I have a general question on stiff, hard to turn tuner on a U.S. Radio Corporation chassis 1007. I am in the process of bringing this radio back on line and this is one of the issues I have noticed. I was thinking to spray it with a solvent or tuner cleaner but it dawns on me there can be no conduction between the two plates but as a side issue I was wondering how to clean them up. What is best to use? I do have some tri-flow spray (not oil but silica based) and I was wondering if I should give it a shot on the axle. Thanks in advance.
::
::Edward
::

The BEST way ever that I have found to give new life to tuning condensers is to simply remove the entore condenser... then wash it in the kitchen sink with dish detergent or a similar household cleaner.. then rinse and dry.
Does wonders. Also I replace those dried cracked rubber mounting gromets while I'm at it.
Then I either spray some WD40 on the bearings or the shaft ends.. or better yet some white grease like Lubriplate on the bearings...
Makes them like new.