12-27-2018, 02:20 PM
About 6 years ago I restored Westinghouse WR-212 and bought the tuning drive belt from Adams mfr.
This was the set I gave to my dad.
This week I came to FL to my parents (I do it about every other year), and decided to try the radio, which was just fine 2 years ago.
I couldn't tune anything and then realized the dial wasn't moving.
First I thought it was frozen. Used anyfhing from theflon lube to PB and WD40. Nothing helped.
Then I took the belt off and this us what I saw:
The belt has hardened after long disuse and froze the way it was stretched.
I tried to soften it in hot water but it just came unglued and didn't become much more pliable.
Good thing the local Ace hardware had one sole O-ring of exact same size, this took care of the issue.
So. If you have radios on display that use neopren belts, abd which you rarely use, make sure the belt is exercised. Or it might become unusable.
This was the set I gave to my dad.
This week I came to FL to my parents (I do it about every other year), and decided to try the radio, which was just fine 2 years ago.
I couldn't tune anything and then realized the dial wasn't moving.
First I thought it was frozen. Used anyfhing from theflon lube to PB and WD40. Nothing helped.
Then I took the belt off and this us what I saw:
The belt has hardened after long disuse and froze the way it was stretched.
I tried to soften it in hot water but it just came unglued and didn't become much more pliable.
Good thing the local Ace hardware had one sole O-ring of exact same size, this took care of the issue.
So. If you have radios on display that use neopren belts, abd which you rarely use, make sure the belt is exercised. Or it might become unusable.
People who do not drink, do not smoke, do not eat red meat will one day feel really stupid lying there and dying from nothing.
