That bottom J has the glass pressed up against the backside. So possibly those tabs create more of a cam mechanism, so as to allow the trim to rotate around the retainer for removal. I don't know how else to explain it. It holds when it's on the cabinet, but looks pretty confusing while it's off.

Finally got the bottom trim off.

The bottom trim comes off a little different than the top. After the safety glass was removed, I was then able to push inward on the top edge of the trim. I started on an outside corner, using inward rolling motion, while at the same time pressing down. You can also roll it in the middle, to help it release from the center two tabs. The top edge hooks over the retainer; the bottom is pressed under those four little tabs. It takes a little messaging to get the bottom lip to slide past those tabs.

I ran into this same arrangement on a bw RCA console. I don't know why they had to make it so complicated. I'm pretty sure I bent something getting that one apart. RCA sets that are a little older use a different arrangement which I seem to recall is easier to deal with.

What I don't understand is why the RCA field service manual is so vague on the removal process. I'll bet they sold a lot of replacement brass trim over the years.

So, if I'm following all this . . . the top trim (U channel) piece can be removed without removing anything else, but to remove the bottom one for a swap, I would need to remove everything, including the glass.

Are the top & bottom pieces even interchangeable? This is looking like more fuss than it's worth, especially since my glass doesn't look dirty in the first place.

Phil Nelson

Can't say I tried removing the bottom with the glass on, but I think it will be much easier working from the top first. Also, you can't take the bottom retainers off to remove the glass for cleaning.

They are interchangable.

That's why RCA always tried to sell service contracts with their sets. They used to have those clips inside, all around the CRT. Another PITA, those tuner indicator belts.

This trim removal was probably the sort of thing you learned in an RCA-supported training session.