[Penthode]

I would beg to differ on one point. The traps especially in this set help shape the overall bandwidth. If you want to achieve the full four megahertz, setting the traps as prescribed accurately is important. And with the HP equipment you can set it as good or beter than before it left the factory.

T103 is a little different: the trap set to 21.25MHz and this trap provides the sound IF take off point.

So providing the center tube is clear, the new slugs should fit.

I do have to admit that I recall over 50 years ago I took apart the T103 in my set for a simiar problem. The Canadian version I have, unlike the US version, uses a brass threaded screw to the ferrite core, similar to the width coil on your set. The bottom threaded clip insert snapped when I tried to adjust it. I had to remove also T103, unsolder the tap wire on the middle othe trap and take pull the black bakelite cover off to access the inside. once apart, I had to unsolder the fine wires to the tabs to pull the coil off and replace the broken clip which was nested at the bottom of the coil in the brass cup.I replaced it with a reshaped spring matching the original shape, I reassembled solder back the tap wire and reinstalled the transformer. The set aligned very well using the equipment I used then (having to set a generator marker frequency interpolated between beating with a crystal harmonic). In those days of a crowded VHF band, I had to ajust slightly the adjacent channel traps using off air signals. Eg. I would receive a weak channel 10 from WHEC Rochester. The fine tuning because it is of a split sound design is for best sound. So the fine tuning on these sets is very precise. Once set for best sound on channel 10, we had strong adjacent channels on CFTO channel 9 Toronto and CHCH channel Hamilton. So to minimize adjacent channel 9 sound in picture, I would touch up slightly the 27.25MHz traps and for CHCH channel 11 video ineterface in channel 10, I would slightly touch up the 19.75MHz traps.

It is with this alignment much later in 2009 I could use the set to DX when living in Southern Illinois. Look at the snapshot of WPTB Channel 2 West Palm Beach Florida received 1500 miles away despite a strong adjacent WSIL channel 3 Carterville Illinois located about 10 miles away. No other set, even much newer sets had the adjacent rejection capability of this RCA chassis!

The two photographs below show on off air channel 8 from KAET Phoenix. The four Megahertz resolution brings out a lot of fine detail. The second photo is a weak WPTB channel 2 received 1500miles on this set witha standard antenna atop a 50 foot mast direct to the receiver tuner with no preamp.