Frozen Motorola HV pot shaft

[bandersen]

I've got a frozen HV pot shaft in a Motorola VT-71 TS-4J chassis. It's one of those with the extended plastic shaft an odd tap at about 2/3. So not an easy item to replace.

Someone with a heavy-hand worked on this set back in the day. There are big solder globs on replaced components. Maybe they used a soldering gun? I see a melted spot on the side of the shaft that might be the cause of the problem.

My two thoughts at the moment are to either crank on the shaft hard with pliers and hope for the best. Or try to slice open the outer shaft lengthwise, free up the inner, and glue it back together.

Anyone have a better suggestion?

[Eric H]

I'm thinking that plastic shaft is just an extender screwed on to a regular pot?
Perhaps it can be removed so a little more force can be applied to the pot?

[bandersen]

Originally Posted by Eric H

I'm thinking that plastic shaft is just an extender screwed on to a regular pot?
Perhaps it can be removed so a little more force can be applied to the pot?

That's just it. The pot itself is fine - it's the extender that's frozen. I can't remove because its threaded to the pot and the shaft is frozen inside it.

[bandersen]

OK, I got out the Dremel and cut a slit in the extender. A little force finally popped the extender shaft free.

Now, I can see why it was frozen! Almost looks like some one filled the shaft with glue

The pots fine and I think I can salvage the outer extender tube, I'll just need to fabricate a new shaft extender.