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Loose VFO knob on Icoms

vkrules

Sr. Member
Feb 18, 2012
1,185
555
223
Brisbane Australia
The vfo knob on my IC-746 pro like many later model radios ,suffers from a loose shaft on the encoder that you can move up and down. It doesn't do any harm or skip freq just feels like sh*t. The under lying problem is not the mounting nut or the brake but the encoder shaft itself.No bearings just a long shaft with a rather weighty knob on the end. Even if you replace the encoder the problem still comes back with the play gradually getting worse with use. The other day I came up with a simple solution I thought I would share . The 746 vfo knob removes by just prying it up. On the 756 and some other icoms you have to remove the rubber ring and undo the grub screw. The brake assembly is held only by two screws.There is enough room under the brake assembly to fit a bearing so I went looking for a housed bearing assemble .After failing to find one that would fit I purchased a skf bearing 626-2RSH Thats a 6mm x 19 mm x 6 mm.It fit nice over the shaft and under the brake. To secure it I simply put a couple of drops of super glue under the outer edge and the front panel.Then reassembled the vfo brake. Now the VFO is as smooth as silk with no play in the shaft at all( better than new). Of course it would be more elegant if you can find or make a housing for the bearing but the glue holds and is easily redone if it doesn't .And of course you can remove it and nobody will be the wiser. I'm sure this would work with other Icom radios like the 718 and 756 etc. Sorry about the quality of the Pics.
 

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Mine doesn't have this issue, 746 non pro, but it sure does look like a great preventitive measure. Looks like that bearing was made to be there! Thanks for the info sir.
 

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