Any recommendations for lubing up the typewriter buttons while they are installed? Can you just squirt some Wd40.. on the mechanism - same for the heater vent buttons. Mine seem kind of sticky and sluggish.
Lubrication Push Button Shifter
- Thread starter Stumper
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WD-40 probably isn't the best thing to use but it's not too bad on cleaning things. Not sure what you could use while it's installed....
The problem is probably the 50 years of dust & dirt that have accumulated over time, along with the natural wear on them.
I took all mine out when my '63 went into the restoration process.
A good soaking to remove rust, and grime, cleaned, and refinished what I could.
I also hunted down newer button slides, as the old were worn down quite a bit.
Lubed the cables and meshing parts in the assemblies.
They seem to work much nicer now, still need to road test...
I took all mine out when my '63 went into the restoration process.
A good soaking to remove rust, and grime, cleaned, and refinished what I could.
I also hunted down newer button slides, as the old were worn down quite a bit.
Lubed the cables and meshing parts in the assemblies.
They seem to work much nicer now, still need to road test...
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Only lube I used on mine was a dry silicone spray. Goes on wet then drys leaving a protective coating with some lubrication properties. WD40 or any other oil will attract dust and dirt.
Great advice. I would have opted for the product you’re suggesting and for the reasons why you post. When I re-did mine on my ’63 a few years ago, used a Teflon spray coating product I had on the shelf after cleaning the assembly. As for button restoration, after some trial & error, having old spare buttons, came up with a method I’m happy with for the face of the buttons with fresh bright-white paint that’s easy to re-do every few years if they get grimy looking.
Good points about WD attracting dirt. While it’s a decent solvent / lube the results might be short lived. I really- really don’t want to get under the dash to work on it. I’d rather pull a motor than work under the dash. Too old and fat for that crap anymore….
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Lol, can’t count how many times I’ve been under a dash, like a lot of us. Some years ago I decided to remove one or both bucket seats before I need to get under the dash; but the body profile necessary to lift and get the seat out of the car isn’t a cake-walk either unless you have another pair of hands assisting from the other side. Another advantage of the buckets I put in dropping the bench I hadn't thought of. Another advantage is having a top that drops that helps. And another lol, getting a vert just so it's easier to take the friggn seats out. When I replaced the bulkhead about a year ago, I was glad I could do this from the topside dreading trying to do this underneath. Ma mopar provided just enough wire slack to make this doable; I'm sure wasn't part of the engineering plan. Geez, how many lol's can I insert here?
In any case having the button assembly out to clean it and apply a rust preventative lube will likely last another 40 years. With mine that means I shouldn’t need to mess with them again until I’m around 105
In any case having the button assembly out to clean it and apply a rust preventative lube will likely last another 40 years. With mine that means I shouldn’t need to mess with them again until I’m around 105
My bet it is the cable
Doug
Doug
Contact cleaner works great for getting all the dirt and gum out. I use Electro Wash. But Deoxit or similar will work. Use that before you try the other spray lubes.
Contact cleaner would be great if the mechanism was out on the bench. Wouldn’t want to be laying under the dash spraying it though.
Gotta tell a story here. About 10 -12 years ago I was up under the dash on my other 62’ Savoy. Had my legs up on the seat, back on the floor(passenger side) and was quite comfortably working on wiring. When it came time to get up my muscles simply would not allow me to get up. Try as I might I could not get up. My cell phone was up on the work bench… After fighting and trying for a half hour I gave up, laying there thinking how the hell I was going to get out, when my wife came out to the garage to tell me she was turning in. It was a source of laughs for weeks afterwards. And I was still in my 50s back then…
Gotta tell a story here. About 10 -12 years ago I was up under the dash on my other 62’ Savoy. Had my legs up on the seat, back on the floor(passenger side) and was quite comfortably working on wiring. When it came time to get up my muscles simply would not allow me to get up. Try as I might I could not get up. My cell phone was up on the work bench… After fighting and trying for a half hour I gave up, laying there thinking how the hell I was going to get out, when my wife came out to the garage to tell me she was turning in. It was a source of laughs for weeks afterwards. And I was still in my 50s back then…
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If you can remove the faceplate there is only two screws that hold the mechanism to the dash. It has enough cable to drop it out from under the dash to work on it. Have to be careful with the wire to the switch. It will need to be unplugged. It might be more involved than the Dodge though.
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