Oedipus wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 6:26 am
Thanks for all these comments; I have found that distortion of the backplate on 5As is usually the problem, causing the pivot pins to be out of alignment. Removing the backplate is usually impossible without damaging it (and the first problem is often that the brass screws shear off when you try to slacken them, because the holes in the plate are no longer aligned with those in the bezel), so the answer is, as Orchorsol mentioned, to unsolder one of the pivot housings and re-solder it, with a close-fitting shaft such as a drill shank, held though both to keep them in line. It's is tricky, but do-able...
I don’t know if this is any help, but here goes.
A small torch, like for use in cooking has a very thin flame and can be directed easily. Use that to unsolder the housing then as you say, use a drill or similar to realign. I usually take a piece of solder, flatten it out and place it under the housing on the front of the soundbox. With one hand push down, and with the other gently use the torch to join it all together. That way it keeps it all in alignment and you can use just the right amount of heat to make the join without discolouring the nickel plating.
Learned that the hard way by once overheating it so much the pivot housing melted!