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If Startgroove's idea does not pan out, I'll have to seek replacements.

I tried to knock out the pin holding the ratchet on place, but it's stuck. I'm hoping some penetrating oil will help over night. Also, took a file and addressed burs on the ratchet gear. It did improve movement a little.

Look what I discovered! The single pawl is actually a pair of independent pawls. They were bound together by hardened grease.
Thanks for all of the input!

There are two on mine as well. I didn't know that, but it makes sense. Two separate latching levers give twice the likelihood of catching the cogs at any given moment. My Victor D has two also, but the rocking latch is different. See photo below. I see the marks on the ends of those cogs where I squeezed them together in the vice. I really didn't remember there being two of them, but there is.

My serial number is 4542 and mine is also a double.

Curiosity got the best of me this morning, and the late VI also has a double pawl. Mine is No. 11888

Actually my Vic III (Serial 11225) had a double pawl as well on a double-spring motor. Guess what, both of them were messed up.

It would only stay wound if I turned the motor upside down--great for bench testing, but not so much for playing records.

Thanks to Mr. Sitko it has a single pawl now.

The ratchet gear pin loosened and I was able to remove the spring barrels and expose the pawl screw.

Next obstacle is that its not a slotted screw.
Why do they do stuff like that?

While I'm shaping an old screw driver to fit the two depression, some penetrating oil is on the screw.

Am I on the right path?

Thanks,
James.

They still do stuff like that! You have to buy a special screwdriver to open all the new laptops. I find it funny that this dates back all the way to Victor. Unless it isn't actually a screw of course.

Roaring20s wrote:The ratchet gear pin loosened and I was able to remove the spring barrels and expose the pawl screw.

Next obstacle is that its not a slotted screw.
Why do they do stuff like that?

While I'm shaping an old screw driver to fit the two depression, some penetrating oil is on the screw.

Am I on the right path?

Thanks,
James.

Vic 6 pawl screw.png

I'm no expert, but that looks to me that it's a stud that's been "staked" in place. I could be wrong...

Thanks Fran, that's new to me.
I googled that and your observation seems correct.

I didn't find a removal method online.
Has anyone here freed this type of locking method with simple tools?
A Dremel, working it just past the bound area?

James.

Thanks for all of the help and suggestions.

I abandon the pawl removal.

I went ahead and cleaned all of the grease off the pawls by rinsing them and wiping them with ammonia, until they moved freely on the stud. And that's the way they will be. No grease or oil for these parts.

The ratchet gear was worn and had some damage from the pawls not functioning properly. Three teeth in a row would not catch when I slowly cranked it up. They would intermittently grab with regular winding. I plan to use this machine regularly, so ignoring this is not an option for me.

George Velloma had a replacement for the worn ratchet gear. I installed it today. The pawls swing freely and catch all teeth as they should.



James.