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TIPS FOR RESTORING WICO LEAF JOYSTICKS
Boris the Spider:
--- Quote from: menace on February 09, 2004, 06:57:46 am ---Any wico's I've restored fell into two categories--the shaft was seized to the rubber grommet insert or the shaft wasn't. if it is seized you can use so liquid wrench or other anti-seize compound and keep at it ofr a day or two (it will come unstuck), or, as I'm more prone to do--coat it with wd-40 and smack it with a hammer until it becomes unstuck ;) if you go the hammer route make sure you leave the retaining clip in the grooveso it doesn't become deformed.
--- End quote ---
I recieved some old Wicos recently and all these restoring tips were great! I do have a number of sticks with gromets siezed to the stick. I've used liquid wrench for a few days now and still can't seem to jar them loose. I can't get a good angle to hit it with the hammer because the mounting plate is still around the stick an you can't hit the gromet from the top to knock it downwards. If I go from an angle, its going to end up bending the gromet. Anyone have any other tips for removing a siezed gromet? Some way I can get some leverage on that puppy!?
I was amazed at how clean the sticks ended up after using these restoring tips. The stick in the drill to sand it clean worked awesome to bring back the shiny metal....and some polishing coumpound with a cloth cleaner drill bit took off almost all the crud on the ball, follow that up with a buffing compound and they look great...just the deep nicks are left. A little warm soap and water on the plastic parts and they look almost new again!
About the lubrication, should I use oil, wd-40, or grease?
torez:
You can try lithium grease.
NightGod:
I would be inclined to use a dry lubricant, to help prevent gumming up the stick, but don't have first hand experience.
Boris the Spider:
I was about to go with the lithium grease because I had just bought some a few days ago...but then I read some more posts and found that food grade silcone spray works well also and you don't have to worry about it harming the rubber grommet so you can use it liberally....and it may actually help to protect the grommet as well. The petroleum in lithium grease will harm the rubber.
NoOne=NBA=:
I've been using silicone on all my sticks, and can say they are only better for the experience.
I have yet to see any downside to this method.
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