DX6i Thumb Wheel MOD
After my thumb wheel broke on me, I decided to MOD it rather than wait for a few weeks to send it in for repair. (plus I didn’t want to pay shipping both ways). Also, I tried CA, didn’t work for me.
You’ll need:
* 1/16″ allen (hex wrench)
* Dremel (cut off wheel & grinding stone)
* #1 phillips
* 1.5mm allen (to remove broken part inside POT)
There may be a hex that fits good, but I didn’t have one. A 1.5mm is too small, 2mm is too big. So I used a 1/16″ and grinded it to fit. Maybe a 3/64″ would do without grinding, if there is such a thing. I don’t know. Also, a 1.5mm would work if you glued it into the POT. I wouldn’t do it myself though.
PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS FIRST, THEN PROCEED TO WORK.
1.) Remove the 6 case screws on back of radio.
2.) Slowly remove radio’s back (there are wires attached).
3.) Remove 2 screws holding thumb wheel circuit board
4.) Remove circuit board and turn over. Thumb wheel should fall out or you may have to push it from front of radio.
5.) Use 1.5mm hex to push the broken shaft from wheel out of POT.
6.) Using cut-off wheel on dremel, cut off 1 1/8″ (29.5mm) of 1/16″ allen.
7.) Use cut off wheel to cut off what’s left of broken spindle on thumb wheel.
8.) Either drill (1/16″ bit) a hole through thumb wheel where spindle was OR heat up new hex shaft and push it through thumb wheel to create hole.
9.) Drop a couple drops of CA glue (super glue) into thumb wheel from back side.
10.) Slide hex shaft through thumb wheel.
11.) Let 15/16″ (6.5mm) of shaft stick out on POT side (a small portion will stick out back of wheel).
12.) Put a drop of CA on the shaft and thumb wheel (back side)
13.) Use grinding wheel to grind new shaft until it fits into POT. Grind opposite sides a little at a time. 6 sides then test. Repeat until shaft slides into POT.
14.) Insert thumb wheel and verify that wheel turns as easily as it did before it broke.
15.) If wheel rotates as before, then re-assemble. If not, wheel may not be centered in hole. Also, a little CA may have leaked through front side, will need to cut CA off with a blade of some sort.
You may do #13 earlier to fit POT before inserting it into thumb wheel if you like.
