Explorer XS Cam-Lock

[Jeff in Pa]

I have a real nice XS that looks like it was barely ever used but it does have the "Movement" in the area where the upper shaft goes into the main unit. Is there anything I can do that will tighten this up?

Thanks for any help

Jeff

 

[john sullivan]

turn it 180

 

[Jeff in Pa]

I have it turned so that the longer side is down toward the handle that way it can go in as deep as possible. Any other suggestions?

 

[MikeO]

An old trick that works very well and was a discussion/fix back here on FM when the XS first came out in 1999 was to use a small thin balloon over the end of the shaft that goes into the control housing.
Just go to a dollar store and pick up some real small thin balloon's. Slip it over the end of the shaft and pop a whole in the end so the coil wire can pass through and then insert it into the housing and that will help.
I had to do this on my XS back in late 2000 and it worked wonders.

The early models also did not have a dimple in the shaft. That would along with play allow the shaft to slip out of the housing easily.
ML later made the shafts with a slight dimple on them to help counteract this.

Also, you should look closely at the Cam-lock where the pin is as many of the XS models had problems with very light cracking at the Cam-lock pin area.
It is really nothing to worry to much about as long as it is not drastic but, the quicker you can stabilize the play the less chance of future problems.



PS: DO NOT turn the shaft so that the longest taper is at the top as you will assure yourself of a shaft that will slip out.

 

[Jeff in Pa]

-- moved topic --

 

[Jeff in Pa]

Thanks Mike! I will definately give that a try.

 

[Badger in NH]

Over time the cam locks compress the tubing.

Try taking a small dowell and ever so slightly widen the sides of the opening in the end of the tube.

Just do it a tiny bit at a time.

That should make it fit good as new.

 

[Jeff in Pa]

I ended up putting one layer of a heavy white tape on three sides of it. It works perfect. Its just as tight as my SE Pro is.