viking valiant

[Rodger]

Jack,

It has been awhile since I have been inside my Valiant but I seem to 
recall that there are two brackets on either side of the top of the VFO 
that attach to the front panel so this may be where your missing parts 
should go.

The brass piece does contain the ball reduction drive and it may need 
cleaning and lubrication while you have it out.  On most of the Johnson 
gear I have that use these I have had to take them apart, clean out the 
old grease, and relube.  Just take digital photos or make a diagram as 
you take it apart so that you can put it back together properly (but 
there are not many parts so it is pretty simple-just don't lose the ball 
bearings inside).  If you do have to take it apart when you tighten the 
two halves of the brass housing back together this sets the load on the 
ball reduction unit.  If it is too loose the drive will slip, too tight 
and the tuning will be very stiff.  Set it by feel and it is not that 
critical.  The pointer mounts to the shaft driving the VFO tuning 
capacitor so the orientation of the reduction drive doesn't affect it.

CAUTION:  Whenever you have reason to turn the Valiant upside down first 
loosen the screws on the phenolic coupler on the VFO or otherwise this 
fragile part is likely to break!

While you have things apart, replace the VR tube dropping resistor in 
the VFO with a higher wattage unit (10 watts is good).  This can be done 
through the side of the VFO case and does not require complete VFO 
disassembly.

Also check the wiring to the 866A tube cathodes, in early Valiants 
regular hookup wire was used and it is not up to the voltage (since the 
HV appears on these wires).  The result is the wires arc and short to 
ground potentially taking out the low voltage transformer which supplies 
the heater voltage for the 866A tubes.  If you are using tube 
rectifiers, either use good quality heat shrink to provide additional 
insulation over these wires or replace the wire with better insulated 
wire.  If you have gone to SS HV rectifiers, then unsolder these leads 
and insulate the ends which will keep the HV off of the leads (and the 
LV transformer).

73, Rodger WQ9E

Jack Schrader wrote:
> Just about got my newly aquired back together but #1 I've got two small 'L' shaped brackets that I don't remember where they go. The long side has about 1/4" hole in it and the longer side has about a 1/16" hole in it. Can someone tell me where they go? 
>
> Question #2 is about the brass fixture that is on the vfo shaft and how fo I set the dial pointer. Is this brass piece some sort of gear reduction.
>
> Tnx & 73
>
> Jack
>
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