302 dial cardholder ring removal?

[HobieSport]

How do we remove the cardholder ring in the center of the 5H dial?  I see two pair of holes on each side of the ring.  Special tool?  Special trick?  I'm a beginner and sure don't want to mess it up. I searched the forum and elsewhere and couldn't find the answer.  I am at your mercy...    -Matt

[Dennis Markham]

Matt,

There are two tabs that hold the retainer ring onto the finger wheel.  The one at the top of the wheel is smaller than the one on the bottom.  Carefully, using a finger nail just squeeze down on the upper tab and pull it away from the wheel, toward you.  It will be obvious how it attaches after that.  Often you see them scratched where people use a sharp object, like a screw drive to pry down on the tab.  Let me know if you need an illustration, I can send a photo.

Dennis

[benhutcherson]

Take a small screwdriver and push down on the top part of the ring, near the top slot. You can then lift the top part forward, and you should be able to lift the whole thing loose.

[HobieSport]

Got it!  Thanks guys!    -Matt

[bingster]

Be careful when replacing the ring.  Push inward on that little tab BEFORE you begin pushing the ring down into place.  Otherwise, it's very easy to scrape the paint of the fingerwheel when replacing the ring.

[Netdewt]

Is this procedure similar for a 554?

[Dennis Markham]

Netdewt, it is the same if you are talking about a metal finger wheel.  If the dial card retainer ring is plastic, be extremely careful.  I have broken tab by pushing too hard.  Once that happens you may as well start shopping for a replacement.

[Netdewt]

I have a black 554 with metal dial, so is the dialcard ring metal also?

[Dennis Markham]

Most of them are metal, but many were made of plastic in the later years.  Very early ones appear to be painted brass, or at least the metal is brass colored.

[cihensley@aol.com]

If you don't want to use a finger nail or a small screwdriver,  which has the potential to scratch the finger wheel, make your own tool like the one used by Bell System installers. The tool (445A) is shown in BSP 028-300-801. I have never seen an original one for sale. Gary Goff borrowed one from someone several years ago and had a local machinist make 10 of them. I purchased one of them. I have since made one that I think is better. I will produce a drawing of how to do it and post it if I can figure out how. Better yet, send me an email and I will send back a copy of my drawing. You can make one in an hour or less.

[Dennis Markham]

Charles, if you will e-mail me the diagram I'll be glad to post it on the forum.

~Dennis

[Dennis Markham]

Attached is a PDF file that Charles Hensley provided showing how to create a tool to remove the dial card retainer rings off Western Electric finger wheels.

Thank you, Charles.

[bingster]

I don't understand where you put the point.  Or do you just slip it between the retainer and fingerwheel anywhere toward the top?

[cihensley@aol.com]

The point goes in one of the two slots at the top of the number card retaining ring.