Tuning Learn from my mistake with my FX Maverick

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MosesM

Member
Apr 21, 2015
63
7
PA, United States
I was switching hammers on my Maverick this morning and, as usual, I was really paranoid about losing the tiny detent ball under the power wheel. I have a pretty significant tremor that makes working with small parts tough at times. So when I went to reinstall I put the gun, muzzle down on a microfiber towel (in case I dropped the ball) and put the wheel back on. Found out the detent ball wasn't in place, removed the wheel and ---- no detent ball...

Looked on the towel, looked in the back of the gun, shook the gun to see if I could hear a rattle - nothing! Gave the gun a few light bumps on the butt end, still nothing. I was not happy. Fired off an email to FX for a new ball, and then crawled all over the floor (remember now, I'm almost 70, the knees don't like that) - still couldn't find it. Put on pretty bright headlamp, and now, when I looked at the butt end, I thought I could see a gleam, possibly rounded, in the bottom of the hole where the screw for the power wheel goes in. So I placed the microfiber on the floor and gave the gun a few pretty good raps butt down and there was the detent ball!

LESSON: Always reinstall the power wheel with the gun lying horizontally! Just put a dab of grease over the spring where the detent ball sits and it should stay in place as you tighten the wheel down. And you might save yourself an hour or so of cursing ;-)

Moses in PA
 
That little ball :-( yes i dropped mine too.

Anyway it should be a short pin with rounded end / ends ( 5-6 mm ) with a little spring behind it nested in a deeper hole ( 10 - 12 mm depending on spring length ), so it would always remain in place, or if you loose it, then it is 3 X larger and more easy to spot.

I know the way FX have done it not uncommon in many similar wheels where you need a click for some reason, but for something that "you need" to take apart, it is a less thought thru design.
 
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Those detent balls are used on all fx adjustment knobs like power wheels along with the impact safety’s. Anytime I’m getting ready to remove something with one of those balls underneath I have an earth magnet tool on the other hand, right next to the power wheel as I’m removing it. The ball and sometimes the spring, just jump right into that magnet the minute I lift the power wheel off.
 
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Buying a bag of those balls is the best idea. I don't imagine them being expensive. I actually agree with FX decision to use the little balls. They are cheap and easily replaced with a part one can buy from eBay, Amazon or an industrial supply store. FX needs to be competitive in pricing and any custom part will increase its cost and eventually the price to the consumer. Some might argue FX guns are expensive. Yes, they are but they are not overly greedy in their pricing for a low volume high quality consumer product.
 
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I have a bag of almost 50 of those balls, lol. Every once in a while grease gets too thin, and one tries to escape. Normally I find it. But I dont lose anymore hair if I don't
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Click to expand...

Where do you buy them? What’s the best method to size them?
 
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