Balance Wheel Location...

[NigelTufnel]

Hi Everyone,

A little background:  I have a Seiko diver with a 4R36A movement in it. I was attempting to regulate it and (unfortunately) read about having equal amplitude and in attempting to change that the balance wheel stopped working.  TBH, the watch always kept terrible time so I didn't think I could really make things worse until it totally stopped.  Anyway, I took the balance cock out, and I notice that the balance wheel does not want to center on the cap jewel, but far towards the pins.  Moving the hair spring stud seems to move the center of the balance wheel a great deal.

Is this something I need to fix before attempting to re-install it, or is this OK and so long as the balance wheel ends are in the right place it will be fine?

[ColdWind]

Sounds like you've messed up your hairspring, depends on how messed up it is, it either needs to be bend back to shape which is unfortunately not an easy job for amateur and beginner, or it needs to be replace.

Some pictures would really help also.

[HectorLooi]

Nice close up photos of the balance would help. Hopefully the pivots of the balance are not broken.

[Nucejoe]

Clear close up image of both balance pivots and the coil, please.

Rgds

[NigelTufnel]

Hi everyone,

Sorry I don't have pics but I took a good look and it does have a bent about 180 degrees away from the stud that's causing the end to cross over the rest of the spring.  I'm OK with replacing the balance at this point, and using this to practice on, but have a couple of questions.

1.  The manual recommends putting the balance in first, then attaching the hairspring stud to the balance cock.   Is that the right way to go? I've seen videos of repairs with the complete balance cock assembly being put in, with the balance wheel dangling from it. 

2.  Are there any "upgrades" in terms of a better balance wheel/and/or balance cock which are drop-in replacements?

[NigelTufnel]

I'll try to get pictures tomorrow.  I should throw in some history here.

The first major offense the watch suffered was that I forgot it was a pair of pants before washing them.  A nearby watchmaker at the time charged me $150 for the part and replacement.  The watch didn't keep great time before, and it didn't just before I really messed it up.  I got the time more or less but the amplitude was +1.5 ms, so I attempted to adjust the end stud location for amplitude and that's when it totally froze on me.  Removing the balance cock and attempting to replace the balance I noticed the complete not-centering behavior of the spring. 

It sounds like the best way to proceed now is to get a new balance wheel?  I don't mind the cost, and happy to use the old one for practice.

[Nucejoe]

Ask/ google for ::        Seiko 4R36A ,    BALANCE COMPLETE.

 

 

 

 

[NigelTufnel]

Hey @Nucejoe

Thanks so much, a lot of what I get back is ebay dealers.  Is there a preferred store for Seiko parts?