C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

[Rey S.]

To the membership of NCRS:
I have put new balls and felts in to my lower dash air vents but they are now so stiff that they are almost impossible to adjust. Is there any thing that can be done to improve mobility of the balls when everything is assembled??????
Thanks

[Jim D.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

I've used Silicone Fabric Spray on window felts that were so tight that the window would hardly go up & down. I actually thought the regulator would break due to the required force. A quick spray of this stuff and the windows easily glide up & down with very little effort and it only required one treatment. I hate to phrase it this way but - spray some on your balls and I think it will solve your problem. You can get it at most fabric stores - http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...icone+spray.do

[Mark E.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

As Jim suggests, it may be dry balls. See similar threads below discussing the other possible misfortune of dirty, sticky balls.

Or could it be your balls are too big?

[Tom L.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

Had the same problem on my '72 with repro balls. I think their balls are just too big. Before re-installed the lower dashes I used washers to space the retainers away to relieve the pressure on the balls. Seemed to work. Good luck with your balls.

This is really sounding strange....

[Bill C.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

I sent my originals out to be rechromed.
best way to handle it.

the repros are wrong.

then you can matt black the parts and they will work very nice!

Instrument Specialties in RI.

http://www.instrument-specialties.com/services/plastic-chrome-bezels/

Bill

[Edward J.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

Ray, another solution is to reuse the old felts, I used the repro ducts with the old felts 5 years later and still work great. Just re-attach the felts if they have become un glued.

[Bill C.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

just FYI...

the repro balls are configured in correctly compared to originals. If a knowledgeable interior judge is looking, you might get a very small deduct.

if this is not an issue, then what Ed Johnson says above it the best way to resolve it.

[Don L.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

Ray, another solution is to reuse the old felts, I used the repro ducts with the old felts 5 years later and still work great. Just re-attach the felts if they have become un glued.

+1 here. I had read that this was a problem, so I re-used my original felts. New felts are way thicker than the original stuff. I also think the mold parting line on the reproduction diverters (vs balls) causes some of the binding. Originals have little to no visible parting line. Repos have a distinct line around the perimeter where the injection mold opens/closes to manufacture the part.

If you don't have originals, you might try to use the reproduction diverter but go to a fabric shop and get thinner felt material and glue it in instead of the felt that comes with the reproduction kit.

BTW, not sure if you know this or not, but the diverters can be removed from the dash without that pesky disassembly. Just turn the diverter so that the vent openings are perpendicular to the dash, grab hold of the diverter from each ends' vent openings and pull with one hand while holding the dash pad back with the other hand. Re-install the same way. I think I used some interior clean and shine spray to lubricate on removal and install. This worked perfectly for me.

I hope this helps.

[Rey S.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

After reading all these replies I got my trusty Helios Calipers out and took some measurements. The old balls (original as built???) measured 2.98 dia. were as the new reproduction units came at 3.25 dia. This being said the my old balls are still to big for the vent assembly. So it's back to the shims. Thanks for all the advice.

[Edward J.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

Yes Don, this is the way I installed, I Brought the diverters a few years ago And noted that there were some minor differences but had no issues with Judging. BTW its a little cold to install like Don and I did you'll want a warm day so the vinyl is flexible.

[Russ S.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

Rey, Are you sure on your measurements? That is a 1/4 inch difference.

After reading all these replies I got my trusty Helios Calipers out and took some measurements. The old balls (original as built???) measured 2.98 dia. were as the new reproduction units came at 3.25 dia. This being said the my old balls are still to big for the vent assembly. So it's back to the shims. Thanks for all the advice.

[Tom L.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

It's a while since I did this but from memory I's say that I had to put nearly 1/4" of shims on the cage. Without the shims the cage that holds them in place was visibly bending. If it helps I could try to take a pic under the dash if you'd like.

[Rey S.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

OK -- After reading all the replies I received regarding "my Balls" what I wound up using is in the main body of the air vent I used "original style" felt. For the retainer ring I wound up with peel and stick Velcro female side. I cut a strip to 3/8" wide and placed into the outer ring. Assembled the vent and it works 99% perfect.
As far as removing the ring goes I do not recommend "turning the ball side ways and pulling it out" as due to the age of the rings which after all the years of aging mine have become quite brittle lending itself to cracking. So if you wish to try pulling at least lube the ball with something which I did not do. Mine cracked, fortunately my dash panels are out of the car so no problem getting to the air vents.
Thanks for all the help.

[Rey S.]

Re: C-3 dash Air Vent Balls

Reply to Russ S. -- My bad, I got the decimal point in the wrong place. It should read 3.025 dia. Thanks for the heads up