VS3235 movement teardown

[WatchSmith.US]

Great bit of info, thanks for this!

I did end up digging a bit more info on these movements (should have done it before the service as it would have saved me two strip-downs, the escape wheel jewels are the most fun to work with, lol)

The mainspring on this one had a bit too much barrel grease transferred onto it but won’t change it just yet.

240-256

Now I can leave it as it is


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i had a broken spring on one escape wheel jewel and one that absolutely refused to come apart. Damn good running movement though. I’m also running gen balance, pallet fork and escape wheel, and auto wind system.

 

[PsychoTee16]

Amplitude is not high on these vs movements. My VS3235 measured 258° at full wind and a my gen 3230 movement measured 291° at full wind. What’s your running?

It’s those darn mainsprings!

I’ve seen as low as 230 and as high as 265 (at 52 lift angle). I always shoot for a minimum of 235, as long as timing is consistent in all positions and the power reserve is good.

Start slapping in gen parts, the amp will go up as you’ve indicated.

 

[Solution6]

It’s those darn mainsprings!

I’ve seen as low as 230 and as high as 265 (at 52 lift angle). I always shoot for a minimum of 235, as long as timing is consistent in all positions and the power reserve is good.

Start slapping in gen parts, the amp will go up as you’ve indicated.

I know there’s a megathread regarding this movement so apologies for repeating it - looks like Rolex swaps out the barrel complete and doesn’t change just the mainspring, mainly due to the thickness of the barrel walls, as this might cause damage.

Not sure if this applies to reps as well and if anyone swapped out the mainspring from the barrel.

This was mine, a bit of dried up and brittle black gunk on the sides, reckon whatever they used for the walls wasn’t as good as the P125.

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[WatchSmith.US]

I know there’s a megathread regarding this movement so apologies for repeating it - looks like Rolex swaps out the barrel complete and doesn’t change just the mainspring, mainly due to the thickness of the barrel walls, as this might cause damage.

Not sure if this applies to reps as well and if anyone swapped out the mainspring from the barrel.

This was mine, a bit of dried up and brittle black gunk on the sides, reckon whatever they used for the walls wasn’t as good as the P125.

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I haven’t disassembled a 3235 mainspring barrel per Rolex stating the walls are thin and deformation is possible. Are you able to find a replacement mainspring?

 

[Solution6]

I haven’t disassembled a 3235 mainspring barrel per Rolex stating the walls are thin and deformation is possible. Are you able to find a replacement mainspring?

Yes, Swiss made mainspring on its way, £28 including delivery from Gleave & Co. Watch Parts.

I’ll use it for a future project as this one’s running well, good amp especially after updating the lift angle.


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[PsychoTee16]

I know there’s a megathread regarding this movement so apologies for repeating it - looks like Rolex swaps out the barrel complete and doesn’t change just the mainspring, mainly due to the thickness of the barrel walls, as this might cause damage.

Not sure if this applies to reps as well and if anyone swapped out the mainspring from the barrel.

This was mine, a bit of dried up and brittle black gunk on the sides, reckon whatever they used for the walls wasn’t as good as the P125.

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Did you take the mainspring out? What size winder did you use to put it back in, if so?

 

[Solution6]

Did you take the mainspring out? What size winder did you use to put it back in, if so?

Didn’t take it out but it was a 11.5mm barrel, 2.3 mm crank, left hand spring. (My digital calipers were playing up so there might be a bit of +/- in those numbers)


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[techno89]

Was hoping someone could help clear up something for me. I have a VSF 126333 I'm considering doing a Franken project on. Is B3235-111-K1 the right date disc for this watch, will it fit? I was considering doing a gen dial, hands, and date wheel.

bill33 is that what you were saying on page 4? That part no would fit the VSF DJ41?

 

[Solution6]

:nerd:Yet another mystery with this movement - anyone had issues with the date change?

Quick set works fine, but the 24 jumps half way and then changes completely a few hours after 12.

These should pre-tension before the 12 o'clock jump but regardless of being in the 'danger zone' date change or not this is still mis-behaving.

Gen datewheel and rep behave the same.

 

[WatchSmith.US]

:nerd:Yet another mystery with this movement - anyone had issues with the date change?

Quick set works fine, but the 24 jumps half way and then changes completely a few hours after 12.

These should pre-tension before the 12 o'clock jump but regardless of being in the 'danger zone' date change or not this is still mis-behaving.

Gen datewheel and rep behave the same.

.
.
Check to see if the two faces on the date jumper have adequate lubrication.

 

[Solution6]

.
.
Check to see if the two faces on the date jumper have adequate lubrication.

Thank you kindly for the advice.

All was well there but ended up changing the calendar wheel as it wasn’t engaging correctly.

Quite the mystery as it was a simple date wheel swap.

Seen this on two movements already


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[Nikz19]

Thank you kindly for the advice.

All was well there but ended up changing the calendar wheel as it wasn’t engaging correctly.

Quite the mystery as it was a simple date wheel swap.

Seen this on two movements already


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All you need to do in this situation is to add tension to the spring, it happens on 3135s too. Pull it (carefully, or it’ll breaks) and you’ve solved your issue

 

[bill33]

Was hoping someone could help clear up something for me. I have a VSF 126333 I'm considering doing a Franken project on. Is B3235-111-K1 the right date disc for this watch, will it fit? I was considering doing a gen dial, hands, and date wheel.

bill33 is that what you were saying on page 4? That part no would fit the VSF DJ41?

Sorry mate, I’ve only just seen this. Yes that’s the correct disc for a DJ41.

 

[bill33]

Was hoping someone could help clear up something for me. I have a VSF 126333 I'm considering doing a Franken project on. Is B3235-111-K1 the right date disc for this watch, will it fit? I was considering doing a gen dial, hands, and date wheel.

bill33 is that what you were saying on page 4? That part no would fit the VSF DJ41?

Sorry mate, I’ve only just seen this. Yes that’s the correct disc for a DJ41.

 

[john doe iii]

I have a VSF DJ that had a bent seconds hand pinion. Upon trying to straighten it out, it broke off so now I am left without a seconds hand. Any idea how to repair and if gen part will work?


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[bertieng]

I have a VSF DJ that had a bent seconds hand pinion. Upon trying to straighten it out, it broke off so now I am left without a seconds hand. Any idea how to repair and if gen part will work?


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Afraid the seconds hand can't be fixed if the pinion is broken.
Either contact the TD for the availability of spare parts or swap in a gen if the VSF movt is a clone.

 

[butler182]

Hey guys, just picked up a VSF 126610LN (M2M) and the VS3235 movement has a sticky issue (pun intended!). Periodically throughout the day the hour and minute hands stick in place for roughly 3-10 minutes chunks of time over roughly 10 minute marker segments (eg from 5:50-6:00 or 11:30-11:40, etc.). So, for example, it recently took 30 minutes for the watch hands to proceed only 9 minutes from 5:51 to 6:00. Below is a the video link showing this (video below is only 15 minutes long due to youtube restrictions...but you will get the idea). After this particular 30 minute "sticky" episode (and others), the watch began to run properly. The watch is losing around 10-20 minutes during each of these sticky episodes (time loss is not consistent each time).

Any idea what is going here and how best to fix? I don't think it's a hand seating issue (ie hands loose on the post) given both the hour and minutes hands are sticking at precisely the same time and for roughly 10 minute marker segments each time. Also, I've noticed when setting the time, the hands feel super loose (ie very little resistance when turning the crown to adjust time) compared to my 2 other VS3235 movements (which are both working flawlessly thus far).

Please help!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LW6SyasG7o

 

[ombre]

Hey guys, just picked up a VSF 126610LN (M2M) and the VS3235 movement has a sticky issue (pun intended!). Periodically throughout the day the hour and minute hands stick in place for roughly 3-10 minutes chunks of time over roughly 10 minute marker segments (eg from 5:50-6:00 or 11:30-11:40, etc.). So, for example, it recently took 30 minutes for the watch hands to proceed only 9 minutes from 5:51 to 6:00. Below is a the video link showing this (video below is only 15 minutes long due to youtube restrictions...but you will get the idea). After this particular 30 minute "sticky" episode (and others), the watch began to run properly. The watch is losing around 10-20 minutes during each of these sticky episodes (time loss is not consistent each time).

Any idea what is going here and how best to fix? I don't think it's a hand seating issue (ie hands loose on the post) given both the hour and minutes hands are sticking at precisely the same time and for roughly 10 minute marker segments each time. Also, I've noticed when setting the time, the hands feel super loose (ie very little resistance when turning the crown to adjust time) compared to my 2 other VS3235 movements (which are both working flawlessly thus far).

Please help!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LW6SyasG7o

My VSF 126610 just started doing this same thing. I am thinking that it is being caused by a loose cannon pinion. I had a VS3135 that had very similar problems and it turned out to be a loose cannon pinion. I am hoping that Michal can fix it when I send it out to him.

 

[butler182]

My VSF 126610 just started doing this same thing. I am thinking that it is being caused by a loose cannon pinion. I had a VS3135 that had very similar problems and it turned out to be a loose cannon pinion. I am hoping that Michal can fix it when I send it out to him.

I think mine had a loose cannon pinion as well. The watchmaker who worked on it spoke very little english and wrote on the receipt "fix center wheel". It cost me $125 for what I suspect was a very simple squeeze of the cannon pinion. I would have done it myself, but I have very limited experience working on movements and it wasn't clear to me how difficult it would be to access the cannon pinion. If there was a guide or video on the topic, I would have attempted it myself, but given the difficulty in sourcing parts for this movement, I didn't want to risk it. The movements runs flawlessly since the repair....keeps near perfect time (+1s/day)! Good luck with yours.

 

[ombre]

I think mine had a loose cannon pinion as well. The watchmaker who worked on it spoke very little english and wrote on the receipt "fix center wheel". It cost me $125 for what I suspect was a very simple squeeze of the cannon pinion. I would have done it myself, but I have very limited experience working on movements and it wasn't clear to me how difficult it would be to access the cannon pinion. If there was a guide or video on the topic, I would have attempted it myself, but given the difficulty in sourcing parts for this movement, I didn't want to risk it. The movements runs flawlessly since the repair....keeps near perfect time (+1s/day)! Good luck with yours.

I am glad to hear that yours was fixed. For the same reasons as you, this isn't something that I will try. Hopefully Michal tells me that it's simple a loose cannon pinion when he does the service. I plan on keeping this watch for some time and plan on adding a gen setting lever and intermediate winding wheel - the one with the spring washer - since those have been noted to fail by other members.

I just happend to notice it the other day. When I looked at the time it was an hour behind. I just thought I set the time wrong until I noticed it was behind after setting it again. I will post back when / if it gets fixed. Fingers crossed.