Swap BTF 4130 Balance Bridge

[Korder]

Hello guys,

I have a BTF 116500 Daytona with a broken balance staff.

As I was only able to source the complete movement, I started doing my own research and found a Dandong 4130 complete balance on AliExpress. Is it possible to place it in the BTF 4130 movement?

Otherwise, can a Dandong 4801 do the job? Do dial’s feets and counter hand’s pivots fit?

Thank you!

 

[MaximillianGT]

DD 4130 balance can do the job, a gen balance can do too.

 

[Korder]

DD 4130 balance can do the job, a gen balance can do too.

Are you sure? I heard the gen balance staff has longer pivots than the clone.

Thank you for your answer.

 

[MaximillianGT]

Are you sure? I heard the gen balance staff has longer pivots than the clone.

Thank you for your answer.

I didn't hear, I did it:

My Reps Journal (Daytona, Subs, SD43, PP 5711, vintage 1016 and so on)

I’ve been here for half a year now and haven’t written much about my watch journey, so here we go with a bit of self-introduction. I’ve chosen to keep this thread alive in case of further updates in the future, like a journal for my 116500 Franken project. I hail from Regensburg in Bavaria...

forum.replica-watch.info

 

[Korder]

I didn't hear, I did it:

My Reps Journal (Daytona, Subs, SD43, PP 5711, vintage 1016 and so on)

I’ve been here for half a year now and haven’t written much about my watch journey, so here we go with a bit of self-introduction. I’ve chosen to keep this thread alive in case of further updates in the future, like a journal for my 116500 Franken project. I hail from Regensburg in Bavaria...

forum.replica-watch.info

Bravo.

 

[Reaps]

Buy a new 4130 on Aliexpress. While swapping with gen balance is ultra cool it will cost you more than an entire new replica of the BTF.

 

[Korder]

Buy a new 4130 on Aliexpress. While swapping with gen balance is ultra cool it will cost you more than an entire new replica of the BTF.

I agree it’s always more advisable to just swap the entire movement, but now I’m confident the complete balance I found on AliExpress will do the job.

 

[Slugger]

I agree it’s always more advisable to just swap the entire movement, but now I’m confident the complete balance I found on AliExpress will do the job.

Ergo, it is not “always more advisable to just swap the entire movement.”

 

[Korder]

Ergo, it is not “always more advisable to just swap the entire movement.”

It’s no secret that changing a broken movement with a brand new movement gives you a 100% guarantees it will work.

 

[Slugger]

It’s no secret that changing a broken movement with a brand new movement gives you a 100% guarantees it will work.

True, but the satisfaction that comes from fixing something is pretty darn satisfying.

 

[Karbon74]

True, but the satisfaction that comes from fixing something is pretty darn satisfying.

100%
I changed a balance wheel assembly for the first time two months ago.
At that time my cheap timegrapher was screwed but i did not know

It took me hours of tinkering until i decided to test the damn thing on a NH38…and threw the gadget away afterwards for a weishi

Got the mvt to nice numbers…so satisfying

 

[dogwood]

Hello guys,

I have a BTF 116500 Daytona with a broken balance staff.

As I was only able to source the complete movement, I started doing my own research and found a Dandong 4130 complete balance on AliExpress. Is it possible to place it in the BTF 4130 movement?

Otherwise, can a Dandong 4801 do the job? Do dial’s feets and counter hand’s pivots fit?

Thank you!

Yes a DD4130 balance from AliExpress will be a drop in replacement for the balance in your BTF 116500 because the BTF 116500 uses a DD4130 movement. And while I can see the logic in buying a complete movement to swap in instead of just replacing the balance, it's actually a more involved job to swap a complete 4130 movement than it is to just swap the balance. The balance is secured by two screws, remove them, put the new balance in, make sure the impulse pin is on the right side of the pallet fork, and it should just start ticking... then screw it down. If you replace the whole movement you'll need to put the dial on, re-press the hands (getting the alignment isn't easy), and you'll risk upsetting the keyless works when you remove the stem.

 

[Korder]

Hello guys,

Final update: I successfully replaced the balance with the new one, made some adjustments on the timegrapher and it ran smoothly.

Thank you all for your support!