I've worked on a couple of EMs now but there is one problem that I consistently have trouble fixing. That problem is score reels that bind when turning over to digit 9. I can clean the entire assembly so everything is bright and shiny. I can adjust the switches (0 position, 1-8 position and 9 position) until the gaps are perfect and I am blue in the face. Usually the reel works perfectly from 0-8. However, 50% of the time, the reel will still have trouble clocking over to 9.

I typically have this problem with reels that have a circuit board attached. If I remove the circuit board and hold the reel in place on the spindle, the reels move much more smoothly, and sometimes the problem goes away. However, I can't reinstall a score reel without a circuit board! I always clean the board to make sure there's no dry grease on it.

I normally don't like taking "shortcuts" but I find that taking a few turns off the plunger return spring is like magic. The reels snap from digit to digit very nicely whenever I do that. It's fantastic. So, is this actually a "shortcut" as suggested by Clay's guide? Or is this a legitimate way to solve the issue of reels hanging at 9? If anyone can suggest what I might be doing wrong when cleaning and adjusting these reels, I'd appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!