Rollei 35 S - front element/focus ring removal?

[Hallsy]

Hi guys, I have recently picked up a Rollei 35 S - it's in nice condition but I suspect it has not been used in a while.

When focusing, the focus ring gets stuck before it gets to infinity. It is fine going to the 3 feet end, and you can feel the stop in travel, but turning towards infinity it starts to stiffen up around the 20 feet mark, it's not hitting a stop, and could be worked further, but would get tight and bind.

I removed the trim ring and distance scale ring to take a look today, but couldn't work out how the focus mechanism or front element is meant to be removed. By working it back and forth and applying a small amount of naptha, then leaving in the sun for a while (thought some heat may help to melt any old/dry grease) - it is now better and you can work it to infinity, but it still binds or gets stiff beyond the 20 feet mark, just not as bad as before.

I have the repair manual but it only shows the Tessar, not the Sonnar arrangement.

Does anyone have any info on how to disassemble the Sonnar?

Would be really grateful to hear from someone who has 🙂

 

[Hallsy]

Ok, just to add to this - I tried again today with some naptha down the helicoid from the front, I could get it to infinity but it was quite tight.

I then noticed that you can see the helicoid at the rear so decided to try to remove the black surround on the inside of the camera body, where the lens tube lock and shutter actuator/boomerang are mounted.

I removed the two screws but realised that I would need to undo the bokmerang as well to remove it - either way, I could see that it looked fairly clean from what I could see.

When I reassembled, I realised that if I left the two scews that hold this plate in place a tiny bit loose, I could get to the infinity stop no problem. It seems that the rear element is interfering with this plate when screwed down snug.

Are there meant to be any shims/washers here? If I gently work each screw up bit by bit, I can get to infinity but it is still stiff. If I fully tighten either, and back the other one off half a turn, the focus ring is fine.

I think I could leave it like this (using some low strength threadlock), but surely something is not right as you'd think these screws should be tight?

 

[bitfeng]

Please see my other post.

Ok, just to add to this - I tried again today with some naptha down the helicoid from the front, I could get it to infinity but it was quite tight.

I then noticed that you can see the helicoid at the rear so decided to try to remove the black surround on the inside of the camera body, where the lens tube lock and shutter actuator/boomerang are mounted.

I removed the two screws but realised that I would need to undo the bokmerang as well to remove it - either way, I could see that it looked fairly clean from what I could see.

When I reassembled, I realised that if I left the two scews that hold this plate in place a tiny bit loose, I could get to the infinity stop no problem. It seems that the rear element is interfering with this plate when screwed down snug.

Are there meant to be any shims/washers here? If I gently work each screw up bit by bit, I can get to infinity but it is still stiff. If I fully tighten either, and back the other one off half a turn, the focus ring is fine.

I think I could leave it like this (using some low strength threadlock), but surely something is not right as you'd think these screws should be tight?