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[kidseedreams]

would like some help or suggestions for repairing/replacing the rear guides rails on my crown Graphic. The piece that hold the rails down and keeps them on track has a splintered section allowing the rails to pop off. I would simply like to replace the part that holds the right rail in place, (facing the camera). It looks like removing two screws on ea. side, placing the rail in it's proper place and screwing the holding piece into the body thus allowing the lens standard to freely move forward on it's track.
Somehow simple, seems to easy. This is one of my Crown Graphics I would like to shoot. The top rangefinder is not working and I have no intention of trying to make it work. I use the ground glass to focus. The shutter cable release works fine as well as the lens. I simply need to be able to freely move the lens to it's proper position. Three questions;
1. Are parts available?
2. Do I need to remove the entire bellow system to get to the screws?
3. Am I missing something that's going to make this seem like a bad idea?
I appreciate the opportunity and your consideration in answering.
Thanks,
Patrick

[45PSS]

1. download the factory service manual for the top mounted rangefinder Crown and Speed Graphic here: http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/servicemanual.pdf

It will be very difficult to work on the case guides with the bellows in place. Disconnect at the rear (body) only, slide the front standard to the front of the rails then extend the rails as needed.

2. the only parts available are the rare NOS or bodies being stripped listed on ebay.

3. The only way a case guide gets damaged is to close the camera without having the rails fully retracted. The initial design used shims under the case guide to get it at the correct height. At some point in time set screws were used to raise the guides. The guides can be transposed from one side to the other if only one end is damaged. The case guide is a block of aluminum with the proper holes and a grove for the yoke guide edge. They are not hard to make with a few basic hand tools.
Yoke is Graflex speak for rails.

4. The most common failure of the Graphic rangefinder is the beamsplitter loosing its silvering followed by the balls and spacers in the actuating tube becoming dirty and sticky. The main reason it does not work is there is no cam installed.
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[kidseedreams]

Thank You for this valuable information. You response is appreciate and was understandable. (Not often the case) I will proceed with the manual and your directions.
Patrick
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