Really Dumb Question - How Do I turn off the front knee vents?

[NickG]

OK, SO I’ve had my Ovation since May - its starting to get cold here in Las Vegas and I finally turned my attention to shutting off the Pilot/Copilot knee vents (I believe they’re called Wemac vents). I can’t figure out how to do this. I turn the nozzle but it just turns and doesn’t seem to regulate flow.

HELP! Nothing worse than cold lower legs lol.

[201er]

Triflow

[MikeOH]

I find that I sometimes need to use my finger to 'help' the vane to move off center, then turning will close the vent.

[NickG]

12 minutes ago, 201er said:

Triflow

Explain?

[N201MKTurbo]

Like @201er said, you need to lube it.

[T. Peterson]

20 minutes ago, NickG said:

Explain?

The adjustment mechanism is so stiff that the whole housing is turning. Until you get it lubed, try holding the outer part with one hand and turning the adjustment with the other. At least that’s what I do in my K model when the adjustment is sticky. Maybe an Ovation is different???

[PT20J]

Lubricating might work - for a while. Try to get the lube only on the joint around the knurled knob. If you get it on the ball it will just make matters worse. What happens is that people lube these things and the lube attracts dirt and gums them up. The real solution is to remove them, pull out the retaining spring wire, take them apart and clean the parts really well. 

BTW it’s the same with the eyeballs where the yoke shaft penetrates the panel. Don’t lube them.

[NickG]

14 minutes ago, PT20J said:

Lubricating might work - for a while. Try to get the lube only on the joint around the knurled knob. If you get it on the ball it will just make matters worse. What happens is that people lube these things and the lube attracts dirt and gums them up. The real solution is to remove them, pull out the retaining spring wire, take them apart and clean the parts really well. 

BTW it’s the same with the eyeballs where the yoke shaft penetrates the panel. Don’t lube them.

I’ll give that a try

[DCarlton]

4 hours ago, PT20J said:

Lubricating might work - for a while. Try to get the lube only on the joint around the knurled knob. If you get it on the ball it will just make matters worse. What happens is that people lube these things and the lube attracts dirt and gums them up. The real solution is to remove them, pull out the retaining spring wire, take them apart and clean the parts really well. 

BTW it’s the same with the eyeballs where the yoke shaft penetrates the panel. Don’t lube them.

That’s pretty much what I did; although I did lubricate it to clean it and then wiped if off.  Works fine now.  

[ArtVandelay]

Triflow

I used dry silicone spray so it doesn’t attract dirt.

[Slick Nick]

Wemacs are designed to be pushed in when opening or closing. This grabs the "ball" section through friction and allows you to adjust the orfice. 

Edited November 17 by Slick Nick

[NickG]

Thanks folks! got 'em to open and close!