How to repair a broken blue operating sleeve in a Blue Moon product

Cracked operating Sleeve
Cracked operating Sleeve

Some of our customers have in the past asked for a replacement blue operating sleeve because theirs has cracked. We think it is important to state that this is due mostly to the operating sleeves being over tightened or the extension being dropped. We have sold thousands of these products and we are proud to say that returns for these products are remarkably low. The ones we make for the professionals are made of exactly the same materials and it would not look good to have one of these pieces break in front of millions of T.V viewers.

At any rate, if a blue operating sleeve does break, the product is repairable if you follow these instructions. Of-course you will need to get a new operating sleeve first.

To start, you have to remove the bung from the handle. Do this carefully with an object such as a screw-driver, always be careful when using tools not to hurt yourself. If you ease it out it should come out quite easily.Remove bung

This will then reveal the three components inside that you will need to remove in order to dismantle. A steel circlip, a plastic washer, and a felt washer. (See picture below)

Inside tube

To remove the circlip you have to need to place the screwdriver in one of the two small gaps in the washer and push outwards so the circlip comes out of the slot in the black moulding. As shown below.

Remove circlip 1Remove circlip 2Remove the circlip and keep in a safe place, you will need to put this back in later. You will then need to also remove the nylon washer and the felt as shown below, which you will also need to put back.

Showing washerShowing feltThis will leave the extension tube as below, which you will then be able to slide out of the top. Take a look at the moulding on the end whilst you are doing this and you will see where the circlip has to clip back into when you put back it together.

Showing end-stopRemoving extension tubeWhen you have pulled the extension tube out you have to unscrew the cracked operating sleeve and replace with the new one. It is very important that you remove the `split collet` from inside the cracked operating sleeve and place inside the new operating sleeve. This small black moulding is the piece that grips the extension tube and it will not work without it so make sure you do not throw it away with the damaged blue operating sleeve. Place it back inside the new blue operating sleeve. see pictures below;

Remove blue operating sleeve
Remove split collet
Remove black moulding from cracked blue operating sleeve
Replace with new operating sleeve.
Replace with new operating sleeve.

Well done! We now just need to do the reverse procedure to put it back together. See pictures below;

Assemble 1
Replace operating sleeve and split collet
Assemble 2
Screw onto handle
Put felt back in
Put felt back on
Put nylon washer back on
Put nylon washer back on

Putting the circlip back on is perhaps the most difficult part, but do as shown below and you it will go together.

Place circlip as so
Place circlip as shown

If you can find a small round tube it might help to push the circlip down flat, but a screwdriver will normally do the job.

Push circlip down flat
Push circlip down flat
Push circlip in
Push circlip fully into grooves
Replace bung
Replace bung

Congratulations! Job done.

If you did have any problems let us know and we will do our best to help you. You can phone us on 01271 889147.