Questions - DIY work on DJ 16013 gasket and tube

[Mbalce]

Hi - Thank you for taking the time to read my post and very much hoping someone more experienced than I would give me a little support - moral or technical.

Just a guy with moderate mechanical ability and a desire to learn new skills. I have been slowly building up tools and experience (working on junk and vintage) and think I am at the point where I feel good about making an attempt to change the back cover gasket and also tackle the crown tube on my DJ.

Watch is a 1984, its running great, last service probably 7 years or so ago (I have owned it for 20). Just noticed there is a tiny bit of gasket bulging out of the caseback. Can this just happen? I can't believe I never noticed it if its been there since last service. Obviously concerns me about water intrusion.

I now have a L-G Openall case opener on the way, as well as some new gaskets and grease. This part should be easy enough. What I may also try is replacing the case tube as well - something I was probably going to have done on the next service.

The crown screws down, but locks/unlocks after only a quarter turn. If you look at the tube you can see the first couple threads are worn down and its only the last thread and a half or so that is sharp and full. Seems obvious the tube is the issue. So while I have the caseback off, can I just pull the crown and stem out, and remove and reinstall a new tube and gasket, then just put the old crown and stem back in? I know I would have to get the right tool, but they seem available online as well. Should be the 6mm size tool if my research is correct.

I came up with Rolex Part Number for the tube is 24-6020 and I can get a genuine factory sealed part online for just under $150.00

Questions are:
1. Is it ok to replace the tube with the movement in the case? It seems straight forward to remove the movement, but if I don't have to, I wouldn't. Just don't want to risk introducing dust under the crystal or messing up the dial or hands.
2. Since it looks like the problem is the tube and not the crown, is it ok/advisable to re-use my old crown and stem or should both be changed together?
3. If I can re-use my old crown, should I change the gasket in there? The tube comes with a new gasket but I know there is another one in the crown.

Anyways, sorry for the long post, but trying to learn more about maintaining and working on my own watches and I want to maximize my chance for a successful outcome.

I understand and accept my own risks to maximize my enjoyment of this hobby.

[antrolexsub]

Please don’t take this the wrong way but if your needing to ask these questions, it almost certainly will be cheaper to pay a professional to undertake this work. There two types of tube combinations on this watch, one is an older type 24-6000 that will have required the tube to have been broached once fitted to the case. A splined crown tube removal tool will not work for these, and removing risks snapping the tube thread inside the case if you don’t know what you’re doing. Not a DIY task to remove without damaging the case threads.

If is the later type then it’s fairly simple, remove the crown, decase the movement, remove the tube using the correct sized spline tool, refit the tube with a very slight amount of threadlock, insert the greased o ring into the tube, recase the movement without backing out the movement securing screws, refit the crown and stem (with new greased crown gasket), check dial is aligned, back out movement screws to tighten, grease new caseback gasket and tighten caseback. To check if you have a newer style crown and tube combination, remove the stem and look down the tube into the case. If newer type you’ll see splines inside the tube. If no splines, please trust me on this, send it off to a pro, it will save you a huge headache.

[Mbalce]

Very much appreciated! And no offense taken - I do know that it would be vastly cheaper to have it done. Just the cost of the tools I have been accumulating lately would pay for at least 2 complete services AND get my crown tube rebuilt. Based on your response I agree that if its a broached tube, its beyond my current self. But it also appears I should be able to make that determination before I get in trouble.

At this point, I really do want to learn how to do this level of repair. I am getting to the point in life where I only have to work about 5-10 hours a week to keep my income level satisfactory and I only see that going down in the foreseeable future.

Between that and being on Corona lock down in California, I have the time and motivation to expand my amateur watch tinkering - simply as a personal hobby. I find working on them to be infinitely more satisfying than just looking at them in a safe. Or having to take them into my AD if I want to change from a bracelet to leather.

My goal is to eventually be able to do a complete service on any of my watches. Probably at least a year or two away but I think I can get there.