What I described earlier
does not require the removal of the spring. That can get tricky. When you remove the cord reel you must remove the spring at the same time, and hold on to both of them!Once they are removed you can carefully wind the entire spring back on to the spring spool to change the cord, service the reel and spool etc., without incident. But you have to work slowly and methodically. You need to count how many turns the spring was wound around the cord reel, and wind it back much the same way the moon rotates around the earth, the same number of turns. When you have completed the reassembly and pull on the cord to see how you've done, the cord reel and the spring spool should go in opposite directions of each other. There should be three to four turns of spring on the reel when you put it back together, and very few turns on the spring spool with the cord all the way extended. If you think you are going to far, let the cord wind up, and, while holding the plug turn it back one or two turns to put more spring back on the spring spool. Once again, slowly. The unit was designed so that no matter what position the spring/reel are in in terms of cord length, the tension is always the same. However,as things age I'm sure metal fatigue affects the spring where it needs a little adjusting. To change cords, you will notice that the cord is tied in one loop around the cord reel, so that when completely pulled out, you are not pulling on the actual electrical conections. On the G, you must remove two screws and a small cover to get to the wires. They can either clip, or be soldered on to the terminals of the brass rings. One thing to remember, if you have to, draw a picture of the way things look as you disassemble the unit, write down the number of turns, the direction the cord unwinds from the reel etc. That way you will only have to put it back together one time. The mechanism is almost identical in 1205's up, except of course, there is no blower donut. and you remove a plastic cover to expose reel and spring and the reel is held in place with an "E" clip, or when it shoots off the shaft, it's an "F" clip! The wires on the cord clip onto the brass rings on the inside of the reel and is easier to work on then the "G". When putting the unit back together, you will also need to put the catch "pawls", or pawl back into position so that they willl work properly. They will also prevent you from getting the reel all the way back in too.Most of the time it is easier to work on these cordwinders flat, as if the vacuum were standing on it's end, the pawls are less likley to move then. I have never had to work on an old-style cordwinder found on XXX through at least AE's that are the detachable type. The most I have ever done with those was to move a good cord and reel assembly into a newly painted or undented cover. I know the spring is inside the reel on those, but have not had to take one apart yet. If I can help anymore, keep posting, I'll try to help when I can.
