Roland SH-101 pitch bender does not always return to the same center pitch

[Roland] [SH-101] – [pitch bender doesn’t always return to the same center pitch]

I’m repairing the pitch bender of a Roland SH-101 and got the following problem:
When I release the bender, it doesn’t always return to the same pitch center. I’ve noticed that the spring which snaps back the bender into default position can stay in slightly various positions due to the fact that it can move just a tiny bit from side to side when staying in center position.
I’m pretty sure that these tiny movements are possible because the spring in the bender has made small “slots” for the spring ends due to wear and tear through the years.

But just to be sure: are these small slots supposed to be there, or are they in fact made by wear and tear?

• Model & revision/OS: SH-101
• Photos / audio clips:

Due to the new member restrictions, I will link to another picture here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mZDODrkgMsTaNyDbDR8V2Hj2hf66bVu8/view?usp=sharing