Admiral record changer help

[TUD1]

The record changer in mine works, but it definitely struggles sometimes during the changing process. When I took the platter off to clean it, I noticed a rubber tire. Does that play the same roll as the idler tire in a VCR? Is that responsible for making it slow to change?

[maxhifi]

Originally Posted by TUD1

The record changer in mine works, but it definitely struggles sometimes during the changing process. When I took the platter off to clean it, I noticed a rubber tire. Does that play the same roll as the idler tire in a VCR? Is that responsible for making it slow to change?

The rubber idler wheels dry out and slip, and the problem gets compounded by dried out old grease everywhere in mechanism which more or less turns to glue. It looks brown or yellow and gets sticky. Idler wheels can sometimes be revived with rubber renew, or else needs to be replaced (voice of music website is a good source for new ones) and old grease has to be removed and replaced. I use isopropyl alcohol as a solvent to remove old grease, and a thin layer of automotive bearing grease to replace.

If you try and stop the turntable with your finger it should fight back a bit, if it stops too easy the idler is bad. If the idler is good and mech is slow then you need new lubrication. In a typical old changer usually both things are wrong.