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Old 9th Aug 2009, 11:09 pm   #14
Jimmyhaflinger
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: La Spezia, Italy
Posts: 834
Default Re: Garrard RC121 mk2 problems

the slow speed problem is fixed!

In post #11 i said that something looked wrong in the idler wheel arm's pivot, there was an "aftermarket" washer, as it turned out, the pivot's shaft was supposed to turn freely in the lower alloy bushing of the pivot but instead was seized rock hard by old grease so hard that i first though it was just a fixed shaft moulded into the lower arm.
Apparently, someone before me adjusted the grub screw on the idler arm so that the idler would engage anyway even with the stuck pivot, and indeed it did work and still worked, but with lots of pressure, and this slowed down the motor.

The speed increased when i turned the speed selector knob because the idler was disengaged as you shifted from one speed to another, so entering the "shift area" of the selector removed some of the excessive pressure of the idler on the motor pulley, allowing it to pick up a bit of speed.

I had to heat the pivot's bushing and pound the shaft out with a small hammer, then cleaned and lubricated it, then readjusted it and it worked fine! the motor is now running without undue loads and the speed is spot on!

About hole sizes: virtually all 45s sold here in Italy had large holes, in fact the only small hole 45s i've ever seen were early 90s issues, the Italian-made player in which this RC121 is fitted has two clips to hold the large hole spindle but of course it's missing.

Last edited by Jimmyhaflinger; 9th Aug 2009 at 11:17 pm.
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