Rega RB300 - Deconstructed

[GlidingDutchman]

Dear Rega fans,

Some good and bad news.

Bad news - my Rega RB300 arm fell from over 1 meter high and were badly damaged. My heart also broke as this was one excellent arm and funds wont permit me to replace it...

Good news - I took the liberty to dissasemble it and photograph all the parts. For those who may find it interesting.



Dewald

[rabidlistener]

A bit of bad luck there Dewald
You have my sympathy

Mike

[GlidingDutchman]

Each sport has its injuries hey?

[Shaun]

Sorry to hear that, GD. What broke?

[GlidingDutchman]

Hi Shaun!

Arm rest broke, all four bearings damaged...



Dew

[Werner]

So that's a good opportunity to talk to AudioMods,
not?

http://www.audiomods.co.uk/armkits.html

[GlidingDutchman]

Maybe some more good news... seems like RS Components carry the range of bearings Rega uses... what were I thinking... it is a Rega product afterall and uses "common" parts...

Just have to check the sizes and see if I can manage. Still need to fix the arm-rest housing...

D

[jeff spall]

Originally posted by Werner
So that's a good opportunity to talk to AudioMods,
not?

Yes, you've done the hard bit and taken it apart already.

I'll do you a nice discount on a kit, it's easier to put one of those together than to try to re-assemble a standard arm.

If you really want to try to reassemble it, here's my personal take:

"Can we fit high quality, close tolerance bearings to a standard Rega arm?
Not really. The arm is designed around bearings that have a degree of “play” so that they can be set up within the limits imposed by the way they are held in place, so a very close-tolerance bearing wouldn’t be an improvement and is more likely to increase resistance.

If the bearings have to be replaced because they are faulty, a good quality commercial bearing is the right choice.
All 4 bearings are 6mm bore, 5mm wide, 13mm diameter flanged, shielded type of 15mm dia overall. They have 10 caged balls of c.1.5 mm dia.

RS components reference 612-5824 (currently £3.13 per pair) These will probably be NMB or SKF brand, depending on stock, both very good.
JIS/ISO reference 686ZZNR
Those reference numbers are for ABEC5 specification, which is as tight as you should go and will need careful setting up."

The originals are said (by Johnnie at AudioOrigami) to come from NBH in Singapore and are almost certainly ABEC3 in the 250 and 300. He's also the guy to contact for a rebuild as standard.

[GlidingDutchman]

RS components reference 612-5824 (currently £3.13 per pair) These will probably be NMB or SKF brand, depending on stock, both very good.

This seems like the bearings for a RB250 and not a RB300

Thank you anyway...

D

[jeff spall]

Yes, sorry the bearings in the base are the same, not the ones in the armtube. I'll try to look them up this evening.
Jeff