I purchased this thorns TD 165 a few months ago while I was trying to get back into audio on the cheap. It was for parts only, and among other things, the andskate rods replaced with pop rivet shafts. I figured there are a few other things wrong as I was trying to tweak it and get it back into shape. One thing I noticed was that the third screw that was used to mount the motor was a shaft with screw threads at the bottom. This led me to believe that this unit may have been cobbled together from other non-working turntables.
The turntable belt looked old, and I figured it might be original. I ordered a good replacement, but it would not stay on the pulley.
Another thing I noticed was that the belt was thinner than the standard replacement belt.
I purchased a replacement pulley. But it suffered from the same difficulty - it would not stay on the pulley. It works fine at 45, but will not work at 33.
Thanks for your help.
The turntable belt looked old, and I figured it might be original. I ordered a good replacement, but it would not stay on the pulley.
Another thing I noticed was that the belt was thinner than the standard replacement belt.
I purchased a replacement pulley. But it suffered from the same difficulty - it would not stay on the pulley. It works fine at 45, but will not work at 33.
Thanks for your help.
Delayed intelligence! I should have checked the forums
It appears that the belt won't stay on the pulley because the motor shaft is not parallel with the platten shaft, since the belt seems to fall off at the bottom, it makes sense that the motor shaft should be pitched more toward the platin shaft. One way to do this would be to tighten the two screws that are farther away from the platinum and loosen the screw closest to the platten. This did not work.
The next step would be to get a screw with a longer thread shaft so that the top of the motor shaft could be tilted even toward the Platten.
It might be a lost cause. When I purchased the unit, it apparently had not been used for many many years. Also, it is possible that the platter was not removed from the spindle when it was packed. Finally, one of screws that hold the spring assembly to the chassis base was tightened, and the other was not.
In other words, the whole platin assembly may have torqued during turntable moves that the turntable housing may be so badly bent that it may not be fixable.
Hope that is not the case.
It appears that the belt won't stay on the pulley because the motor shaft is not parallel with the platten shaft, since the belt seems to fall off at the bottom, it makes sense that the motor shaft should be pitched more toward the platin shaft. One way to do this would be to tighten the two screws that are farther away from the platinum and loosen the screw closest to the platten. This did not work.
The next step would be to get a screw with a longer thread shaft so that the top of the motor shaft could be tilted even toward the Platten.
It might be a lost cause. When I purchased the unit, it apparently had not been used for many many years. Also, it is possible that the platter was not removed from the spindle when it was packed. Finally, one of screws that hold the spring assembly to the chassis base was tightened, and the other was not.
In other words, the whole platin assembly may have torqued during turntable moves that the turntable housing may be so badly bent that it may not be fixable.
Hope that is not the case.
Success - maybe?
I took a chance and found a three quarter inch dowel rod. I used it to press the turntable base down between the turntable motor and the Platten shaft. After a few rounds of this I reattached the belt. And it is staying on!
So for now, things are FB.
If anyone has ideas on how to improve this situation, please let me know.
I took a chance and found a three quarter inch dowel rod. I used it to press the turntable base down between the turntable motor and the Platten shaft. After a few rounds of this I reattached the belt. And it is staying on!
So for now, things are FB.
If anyone has ideas on how to improve this situation, please let me know.
It appears that I'm back to square one. I still get the belt falling off on 33 RPM. The previous solution only lasted about an hour.
At least I have a temporary fix right now. I have mounted the motor onto the turntable chassis without the spring. Was the spring torquing the frame of the turntable causing the motor and the spindle to not be perpendicular to the spindle? I don't know, but it is working for right now.
Anyone with any ideas for permanent solution would be welcome. The spring was on the motor mount for a purpose. Possibly to eliminate certain kinds of vibrations from the motor and preventing those vibrations from entering into the signal path.
Thanks to everyone who read the post.
At least I have a temporary fix right now. I have mounted the motor onto the turntable chassis without the spring. Was the spring torquing the frame of the turntable causing the motor and the spindle to not be perpendicular to the spindle? I don't know, but it is working for right now.
Anyone with any ideas for permanent solution would be welcome. The spring was on the motor mount for a purpose. Possibly to eliminate certain kinds of vibrations from the motor and preventing those vibrations from entering into the signal path.
Thanks to everyone who read the post.
From service manual Td 145.
Other issues can be:
-wrong belt
-wrong pulley position
That looks like replacement pulley, I think original was plastic.
Thanks for the responses. At least I know that the spring on the motor mount was for the azimuth adjustment, and not for vibration.
I literally spent hours trying to get the screw into the azimuth adjustment motor mount, but without success.
As of right now the pulley and belt are working properly without the spring. I will keep the spring, so that if the belt no longer stays on the pulley, I will find a way to attach it and use it to adjust the azimuth.
Thanks to all who read the post and offered suggestions!
I literally spent hours trying to get the screw into the azimuth adjustment motor mount, but without success.
As of right now the pulley and belt are working properly without the spring. I will keep the spring, so that if the belt no longer stays on the pulley, I will find a way to attach it and use it to adjust the azimuth.
Thanks to all who read the post and offered suggestions!
I replaced the original nylon pulley with the aluminum one because the original one was very much buggered up. 33 was working fine (don't own any 45s), until the pully
started slipping off. Unfortunately, I did not think through the problem and check the forums. Although the original pulley would not play 45, I would have saved myself $120 if I had simply changed the azimuth so that the pully would stay on.
It has been said that you can either learn from mentors or mistakes - mistakes typically cost money! So maybe the lesson is to get input from mentors on the forums.
started slipping off. Unfortunately, I did not think through the problem and check the forums. Although the original pulley would not play 45, I would have saved myself $120 if I had simply changed the azimuth so that the pully would stay on.
It has been said that you can either learn from mentors or mistakes - mistakes typically cost money! So maybe the lesson is to get input from mentors on the forums.
Some turntables (my Thorens TD-125 as an example) have screw adjustments on the motor's mounting plate to adjust the azimuth of the motor's shaft, and those can be manipulated to get the belt to stay centered on its motor pulley.
Sorry, my mistake. The original is delrin on brass. There is a felt friction piece between them, probably for saving the belt from excess stretching at startup.
In addition to the great tips other members have posted, this document may be of interest (especially page 1).
Thorens Overhaul Guide
Googling vinylengine.com
Thorens Overhaul Guide
Googling vinylengine.com