The clip is not the kind that fits into a grooved ID. Rather it sort of snaps into place using its spring tension to grip the sides of a plain inside diameter barely available just above the countersink. Use a small jeweler's screwdriver to find a gap between the bearing ball and the retainer clip and lightly lever the clip out. It won't take much effort and keep an eye open for where the clip may fly off to.
Here's a photo of a new bearing ball (Silicon Ceramic) being held in the countersink with a dab of bearing grease.
clip not installed.
I was searching through my photos to find a shot of the bearing shaft with the clip in place and could not find one. Why? Well maybe this detail gets overlooked because it is really inconsequential if the clip is in place or not -- so long as the bearing ball doesn't get lost. Only then -- there is a consequence.
-Steve
Ps try Boca Bearing (online) for Silicon Ceramic Bearing balls. Ball diameter is 6mm. Grade 5.
Never mind of my previous reply. I filed my 1.4mm tip precision screwdriver down to 0.6mm and followed Volken's instruction photo and have successfully snapped off the tension retaining clip. The clip had some scratches and a little bent from my previous incorrect efforts, but it is still useable.
Thanks again.
Michael
One thing to point out is that the way the Thorens is made is very wise. To offset using on centres grinding that causes error they centre the ball in the grinding centre. This has about double the error of lets say the Linn LP12. This was said by to be 1/10 000 inch by Linn. The nylon type thrust pad works well with this compromise. After > 50 years many are as good as new. If not rotate a new section of ball into place, a small tap with a screwdriver should do it. The larger upgrade is that oil should always be there.
I have rebuilt my E50 motor. I used the Audio-Silente bushings/felts. The felts were soaked in 3-in-1 SAE 20 electric motor oil. I am having trouble with spin down time during the adjustment process. I can't really see the spindle spinning very well but it feels smooth with lots of momentum when I turn it back and forth with my thumb and finger. How long should the spin down time be? Also a trick that I don't think has been mentioned. During the alignment process I look through the four case holes with a light on the other side. It really helped me centre the spindle in the housing as the light allowed me to see the gap clearly. I just tried to make it look the same in all four holes.
10 seconds would be good. 5 OK. You can get the motor hot then tap the shaft with a small piece of wood as it rotates ( 1" x 1" x 6" would be about right ). Do it all ways, no great force needed. This centres the bearings. This was a Garrard service imformation tip. When the bearing is new sometimes it will never seat if you don't do this.
I have the motor installed. I turned it on and nothing happened so I really started to worry. Then I gave the motor spindle a little turn and it started going. Should I be worried about that? After a warm up and cool down. I tried again and had to give it a little turn to get going again.
m
m
Seems you have to much friction on the new bushings when everything works ok the motor comes direct on speed , in one turn off the platter.The runout time from the motor without belt need to be min.10 seconds if not check if you can lift the rotor shaft a 1-2 mm .Also don't forget too polish the rotorshaft most times there is some wear on it causing friction, and check the new trustball and thrustplate if they are on the right place use a bit grease here.
The main thing is get it hot. It might be just about at the point you can hold it. Switch the air con off if you can. Even a heat gun to get it hand hot.
In building the Garrard 501 we had to look at new verses old. I have to say mostly old was better and that goes for everything. Remember there is nothing you can teach the Swiss about bearings.
Lets take the Oilite type bearings to misuse a trade name. These work on tidal flow. That is the structure holds oil in a coke like sponge. Behind the oilite bearing is a felt pad ( I assume TD124 has them, I can't rememember 100% ). As the motor heats and cools the oil flows in and out like a simple pump. Never underestimate the sophistication of this bearing type. As it is just as easy to make a bad one as a good one the market is for good ones. The low price means nothing. The market demands the highest quality. The tollerences are often set to standard bar stock which might be 4.995mm for 5 mm. Don't be fooled by what people say. It is the oil that is the bearing. It needs the ideal space to work. This makes simple 1930's oils best. Modern oils are for idiots who must abuse cold engines. They have substances ideal for 90 PSI bearings when at 3 PSI and cold. 3PSI usually will work in any engine if careful. A turntable is very different. F1 engines that I knew were not very different, 90 PSI about the same.
It is possible to salvage an oilite type if you have a good lathe or even a pillar drill. Find lets say a 5 mm x 8 mm x 10 long oilite which feels a nice fit to the shaft. Drill the original with oil ways and bore to a sliding fit to the new part, never a force fit. Never ream this type of bearing, it will be ruined. The TD124 shown in HI Fi World was repaired this way. It has worked since about 1990, every day I'm told. It was in Sunshine Records Oxford where it's bearings went egg shaped.
In building the Garrard 501 we had to look at new verses old. I have to say mostly old was better and that goes for everything. Remember there is nothing you can teach the Swiss about bearings.
Lets take the Oilite type bearings to misuse a trade name. These work on tidal flow. That is the structure holds oil in a coke like sponge. Behind the oilite bearing is a felt pad ( I assume TD124 has them, I can't rememember 100% ). As the motor heats and cools the oil flows in and out like a simple pump. Never underestimate the sophistication of this bearing type. As it is just as easy to make a bad one as a good one the market is for good ones. The low price means nothing. The market demands the highest quality. The tollerences are often set to standard bar stock which might be 4.995mm for 5 mm. Don't be fooled by what people say. It is the oil that is the bearing. It needs the ideal space to work. This makes simple 1930's oils best. Modern oils are for idiots who must abuse cold engines. They have substances ideal for 90 PSI bearings when at 3 PSI and cold. 3PSI usually will work in any engine if careful. A turntable is very different. F1 engines that I knew were not very different, 90 PSI about the same.
It is possible to salvage an oilite type if you have a good lathe or even a pillar drill. Find lets say a 5 mm x 8 mm x 10 long oilite which feels a nice fit to the shaft. Drill the original with oil ways and bore to a sliding fit to the new part, never a force fit. Never ream this type of bearing, it will be ruined. The TD124 shown in HI Fi World was repaired this way. It has worked since about 1990, every day I'm told. It was in Sunshine Records Oxford where it's bearings went egg shaped.
How loose the fixings should be varies from motor to motor. Play with it when hot. It should retain that setting when cool. If too loose transformer type buzzing can made worse. Being too tight might make the bearings tighter than ideal. It's the sort of thing which teaches you as you try.
The motor starts normally if warm already. When it is cold I have to give it a nudge. What would lifting the rotor shaft do? I imagine the rotor shaft is already higher than before with the new thrust pad being thicker. What do you polish the spindle with? I am going to take the motor back out. It was difficult to get everything packed in there when I built it. The felts may have been overloaded with oil?
Maybe the starting problem is from a poor alignment? But I am thinking that my felt rings are overloaded with oil. Could that be possible? It only spins for about 3 seconds after a turn off the power.
What I mean with the rotorshaft is the vertical play please check if this is ok .Check if the new bushings are moving freely over the shaft without any friction before putting the rotor back in service.Wipeout the oil with a towel if this coming out the felts ,bit to much oil is no problem as long it stays in the felts.Polish with some special metal polish.
That's good and way I always do it. Always check without belt. 3 seconds seems OK. If the drag is uniform it even can be better like back lash being optimum in a gearbox. When hot rotate in you fingers ( stopped position- off) and feel for changes in friction. This might take 20 rotations to be sure.
Ok. I have about 2mm or so of vertical play in the rotor. I took it apart and looked at it again. Everything looked good inside. I think I just made the four case bolts too tight. I also could have spent more time making sure my bushings were in alignment. I put the motor back in with my case bolts loose. Then I tapped the motor case with a small plastic screwdriver handle. Everything seems to be working now. It starts up right away and the spin down time is closer to 10 seconds. I will time it when I get a chance.
I will run it for a week and then disassemble for inspection. If everything looks good. I will put it back together and run for a week again. I have been using the tapping trick on the motor case. It really works and makes the process a lot easier.
m
I did what you recommended but with a plastic screwdriver handle. It works really well. I can't imagine a better way. Thanks for the tip.