TT Replacement Belts query

[Andythiing]

OK I sort of, think I, kinda, might, possibly could have, an answer to this already - but I dont like it.

My Luxman TT (which is a Rega Copy) is needing a new TT belt. (its slipping/stretching and therefore speed is variable and eventually the platter stops spinning and just the driving wheel spins - presume the belt stretches more as it plays)

Had a quick look on the web and the belts vary in price (I am prsuming the Rega Belt will fit given it is a copy and there is not a specific replacements Luxman belt I can find)

a few queries

- should I get a no name brand vs a genuine rega belt

- will all rega planner belts (ie Rega 1, 11, and 111 all be the same)

- Do I really have to pay full retail? OK silly question but golly gee $55 is a lot of money for a little bit of rubber - funny have not had too many rega TT turn up at the dump recently to grab a belt from

- I tried making my own temporary belt from dental floss (i read it somewhere) did not work - any other DIY belts worth having a go at or are they an area you just dont muck about with?

And to be cheeky if anyone has a spare rega belt lying around they forgot to sell off when they upgraded to a new TT - let me know!

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

OK I sort of, think I, kinda, might, possibly could have, an answer to this already - but I dont like it.

My Luxman TT (which is a Rega Copy) is needing a new TT belt. (its slipping/stretching and therefore speed is variable and eventually the platter stops spinning and just the driving wheel spins - presume the belt stretches more as it plays)

Had a quick look on the web and the belts vary in price (I am prsuming the Rega Belt will fit given it is a copy and there is not a specific replacements Luxman belt I can find)

a few queries

- should I get a no name brand vs a genuine rega belt

- will all rega planner belts (ie Rega 1, 11, and 111 all be the same)

- Do I really have to pay full retail? OK silly question but golly gee $55 is a lot of money for a little bit of rubber - funny have not had too many rega TT turn up at the dump recently to grab a belt from

- I tried making my own temporary belt from dental floss (i read it somewhere) did not work - any other DIY belts worth having a go at or are they an area you just dont muck about with?

And to be cheeky if anyone has a spare rega belt lying around they forgot to sell off when they upgraded to a new TT - let me know!

First off: I'll betcha a million Bucks that the belt is not the problem. It rarely is. Almost all belt drive TTs are low friction systems. A slipping belt is simply not a problem. Very little torque is required.

Second off: The problem is almost invariably a motor problem, a motor capacitor problem or the bond between the motor spindle and the belt pulley has failed.

Lastly: If you really don't believe me, then provide an accurate description of the belt, including it's approximate diameter and thickness. I'll see if one can be found. If it really is a dead-set Rega copy, then you should be able to use a Rega belt.

BUT, I'll betcha you don't need it.

[joz]

Or try these guys..

http://www.vintage-electronics.cc/vttbelt.html

[Andythiing]

Hi Zaphod - I certainly wont pretend i know better being a newbie but I did watch very closely and the spindle or drive wheel is still spinning when the main platter eventually stopped spinning. I just assumed that the belt is therefore slipping. The player is from 1984 and I have no idea if its the oriiginal belt or ven the right one.

I just took it apart an the driver/motor is suspened by "rubber" bands so the spidle moves insitu.

The current belt sits very loosly on it. A close inspection lleads me to think it has seen better days - no cracks but a little fine bumps I think!

When it arrived the belthad a small kink where it had obviously been sitting on the driver for some time and also led me to believe the belt has stretched over time.

I'll have a bit more of a play and I might even see if I can borrow a belt of someone I know who has a Rega just to se if it fixes the problem and isthe correct size.

I'd post some pictures but me better half has gone out and the camera is in her hand bag!

[Andythiing]

Hey Joz thanks for that link - great prices!

[Super Mustud]

Hi Zaphod - I certainly wont pretend i know better being a newbie but I did watch very closely and the spindle or drive wheel is still spinning when the main platter eventually stopped spinning. I just assumed that the belt is therefore slipping. The player is from 1984 and I have no idea if its the oriiginal belt or ven the right one.

I just took it apart an the driver/motor is suspened by "rubber" bands so the spidle moves insitu.

The current belt sits very loosly on it. A close inspection lleads me to think it has seen better days - no cracks but a little fine bumps I think!

When it arrived the belthad a small kink where it had obviously been sitting on the driver for some time and also led me to believe the belt has stretched over time.

I'll have a bit more of a play and I might even see if I can borrow a belt of someone I know who has a Rega just to se if it fixes the problem and isthe correct size.

I'd post some pictures but me better half has gone out and the camera is in her hand bag!

I had the same problem with the belt on my old 1976 JH turntable which I have had since new. I had replaced the belt in 1982 and several years later largely retired the TT due to the perfect music forever coming from CDP's. I recently reinstated it and noted a problem with speed control. I replaced the belt with a new one and problem was solved. I suspect that ZB is talking about units a lot younger than those that you and I have.

[2sheds]

OK I sort of, think I, kinda, might, possibly could have, an answer to this already - but I dont like it.

My Luxman TT (which is a Rega Copy) is needing a new TT belt. (its slipping/stretching and therefore speed is variable and eventually the platter stops spinning and just the driving wheel spins - presume the belt stretches more as it plays)

Had a quick look on the web and the belts vary in price (I am prsuming the Rega Belt will fit given it is a copy and there is not a specific replacements Luxman belt I can find)

a few queries

- should I get a no name brand vs a genuine rega belt

- will all rega planner belts (ie Rega 1, 11, and 111 all be the same)

- Do I really have to pay full retail? OK silly question but golly gee $55 is a lot of money for a little bit of rubber - funny have not had too many rega TT turn up at the dump recently to grab a belt from

- I tried making my own temporary belt from dental floss (i read it somewhere) did not work - any other DIY belts worth having a go at or are they an area you just dont muck about with?

And to be cheeky if anyone has a spare rega belt lying around they forgot to sell off when they upgraded to a new TT - let me know!

Andy,

You could try a length of silk or dental floss - seriously . Some manufacturers such as Teres and a German mob whose name escapes me, use them to good effect. And these are pretty good turntables....

cheers

2sheds

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Hi Zaphod - I certainly wont pretend i know better being a newbie but I did watch very closely and the spindle or drive wheel is still spinning when the main platter eventually stopped spinning. I just assumed that the belt is therefore slipping. The player is from 1984 and I have no idea if its the oriiginal belt or ven the right one.

I just took it apart an the driver/motor is suspened by "rubber" bands so the spidle moves insitu.

The current belt sits very loosly on it. A close inspection lleads me to think it has seen better days - no cracks but a little fine bumps I think!

When it arrived the belthad a small kink where it had obviously been sitting on the driver for some time and also led me to believe the belt has stretched over time.

I'll have a bit more of a play and I might even see if I can borrow a belt of someone I know who has a Rega just to se if it fixes the problem and isthe correct size.

I'd post some pictures but me better half has gone out and the camera is in her hand bag!

Good to see you've done the homework. It may, indeed, be the belt. I'd check the friction on the platter bearing to be certain though. From your description, the thing does sound like a Rega copy. When I was servicing Luxman stuff, I never saw the model you refer to, so it is a new one on me. I have, however, serviced a great many Rega units. The motor spindle/belt capstan bond failure is a common fault.

[Decky]

The original Rega belt is a silicone oring (DURO45) ID102x2mm . Not easy to get them in Australia (I tried several times). What I ended up using is a standard BS-045 Nitrile oring (DURO65) ID101.32x1.78. It is much stiffer then the original and as a consequence you get more motor vibrations passing thru - but on the good side - it costs 20cents and there is no slipping, not even after several hours of playing.

What I did with mine is a bit of soaking in mineral oil combined with boiling water treatment - that softened the rubber a bit and now works as a charm.

[Andythiing]

Hey Decky - 20cents is much more in my budget range - excuse my ignorance but I actually dont know what a standard nitrile oring is or where I would get one - is that soemthing I can pick up at a hardware store or a specialst automotive plae????

"What I ended up using is a standard BS-045 Nitrile oring (DURO65) ID101.32x1.78."

Sheds I tried the dental floss and I may not have tied it small enough - I'll try the silk out (are my wife stockings the go or should I cut up her good silk scarf?????)

[snowdownunder]

- should I get a no name brand vs a genuine rega belt!

Some say genuine is better, a no name should be good enough to sort out your problem.

- - will all rega planner belts (ie Rega 1, 11, and 111 all be the same)!

According to Decibel and the pack I got my last belt in the P2 & P3 are the same.

http://www.decibelhifi.com.au/category29_1.htm

- And to be cheeky if anyone has a spare rega belt lying around they forgot to sell off when they upgraded to a new TT - let me know!

$20 for a second hand P2, P3 belt if you're interested.

Cheers

snow

[Guest Muon]

Deleted

Oh, It's solved already

[2sheds]

Sheds I tried the dental floss and I may not have tied it small enough - I'll try the silk out (are my wife stockings the go or should I cut up her good silk scarf?????)

Andy,

The stockings are not a good idea, particularly when Mrs Thiing is still in them. I think Teres use a thread similar to sewing thread and you need to do a few loops...

cheers

2sheds

[Andythiing]

OK Sheds - I'll see if I can get mysyel some silk thread as a stop gap at least - and thanks for the offer Snow but another SNA member has PM me with an offer.

And also dataphone - thanks for the deleted note - which I presume was also aother option - I'll post how my trials go on and if the belt does fix the issue.

I have my dump Hitatchi spinning as a stop gap - but I'm having to use the kids lego blocks to get it level as it was missing its rubber feet - and being school holidays they now want their lego blocks back! (and you all know me by now - Im not kidding about the lego blocks - pics to follow)

[kevvie]

I also have a Luxman A522 turntable and am not having much luck with the belts.

I tried three belts from Decibel Hi Fi, none were the right size, including a genuine Rega. I ended up buying the following via the web, both cost in the order of $15 delivered to Aus.

OA 15.7 from www.turntablebasics.com,

OB 15.6 from www.vintage-electronics.net (this one is too thick)

The OA 15.7 is so close to the original belt that I now can't tell which is new and which is old. But they both play slow, so I'm guessing the original is stretched and that I need to get a smaller belt. So far I haven't been able to source one, and it has been suggested I paint the spindle with a few coats of nail polish to change the ratio. But I'm not there yet....

Edited December 23, 2008 by kevvie

[Andythiing]

Hey Kevvie what state you in? I think we migh be the only two in Aussie with these? well perhaps not but they are pretty rare from what i have read (or not been able to read)

Have you still got the orginal stylus?

Now I was lucky enough to get a great xmas card with a little present in it today - have to do a bit of prep work but i'll et you know how the suggested belt gets on - but also here is a possible tip!!!!

I may havv accidently fixed the problem - for a while anyway - without changing the belt.

Wg=hen i was sneaking a look at the innards of minee after Zaphod suggested it might be somethhing else besides the belt I had a bit of a play with the bands that the spindle and motor are suspended on - well I sort of took them off without thinking about it/ Then when I put them back on I did not have them quite even - so the spindle was not exactly centered - so I adjusted a bit and ended up moving the spindle slightly further away from the centre.

It was all a bit of messy luck but so far scince I have put it back together the speed issue seems to have fixed itself.

Now I am ssuming its the "move" that has helped by stretching the belt taught again (would only be a couple of mm different). perhaps that was enough - or in playing with it soemthing else fixed itself????

No idea but I am enjoying it at the moment.

If the above does not make sense I will post some pictures for you - but could be worth a little test with yourts if your game - no guarentee's or money back on my "accidental" improvment. Not sure it will last but happy enough all this evening.

I'll still give the other belt a test once the prep work is done as I do suspect this one is on its way out.

Love to see a picture of your unit - mine is missing the plastic lid - any chance of some picts of how yours attaches to the rear hinges? I want to DIY a new lid for mine!

[kevvie]

I have just bit the bullet and ordered another smaller belt - I figure another $15 won't break the bank but it will be a couple of weeks before I can test. They suggest that the belts stretch 5-10% over the lifetime so hopefully that is it.

I haven't tried to pull anything apart or look inside so I didn't realise there were any other belts/bands? I had a minor panic attack when I lifted the platter spindle out and couldn't get it back in, but eventually just put a lot of weight on it and it settled (expelling air I guess). Might have a play over XMas and see what happens.

As far as rarity goes, yes indeed. I'm the only one I know of in Melbourne. One was for sale a while ago at Decibel Hi-Fi (Qld) but I haven't seen any others around the traps. Mine has a Stax UA-7 tonearm and until recently had a Supex SM-100E cartridge, which has just been replaced with an Ortofon 2M red as I couldn't track down a new Supex stylus.

[Andythiing]

If you ever take the platter off again no need to force it back on - just put it in place and leave it and it will eventually slip back into place - may take some time - better than forcing it

Thanks fpr the pictures - Ill try and post some tomorrow

[Decky]

A bit of a force cannot hurt - you are just fighting the reverse pressure of the air trapped in the spindle sleeve. But yes, as you said - eventually it should settle in.

[kevvie]

I just got the new belt - part number OA14.9.

A little bit of a tight fit....and now it plays fast!

next step is some tape around the platter base...

[Andythiing]

Cann you stretch heblt a bit Kev

An Decky ive be slack in not posting a thankyou for the belt an card - followed instructions nd have spun he a few tims and working fine. Hoever it is a bit tight I fear so haveen meaning to repeat te process a seeif it will strech a little more. Wanted to wait till Ihad it going really wel befre posting but she is still a projet on the go - one of too many I have

Cheers for your help!

Andy

[davidsss]

Andy, in my experience TT belts should not be really tight. The belt I used on my old MR611 for years was a bit tight and it used to slip off the 45rpm part of the spindle. When I replaced it the new belt was longer than the old stretched belt - but it worked a whole lot better. I also worry about any pressure on the motor bearings. I would have a look and see if you can find out what length the belt should be and check yours isn't too short.

DS

[emesbee]

I've had my turntable for a number of few years now, after buying it second hand. Luckily have not had any problems with speed variations, slipping belt etc., so haven't had a need to seek a replacement belt, so far. Its a Rega Planar 3 by the way.