Luxman Rx-102 Servoface / Suck face repair info help please?

[bobbly_bob]

Hi all,

I managed to get my hands on one of these amplifiers, and like most of them the belt for the servo face has perished.

With the help of one of the old threads on this forum I managed to get down to the part of replacing the belt but I'm stuck and can't figure what to do now.

I've contacted all of the people who stated in the old thread that they had done similar repair jobs but the one who replied has since stopped replying and I'd really like to get the job finished.

Basically, I can get the screws out easily enough at the point I'm at but the pins in the attached photos are keeping it from coming apart. The photos are of the gear box, the motor would normally be attached in that cavity.

Any help / suggestions would be greatly appreciated at this point, I can provide more photos if it will help anyone
cheers
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jsrid/SDC11260.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~jsrid/SDC11258.JPG

 

[rhomanski]

I really don't know what I am looking at here but if you mean those two circles by the screw heads. They look like rivet heads and could easily be drilled out. If they are rivets holding something on the back of the plate, then simply get two more rivets of the same size to replace them. If you choose a soft enough rivet you can squeeze them by hand. An "A" rivet is really soft and can be done with just a hand tool, no air or hydraulics needed.

If I'm way off base then just ignore me please.

Regards. Ron.

 

[Bigears]

It's been a while since I did a Suckface repair and posted that thread. I have 3 of them here in need of the same work but I'm not going to be able to get to them for a couple of weeks. I can tell you there are no gotcha's on that repair other than the complexity of pulling it down.

Removing the screws should allow you to separate the belt housing from the bracket. Here is another pic that may help you.

 

[jhoyt]

My son has the LX-104 integrated amp, that uses the same suckface mechanism. It eventually perished, and I discovered they are virtually non-repairable. My solution was to secure it in the "suck" position.

I posted a thread on it: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=140936&highlight=suckface

Another good thread: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=91841&highlight=suckface

 

[Bigears]

My son has the LX-104 integrated amp, that uses the same suckface mechanism. It eventually perished, and I discovered they are virtually non-repairable. My solution was to secure it in the "suck" position.

I posted a thread on it: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=140936&highlight=suckface

Another good thread: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=91841&highlight=suckface

Virtually non-repairable? I've probably repaired 5-6 and after a new belt and properly adjusted, the worthless retractable face plate works as good as new. I don't have time to dig into the 3 I have here that need repair, but when I do I'll post more pics to my original thread....

 

[jhoyt]

Cool! It's more than I want to tackle, although you make it sound realistically doable. If I survive the B&O receiver rebuild, I'll think about it...

 

[Bigears]

Cool! It's more than I want to tackle, although you make it sound realistically doable. If I survive the B&O receiver rebuild, I'll think about it...

You need to get a few more! Then you can do them "assembly line" style and when you average the time for doing all of them "per unit" will seem much shorter. Plus the learning curve isn't wasted on doing just one.

Here is my waiting room.... RX-103, LX-104, RX-102, RX-101:yes:

 

[jhoyt]

By the way, do you think the LX-104 is a good sounding amp?

 

[markn2wae]

Don't drill anything please!

The riveted spots on the flat panel are the base of two shafts that fit snugly into the cover on the back, the lubrication has dried up, making them too hard to pull apart easily.

Try warming the whole assembly near a light bulb, and try to remove the plate from the back housing, it will come apart, but do not try and pry too unevenly as the fit is snug and you don't want to bend\break the shafts.

Some mechanisms are gear driven from the motor, yours would be a belt type.

Look up the term "planetary gears" and you will see the principal of how it "gears down" the fast motor to operate the large "cam" to move the face of the receiver.

Once you get it all apart, flush out all the old grease, and renew with something that will not harm plastic, being sure not to over-lubricate so as not to get any grease on the belt\pulleys.

Mark T.

 

[bobbly_bob]

Well, in the end I found this;
on ebay

I contacted the seller and explained to them that I had managed to find a belt, but was unable to finish the repair job.

He graciously sent me a copy of his repair manual, and I realised that the one step that I was missing was removing the split pin from the gear box, and it all came apart nicely.

All I have to do now is wait for a store in another city to reopen following their New Year break so that I can find a micro-switch narrow enough to replace the original one (previously broken by a prior repair job).

Thanks for all the help, especially bigears who has been of ongoing assistance in the project.

By the way bigears, I don't know about over there but here in Aus these amps are incredibly rare, since I'm not sure if they were ever widely distributed here and only made for such a brief period.

I've found one ever for sale in aus, and they were asking a little over $800 for it

 

[Bigears]

Well, in the end I found this;
on ebay

I contacted the seller and explained to them that I had managed to find a belt, but was unable to finish the repair job.

He graciously sent me a copy of his repair manual, and I realised that the one step that I was missing was removing the split pin from the gear box, and it all came apart nicely.

All I have to do now is wait for a store in another city to reopen following their New Year break so that I can find a micro-switch narrow enough to replace the original one (previously broken by a prior repair job).

Thanks for all the help, especially bigears who has been of ongoing assistance in the project.

By the way bigears, I don't know about over there but here in Aus these amps are incredibly rare, since I'm not sure if they were ever widely distributed here and only made for such a brief period.

I've found one ever for sale in aus, and they were asking a little over $800 for it

Excellent! I know that seller and he is a good guy, as evidenced by him sending you his instructions even when you sourced the belt elsewhere:thmbsp: Having not done a Luxman Suckface belt in a about a year, I forgot the exact steps...yep, the C clip has to be removed.

jhoyt: I can't really comment on the LX-104 as being a good sounding amp. I have only had two of these amps and sold the other one after doing a minor restoration and never ran it anywhere but the bench. My current LX-104 is not system ready yet. I will comment that the RX-101 sounds great for 40 wpc and better than many similar powered receivers as far as the tuner and amp performance goes. Most Luxman gear has impressed me, none more than the R-117 receiver which is best in class IMHO. :thmbsp:

 

["ItsTooLoud"]

My RX-102 sounded much better than the Yamaha surround sound amp I replaced it with. I'm having second thoughts about selling it.

 

[mansourziano]

By the way, do you think the LX-104 is a good sounding amp?

If you have an LX-104 in a good working condition, you have a jewel. I have had many good audio equipments for the past 30 years. the first good ones back in the days I got was top of the line Sansui AU-20000 and AU9900A. I still have them and have more of good old ones like Hafler, Nakamichi, Onkyo and so on. I got my first Luxman RX-102 in 1983 which was rated 60 watts per channel. The preamp section of this unit alone is not comparable to any thing I have heard. It just sounds so warm and pleasent. The amplifier section was just as good but it could use a little more power. It was about a month ago that I came across an LX-104. I tried it with different speakers that I have(B&W, Dynaudio, JBL and even Cerwin Vega D9 and U15) and that was it. Ample power, that was a perfect match to that preamp. That thing sounded better than all of the other amps I have had. So I decided to do a complete service on it.

 

[mansourziano]

Luxman remote

You need to get a few more! Then you can do them "assembly line" style and when you average the time for doing all of them "per unit" will seem much shorter. Plus the learning curve isn't wasted on doing just one.

Here is my waiting room.... RX-103, LX-104, RX-102, RX-101:yes:

Hi,
Would you know what are the remote control's model numbes for RX-103 and LX-104 are? I bought a Logitech Harmony universal remote and in their data base said they have the codes for these two units but, after two hours with their tech support I could only turn the RX-103 off and on. If I know at least what the model numbers are I probably can eventually find them on internet. Any help is apriciated.

 

[madisonhack]

Question for you: after you are up to speed on this unit, what do you think a reasonable amount of time would be to change the belt from start to finish? Thanks.

 

[HeathS]

I changed the belt in my Luxman RX-102 in maybe two hours one night. It may not be a bad idea to keep a digital camera handy if you don't trust your memory as you go, and be sure to keep your screws in an order you can remember. I am new at attempting repairs, and this was one of my first repairs, and I did the repair without instructions - other than I knew I was looking to replace a belt inside that mechanism somewhere. By the way, I liked the RX-102 enough that I bought its big brother the RX-104 (but I bought that one in non-working condition, and it won't even power on - yet). I've also owned other Luxman gear including a few tuners, R-1050, C-1010, L-210, L-580, R-106 and so on.

As you break into that little box with all the gears, etc... you realize there is a lot of work in it considering that it does so little. I liked the idea that so much extra work went in to making that face move just a little.

(I am also interested in finding the remote control # for the RX-104.)

 

[wjlaw100]

Help With Suckface Motor

Hi All. I know this is a old thread. Replaced the belt on a suckface luxman, and nothing. It opened it back up and I am getting 12V around the sense switch and when I went to put a meter on the motor, one of the solder tabs litterally broke off (Grrrrr). I may be able to flow some solder and get a connection, and I'm going to check and see if I'm getting 12V then the switch is engaged (very very odd micro switch), but I wanted to see if anyone might have a motor, or an old Luxman where they have the motor, but the amp isn't working, etc.

Any thoughts and help appreciated.

Bill

Virtually non-repairable? I've probably repaired 5-6 and after a new belt and properly adjusted, the worthless retractable face plate works as good as new. I don't have time to dig into the 3 I have here that need repair, but when I do I'll post more pics to my original thread....

 

[GnatGoSplat]

Anyone happen to know the size of the belt? There is one on eBay specifically sold for Luxman suckface, but $13.99 seems quite overpriced for what it is.
Also is it the same size for RX-103 and KX-102? I have both and neither works.

 

[txturbo]

Anyone happen to know the size of the belt? There is one on eBay specifically sold for Luxman suckface, but $13.99 seems quite overpriced for what it is.
Also is it the same size for RX-103 and KX-102? I have both and neither works.

I have repaired three of thees units. The belts are all the same. I tried to get an equivalent belt but none of them worked.

13.99 seems a bit steep but the part works.

 

[GnatGoSplat]

Fixed my KX-102 today. It's certainly over-engineered for what it does, but my experience in auto mechanics paid off because I found it pretty simple compared to doing anything on my car.

The only belts for sale are $17.50 on eBay now. I refused to pay that much. I couldn't find the belt size anywhere on the internet, so I'll post what I learned in the hopes it helps someone else who also refuses to pay that much for a tiny rubber band. I made a mistake at first and had to return the first belt and get a 2nd. I'm still not totally confident I picked the best size belt, but it works great.

Cheapest belts on eBay are sold by seller Dalbani on eBay for $6.95 shipped. They measure their belts in metric. Originally, I thought the belt must have been SBO2.9 based on my measurements. So I tried an 0.80mm * 24mm diameter belt, which is 2.3% larger circumference than an SBO2.9. It was too loose, I could easily turn the smaller pulley when holding the larger pulley. There was also visible slack. 2.3% is very little difference, so I don't feel like a real SBO2.9 would have fit much better. There seems to be no such thing as 2.8 or 2.7 belts in SBO/SCY size. So I thought original belt must be SBO2.6. Dalbani's 0.80mm * 21mm diameter belt has a circumference of just 0.1% smaller than an SBO2.6, so I decided to order that one. That works fine, however, it's a good 12.24% of stretch from initial calculations. I can definitely feel a bit of tension as there's a little more resistance turning the motor pulley with my fingers than when I had the too-loose belt on it. They did have a 23mm diameter in the same thickness. Maybe that would have fit just right with minimal stretch which would be better on motor bearings. On the other hand, I didn't bother trying that one because I doubted they would have made their own proprietary belt and probably sourced a standard size so I'm thinking SBO2.6 must be it.

Long story short, Dalbani 44-0821 (0.80mm * 21mm), the SBO2.6 equivalent, is the one I bought and it works.
There's a 44-0823 (0.80mm * 23mm) which would be really close to SBO2.8 if that size existed, might work with less tension. Although I don't know what amount of tension is ideal.