Signs of needing a tuner alignment/rebuild?

[Taketheflame]

Hey all,

This thread actually concerns a receiver of mine (Akai AA-R30), but since it's stictly related to the tuner in it, I figure I should still post in here.

I've been noticing things about the tuner on it that seem a bit "off". It seems that the tuning wheel feels a bit loose on it - enough so that it can slightly drift out of totally centered on the "tuning" signal meter (not enough to lose the station, but it does slightly move sometimes), and it feels like a good spin can move the tuner a bit more than it should.

Also, in some rooms (with windows), I cant seem to pick up any FM signal at all without the use of a dipole antenna (although the signal is fine with one).

Any thoughts? It's not bad enough that it requires immediate attention - just kind of looking out for the warning signs (as I'm aware that most tuner work is not for the average hobbyist w/out specialized tools).

Thanks!

 

[rcs16]

What you have written sounds like normal operation and wear. Needing to use a FM antenna is normal as well.

 

[amptramp]

The things you have mentioned sound more like mechanical issues with the tuning knob, its flywheel and the dial cord than an alignment issue. One sign of an alignment problem is asymmetrical behaviour when you tune above and below the signal. Not all alignment problems show this, but this is one sure sign.