Cleaning off dried up belt on a PL-41D

Picked up a Pioneer PL-41D to restore. The drive belt has melted and crystalized for lack of a better description. Looks like a black string and it's tough to remove. I have been using isopropyl alcohol 70% but it's not working to well, and that's on the rim of the platter. Underneath of the platter is the diecast painted chassis and I don't want to harm the paint. I'm sure somebody has run into this before. The platter I'm not worried about, I'll try acetone or brake clean on that but I'm worried about the painted surfaces.
Everything I read about the bearing for the spindle was true, mine came out in pieces and crumbs. Machined up a new one from delrin and reassembled with some 10W hydraulic oil. Spins forever it seems.
Latter this week I'll order up a new belt. Any suggestions on who to get one from?
Thanks

BillWojo

Least costly belt is on Ebay - PRB FRX35.1.

Or you can try Vintage Electronic for the same one.
http://www.vintage-electronics.net/search.aspx?find=PRB+FRX35.1

Thanks Balifly, I ordered a belt from Vintage Electronics. Now to figure out how to clean that glued on petrified belt off. In all my years working on machinery I never came across something like that. I wonder what that old belt was made of.

BillWojo

I have used acetone to remove gooey rubber belt mess from a pulley, works great, on paint, better test an area that can't be seen.

I think the acetone would make a mess on the paint. I've never seen rubber turn into such a hardened mess before. Could it be a natural gum rubber?

I used Simple Green full strength on my PL31 . Came right off . Belt had turned to goo...
Rudy .

I'll try the Simple Green, I have some around here.
Thanks

BillWojo

When you get her up and running, post a picture. Id like to compare your 41D to my PL-41.

When I'm done with it I will. From what I've been able to see from looking at pics on the internet the differences are in the tonearm and the dustcover.
My dustcover has spring loaded hinges that supports the cover in an open position, not a support rod.
The tonearm is the same but with more refinements. It has a small weight hanging from a rod on the left side of the pivot.
I'm still looking for an original headshell and cartridge. Seems if was removed from the TT while it was at the GoodWill store. That's why I got it for 10 bucks.
The build quality on this TT is fantastic, metal everywhere. Huge motor for such a small task. Do you know if anybody makes new rubber bushings for the motor supports? That's really the only thing left for a full mechanical restoration.

BillWojo

BillWojo said:

I think the acetone would make a mess on the paint. I've never seen rubber turn into such a hardened mess before. Could it be a natural gum rubber?

Click to expand...

Sorry if I confused you, acetone removed a belted belt. But don't know about acetone on a plinth finish.