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Newbie wants to get a Dual 1226 Up and Running

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Colin1234

New Member
Hey guys, I've been reading a lot here and you guys seem like you really know what you're doing. I'm 20 so I kind of missed vinyl by a few years but I've been collecting for a few years without actually owning turntable. I recently picked up a Dual 1226 for about $20 with what I'm assuming is a cheap Audio Technics cartridge. (Student so I can't afford much more) I've tried some of my cheapies on it and it seems to work with a bit of background crackle (although it may be the LP). However, before I start playing some of my better stuff, I want to make sure it's set up properly and I'm going to come out and say that I don't really know what I'm doing with it.

I've looked for a manual online and the only one I can find is for the 1228 which I believe is close to the 1226. Can anyone give me a once through in what I should do in terms of setting the weight, anti-skating etc.

I know this table is supposed to be fully automatic but I think something may be partially wrong with it. I start it, the table spins to full speed, the arm lifts up but doesn't move out, I have to manually move it out otherwise it turns off. Also, when it reaches the end of the LP it lifts up and starts to swing back but drops before it gets back to its initial location, I'm assuming this has something to do with the weighting. Again, if anyone is willing to help me with this I'd really appreciate it. Thanks, Colin
 
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I actually came across a service manual for the 1228 and some of the same problems I'm having with the automatic start/stop on the 1226 were in there. Most of it seems to be able to be fixed by a good cleaning (I think this unit needs it). If anyone has some disassembly instructions it would be nice. I'm fairly fluent with electronics repair but I never really touched stuff before '85 and would prefer not to screw this up. Again, thanks in advance for your help.
 
The arm movement difficulty is a classic Daul problem. Look for threads in this Forum on the "clutch pad" or the Dual term, "guide white". There's a tiny little piece that looks like an 1/8 long piece of ball-point-pen refill (a clear plastic tube). This piece gets old, cracks, falls off, disappears, etc. I replaced mine with...a piece of ball point pen refill. There is at least one thread with pictures, the replacement takes maybe half an hour the first time.

To disassemble, there's two steps: take the platter off the spindle, by removing the snap ring on the center spindle, then the platter lifts straight up (remove the record spindle, it pulls straight up first, then a screwdriver can get into the center hole to pry the snap ring off). This accesses the idler wheel, etc.

The second part of disassembly is to take the metal top section (holding the tonearm, levers etc) off of the wooden base. There are two or three shiny silver screws, the biggest ones on the TT. Loosen them and the screws will be free to pivot inward. This allows the TT to lift upward of the spring holes. Kinda got to hold the screws in just right for them to release. Then you can get to everything else underneath.

I clean my TT's with 92% isopropyl alchohol then lube at the point sshown on the service manual.
 
I have a Dual 1225 that I bought for $25 (from the looks of it the 1225 and 1226 are nearly identical). I am 18 and had never worked a turn table before, so if I can learn it you can.

As far as Duals go, they are good tables, but most of them are going to need to be cleaned and lubed like you said, also, I would replace the RCA cables, Dual made some low quality cables (both my Duals had cables that had problems). You will probably have to remove the platter mat to get at the clip ring that keeps the platter from coming off.
 
Thanks a lot for your help guys. I'll give it a try in the next day or so and post back with any problems I encounter. Thanks, Again
 
Colin1234 said:
Thanks a lot for your help guys. I'll give it a try in the next day or so and post back with any problems I encounter. Thanks, Again
Click to expand...

You are going to want to draw diagrams for all the parts. All the arm movement is done off a gear from the platter, so there is a lot of mechanical levers and cams in there. You need to keep track of those.
 
Before I take anything apart, I take pictures of each section/area I plan to work on, and from at least three different angles. That has save me more than once, even though I have the exploded diagrams in the manual.

Be sure and get a couple of good overhead views.

I have the rebuild area set up next to the computer so I can easily refer to them as I work.

You might want to do some searches on Dual's here at the forum so you can see what some of the problems people have encountered are and to find out about lubrication. There are some different ideas about what to use as a lube. This link talks about it some. According to them all you need is lithium grease and 10w30 oil. Go easy on the lube when you use it. Also remove the old stuff first. I was working on one Dual and the original grease had the consistency of old bubble gum. I had to use WD-40 to break it up and then wiped the parts down with alcohol soaked rags before relubing them. By the way, never use WD-40 as a final lubricant...

http://dual-reference.com/Troubles/1200lube.htm
 
And here's a trick I found: when re-installing those little E-clips, tie a thread around them first (leave the other end of the thread still on the spool). That way when they get launched into the stratosphere, there's a possibility the thread will keep them from getting lost forever.
 
I almost lost a spring like that. It took off like a bullet and only through shear luck did it land where I could see it. That kinda scared me a bit... The string trick sounds like a good idea.
 
So, I've got the platter off, when I'm actually removing the assembly from the wood, which way do I tilt the screw heads? And should it easily come out? I'm not sure and I don't want to force anything.
 
You are going to want to pull the screws up a bit (they should come up a bit more than 1/4") then tilt the heads out (so the sides you can't see tilt in). on the left side of the turn table (or the right, I don;t remember) there should be only one screw, tilt that one and lift that side of the table first, that should let you look under it and see the other ones so they will be easier to get out.
 
Dual Up And Running......

Northern New JERSEY boy myself... try my buddy at fix my dual.com Bill 1 515 240 4660, in Des Moines Iowa. This man has the knowledge, and he is "reasonable" fixing these can be irritating, frustrating, and WILL drive you to drink. He will advise you on proper shipping..... that my best advice
 
Replacing the "clutch pad", AKA the "guide white", should fix this without resorting to drink...very simple repair.

Here's a description of the problem as written up by Fred Longworth:

"The "guide" or "tonearm clutch pad" goes between a pin on the bottom of the tonearm base and the large, flat, spade-shaped end of the main lever.

The main lever has a pivot in the center. One end of the lever sits in a track on the cycling cam. The other (spade-shaped) end sits under the clutch pad.

When the turntable cycles, the main lever presses upward against the pad (and against the damped arm-lifter shaft) and then moves laterally. This causes the arm to do two things: lift and move sideways. A clutch pad is used so that if the arm is held in place, there is slip built into the system -- so the linkages to the arm won't self-destruct.

Inevitably the guide or clutch pad crumbles, and then it's metal against metal. Some Duals can still move the arm laterally in a half-assed way, but most lose lateral control. The full automatics stop moving over to the record (they stay on the arm rest) and the semi-automatics struggle to move the arm back to the arm rest, but usually fail and set the arm down somewhere on the record."

I will search for the thread that has pics showing where this little piece is.
 
Okay, here's a thread. The close-up pic shows the underside of the tonearm mechanism.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=137716&highlight=dual+clutch+pad

To access this piece, one item has to be removed: the big lever that goes from the center of the TT over to the tonearm lift mechanism. This lever pivots on a pin with a snap ring on each end of the pin. Remove one of the snap rings and pull the pin out. The lever comes off. Now the clutch pad is out in the open and can be replaced. Again, I suggest a short section of ink pen refill. Put the big lever back in place, reinstall the pin and snap ring (push the lever down slightly to overcome the spring force to get the pin in), and you're good to go.
 
nashvillebil said:
And here's a trick I found: when re-installing those little E-clips, tie a thread around them first (leave the other end of the thread still on the spool). That way when they get launched into the stratosphere, there's a possibility the thread will keep them from getting lost forever.
Click to expand...

What a cool idea! Simple, easy and effective. :thmbsp:

Another excellent idea is to use the proper tool. :D Yes, there is a tool you can buy for removing and replacing those things. It has sets of interchangable tips, to suit different-sized clips. I don't know how many I lost, broke, or bent before finally getting the right tool... and haven't had much trouble since. They don't seem to fly away often, when held by the tool that is made to hold them.
 
Thanks a lot for your help. I got it out and sure enough there's some dried out/flakey rubber where the clutch pad should be, I'll try a few things and let you know how it works. Also, what's the best way you guys find to actually work on a table?
 
Okay, so this pin is spring loaded, does that mean I should leave a bit of space at the bottom for it to go in. There was kind of an argument about it in the other thread, I guess it makes it more jerky if there is no spring loaded action.

EDIT: Okay, I tried it the way suggested with the bic pen, all the way to the base of the smaller part of the pin, so there's no springy action. The auto-return works great now but when I start it, the arm moves to the start of the record but doesn't drop, it just swings partway back to the rest position. The bic pen was maybe 1/2 mm longer than the pin, could this be the problem? There is also something about 1" 1/2 from the pin i'm working on that looks very similar to it and is missing the rubber as well, I'll try to post a pic. Should this have rubber as well or is it meant to be bare?

EDIT2:

clutchpadkr6.jpg
 
You may have a couple of other problems...the arm tonearm lowering dampening mechanism, is it frozen up? What I mean: when you raise the tonearm manually, then move it over the record, then flip the lever to lower the tonearm, what happens? Does it slowly lower in maybe a second, or does it stay up a lot longer?

Also, what do you have the anti-skating set to?

The other metal piece is bare.

Have you liberally cleaned all the mechanisms with alcohol and re-lubed everything yet?
 
No, I haven't done that yet. Does anyone know what it is that should be cleaned and re-lubed? Like I said, this is the first time I've done this.

As for lowering the arm, it goes down right away (almost drops) as I flip the lever. However, I kind of have to hold the arm as I hit the lever otherwise it'll start to swing back to the initial position, but it definately comes down too hard if I hit the lever to lower the tonearm.
 
Colin1234 said:
No, I haven't done that yet. Does anyone know what it is that should be cleaned and re-lubed? Like I said, this is the first time I've done this.

As for lowering the arm, it goes down right away (almost drops) as I flip the lever. However, I kind of have to hold the arm as I hit the lever otherwise it'll start to swing back to the initial position, but it definately comes down too hard if I hit the lever to lower the tonearm.
Click to expand...

I have a similar problem in that my tonearm gently drops down (good damping fluid, yours probably needs replenished) but at the same time swings back off the record. The stylus ends up *JUST* missing the turntable and the cartridge rests on the record grinding up against it...I'm not using it until I figure out how to fix this. I'm going to keep watching this thread :)

edit: mine is a 1225
 
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