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Teac A-4010S belt change

T

TerribleT

Member
Hello,
A friend of mind just gave me an old Teac A-4010S reel to reel. The belt has melted to a messy goo and the mechanical linkage that connects to the idler wheel and solenoid doesn't move. I can move it by hand, but it takes some effort. I suspect the lubrication has solidified. I can see that the solenoid still works, it twitches a little when I hit the play button.
First how does one begin to change the belt. The hardware surrounding the flywheel looks complicated. Secondly, what is the best method to dissolve the dried up grease around the linkage? Thanks.
Regards,
David
 
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Hi David, Welcome to AK :)

You replace the drive-belt from the back, the center of the fly-wheel has a bracket attached with 2 screws, unscrew the left one and loosen the second one a couple of turns.
Let the bracket fall to the left, and don't loose the steel-ball in the center.
Now you can feed the new belt in thru the hole and over the fly-wheel + pulley.
Clean both with head-cleaner before installing the belt. :thmbsp:

The slow movement of the pinch-roller is done from the front, look at the sleeve on the bottom right side of the heads in the picture with a red-dot, use a solder-iron or a small butane torch to heat the old grease up and move the arm at the same time until it moves freely.
TE-115.jpg




Good Luck David. :)
 
Thanks Vintage TX ,
Your instructions were helpful, but I'm still not there. I applied heat from my 80 watt iron and like magic the linkage assemblly moved with ease. But after it cooled down, it became sticky again. Should I apply more neat to melt away the old dried up grease or should I apply a drop of oil?
I haven't change the belt yet. I can't get to the left screw holding the bracket. There is a circuit board with large electrolytic capacitors blocking access to the screw. What should I do next? Again thanks for your help.
Regards,
David
 
Hi again David, :)
OK, on the back you need to take the lower cover off attached with (6) screws to get access inside.
See this:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=29520&highlight=Teac+A-4010
There is a picture showing the back, set the cover to the side carefully and then you can reach the bracket for the fly-wheel.

At the same time, look where the capstan-arm is attached, there is a phillips screw in the center, take it out and drop some light machine oil inside, I tilt the deck forward during this so the oil sip between.
Gun-Oil orSewing machine oil works fine.
Attach the screw again but not too hard, engage the linkage with your finger many times until it loosen up and move freely. Try heating it up again, this can take awhile but be patient it will work again.

If you need any more advice just ask :thmbsp:
 
Hi Vintage TX,
Thanks again for your valuable help. From your pictures it looks like my A-4010 is a slightly different version. First there isn't a screw from the top holding the capstan arm. In fact in my unit to remove the arm you would have to remove a supporting structure that is attatched to the head assembly. But there is a phillips screw from behind the unit. I'll remove it and check it tonight. From behind in your unit you can clearly see both screws holding down the flywheel bearing. In my unit the left screw is obscured by a circuit board and its parts. I'll try to move those parts away gently tonight. Oh one more question. Should I put a few drops of oil in the little tubings from the top leading to the reel bearings? And how can I oil the drive motor bearing? Thanks
Regards,
David
 
Hmm, you must have the later model, try move the pc-board for the last bracket screw.

The capstan-arm screw on the back, leave it alone. :no:
Take off the front-screw instead, and oil from that point in to the sleeve.

You can oil the reel-motor bearings with light machine-oil, 2-3 drops in each tube.

Capstan-motor has sealed bearings on the later model if I remember right, no oil is needed.

Keep me posted on the progress David. :)
 
Hello Vintage TX,
I'm making progress. Removal of circuit board would've involved removing inacessible screws which would require disassembly of the chassis that it is conneced to...and so on... So, I just removed the one screw and swung the bracket away with just a little effort. Now the belt can go on :lmao: . But before I do that, I still need to make the capstan arm move freely. Too late, I removed the screw from the bottom. I hope this won't mess up anything. Removal of screw didn't help, but it revealed to me how the capstan-arm pivot mecahnism works. On my machine, there is no screw from the top. The stationary rod that the arm rotates on is fixed by the bottom screw and a hole in a metal structure, which is supported in part by the head assembly, captures the other end of the rod. The capstan arm assembly rides over the fixed rod and rotates around it. I laid my 80 watt iron on top of this fixed rod for about 30 minutes. The arm moved freely with no problem. After it cooled down, the problem returned :worried: . I will next fire up my benzene torch and try a little more heat. What do you think? Oh, a new question. These's a tape guide arm under the supply reel. Is this arm fixed or should it move with the varying tape tension? At the moment itdoesn't move at all, but there is a spring around the post suggesting that it should have movement to provide tension for the arm. I'm almost there. My Columbia RTR tape of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue is sitting there just waiting to be played. A thousand thanks.
Regards,
David
 
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Vintage Tx,
I thought my machines were clean inside. Yours are fantastic! Looking at your pictures reminds me that I have the oil filled capacitors from when I had the 4010. If anyone needs them, send me an email.
Ron
 
David, good you are making progress, smart bending the bracket down so you can slip the belt inside.
Be sure not to loose the steel-ball bending it back again.

About the arm, not sure how your deck looks, but you need to clean the old gunk off inside if heat doesn't make it work again.
Look at the first picture on this tread, in the center of the linkage arm does your deck has a lock-screw with red paint around it ?
If so loosen that, after scraping the lock-paint off, so you are able to get some oil between the 2 sleeves, tip the deck backwards at the same time so it can sip inside.
After that move the arm again with your fingers or heat it up again.

The tension arm is suppose top move, another gunky project.. :D
Use light machine oil and move back and fourth carefully... until it loosen up.
Don't break the arm off, very gently otherwise you are in trouble.

Good Luck :)

Ron,

Thanks for your comment, I try my best to clean old gunk off, that particular Teac was really nasty, but 250 Q-tips and elbow grease helped alot. :thmbsp:
 
Hello Vintage TX,
There is no lock screw or red paint in the center of the linkage arm on my deck. There is only a bolt in the back anchoring a rod that the capstan arm sleeve rides on. The rod isn't free standing. At the top a 'Y' shaped plate with a hole for the rod anchors this end to the flywheel plate and to the head assembly plate.
I put the propane torch to the arm assembly for about45 seconds. The arm moved easily and the little spring would snap the linkage and solenoid plunger right back out with authority. You can hear the plate smack against the microswith. I waited until it cooled completely and tested again. The arm moved easily but returned slower and with less strength. I think I can live with that. I'll test it again tomorrow morning. BTW what is the purpose for the microswitch? Is the timing from disengaging the solenoid and engaging of the switch critical? I also put the torch to the tension arm assembly on the left side. After applying heat, it moved. This thing is really gummed up. It would freeze up again after it cooled. How can I disassemble this thing? Thanks.
Regards,
David
 
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Hello Vintage TX,
I sent you three pictures to your email address I got from your website. Let me know if you got them. Teac A-4010S SN 175127
Regards,
David
 
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Hello Vintage TX,
Belt is on. Capstan arm is swinging freely. All is good :banana: . Tape is playing fine except for the tensioner arm on the left. I'll keep at it until it too is free. Thanks a million for your generous help.
Regards,
David
 
Left Tensioner Arm....

There is only about 3/8 " movement available to that left tensioner arm when free, I believe.....Rolf..... Is that right ? I am doing the same maintenance as TT as were posting...- Joe
 
Can't remember exactly, but think it's around 1/2 inch Joe. :scratch2:
Don't have a complete 4010 left here.
Did you try oiling it ?
 
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