Tonearm Keeps Returning - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

zifftoon · 12th Jun 2019, 12:59 pm

I have an old Monarch turntable which works perfectly, except for the tonearm which keeps returning to the spinning record.

It happens when I use it in auto-mode, manual mode and also when I reject it.

How do I fix this issue?

julie_m · 12th Jun 2019, 3:14 pm

It is falsely thinking there are more records on the stack. Look for something not moving as freely as it ought to, connected with the overarm. It's held up above its normal position by the stack of records; when the last record has been dropped, the overarm falls back to the bottom and this is how the changer knows to shut off and not try to play another record.

Michael Maurice · 12th Jun 2019, 6:59 pm

Have a look underneath the overam, there should be a rubber collar (for want of a better word) on its spindle, it goes hard and breaks up which allows the overarm to drop further than it should.

Audio1950 · 12th Jun 2019, 8:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Maurice

Have a look underneath the overam, there should be a rubber collar (for want of a better word) on its spindle, it goes hard and breaks up which allows the overarm to drop further than it should.

Surely, if anything, that would make the mechanism shut down prematurely, which is the opposite of the fault the OP describes?

Michael Maurice · 12th Jun 2019, 11:34 pm

No it doesn't actually, if you look at the shaft it has an indent, which when the arm is down with no records, allows a lever to move inwards. But indent doesn't go all the way down the shaft, so if the arm travels too far down, the lever that should move in, doesn't.

I'll post a picture tomorrow.

ben · 13th Jun 2019, 12:47 am

That deck is a UA15. Have you removed the old hard (brown) grease from the mech?

Audio1950 · 13th Jun 2019, 10:46 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Maurice

No it doesn't actually, if you look at the shaft it has an indent, which when the arm is down with no records, allows a lever to move inwards. But indent doesn't go all the way down the shaft, so if the arm travels too far down, the lever that should move in, doesn't.

I'll post a picture tomorrow.

Thanks Michael, I understand what you are saying. I'd forgotten that indent!

zifftoon · 14th Jun 2019, 11:00 am

Is this the so-called "rubber collar" you are talking about?

'LIVEWIRE?' · 14th Jun 2019, 11:04 am

That's the one, but I've never known one of those go hard & brittle. Perhaps in the Malaysian climate this could happen, though.

Michael Maurice · 14th Jun 2019, 11:09 am

I’ve seen loads of them go hard and brittle, sometimes they’re not even there.

tracypaper · 14th Jun 2019, 12:59 pm

I'm with Michael, loads have gone hard and crack.
Looking at the corrosion of the overarm it suggest's it's been stood for years so would check for hardened grease as a starting point.
Gaz.

zifftoon · 14th Jun 2019, 4:02 pm

Which part of the mechanism should I check out for hardened grease?

Station X · 14th Jun 2019, 4:19 pm

All of it!

zifftoon · 14th Jun 2019, 4:56 pm

Alright. I will do that.

Michael Maurice · 14th Jun 2019, 7:29 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Station X

All of it!

In fact, i strip them down to the bare chassis and clean everything before re-assembling with fresh grease.

12th Jun 2019, 12:59 pm	#1
zifftoon Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 14	Tonearm Keeps Returning I have an old Monarch turntable which works perfectly, except for the tonearm which keeps returning to the spinning record. It happens when I use it in auto-mode, manual mode and also when I reject it. How do I fix this issue? Attached Thumbnails

12th Jun 2019, 3:14 pm	#2
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning It is falsely thinking there are more records on the stack. Look for something not moving as freely as it ought to, connected with the overarm. It's held up above its normal position by the stack of records; when the last record has been dropped, the overarm falls back to the bottom and this is how the changer knows to shut off and not try to play another record. __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

12th Jun 2019, 6:59 pm	#3
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 7,225	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning Have a look underneath the overam, there should be a rubber collar (for want of a better word) on its spindle, it goes hard and breaks up which allows the overarm to drop further than it should. __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

12th Jun 2019, 11:34 pm	#5
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 7,225	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning No it doesn't actually, if you look at the shaft it has an indent, which when the arm is down with no records, allows a lever to move inwards. But indent doesn't go all the way down the shaft, so if the arm travels too far down, the lever that should move in, doesn't. I'll post a picture tomorrow. __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

13th Jun 2019, 12:47 am	#6
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning That deck is a UA15. Have you removed the old hard (brown) grease from the mech? __________________ Regards, Ben.

14th Jun 2019, 11:00 am	#8
zifftoon Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 14	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning Is this the so-called "rubber collar" you are talking about? Attached Thumbnails

14th Jun 2019, 11:04 am	#9
'LIVEWIRE?' Rest in Peace Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: N.W. Oxfordshire(Chipping Norton) Posts: 7,306	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning That's the one, but I've never known one of those go hard & brittle. Perhaps in the Malaysian climate this could happen, though.

14th Jun 2019, 11:09 am	#10
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 7,225	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning I’ve seen loads of them go hard and brittle, sometimes they’re not even there. __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

14th Jun 2019, 12:59 pm	#11
tracypaper Octode Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,234	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning I'm with Michael, loads have gone hard and crack. Looking at the corrosion of the overarm it suggest's it's been stood for years so would check for hardened grease as a starting point. Gaz.

14th Jun 2019, 4:02 pm	#12
zifftoon Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 14	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning Which part of the mechanism should I check out for hardened grease?

14th Jun 2019, 4:19 pm	#13
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,289	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning All of it! __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

14th Jun 2019, 4:56 pm	#14
zifftoon Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 14	Re: Tonearm Keeps Returning Alright. I will do that.