NAD 6100 rewind fix & QUICK belt change

[birchoak]

Hi guys! Doesn't that anemic FF/REWIND on the NAD 6100 bug you?! It's a great-sounding deck with my all-time favorite recording level meters (so fun to look at in the dark), but that DAMNED wimpy transport motor! Well, I had enough and de-soldered the leads to the dedicated motor (it's the silver can at the rear of the cassette transport mechanism, on the top; the lower one drives the tape in PLAY), removed it. Sprayed, um, er, Radio Shack cleaner/lube into all the holes in the motor, worked the cogs back and forth for a while, sprayed it again and re-installed it. Voila! At least 40% stronger & smoother. Caig De-Oxit followed by Caig Gold would have been a much better idea but I was out. LET ALL THE EXCESS CLEANER/LUBE DRAIN OUT OF THE MOTOR before re-installing or it will drip on the belt, causing it to slip and making the tape un-ejectable! (Don't ask me how I know this). To be on safe side let motor dry overnight, and blow it out thoroughly. Re-install and feel the joy.

Belt replacement:Do it while FF/RW motor is drying and you'll have much easier access. Slip belt off small nylon wheel on drive motor (this time it's the lower silver can) so that belt comes off on side closest to REAR OF CASE. Now, said belt appears hopelessly hung up around the flywheel and many, many unpleasant steps away from being replaced. Not so my friend! Gently tug the belt up on the side of the flywheel closest to the rear of the case. See that little white nylon disk and the bronze shaft going into it? That's the spot! With not much persuasion tease the belt up and THROUGH. You will find that the disc and shaft 'float', or give, slightly, more than enough for the belt to come free. No prodding or prying with foreign objects is necessary; just gently working the belt against this junction will suffice. Installation of new belt is the reverse. I used a plastic zip-tie to coax the new belt back onto the fly- and drive-wheels but you probably have a much cooler idea.

Hope this helps anyone else owning the otherwise loveable 6100 and, no, I'm not a professional tech so feel free to scold me and check this procedure out with greater minds. That said, I have recorded and played tapes on it since and cannot detect anything amiss. If interest suffices I will take pics to help you through it.

Cheers!

 

[Old_Tech]

This is Great!

Nice job! We had a similar thread open for this kind of problem and have had no responses at all.
Please have a look...

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=203644

Your coming in has really helped out -Thank You! Now you have me wondering if my belt is bad. It is really soft and pliable and seems to grip really well??? I cleaned it as well. Sometimes on start the drive will chatter like mad and then stop. I have to turn the flywheel to get the mechanism to unlock. Even the door stays locked closed untill I move the flywheel and unlock the mechanism. The deck seems to work better once its been on for awhile.

Man, flush the DC Motor out? Sounds like a challenge and with my luck that will be the end. Do we have a slow motor, bad belt or both? What a drag. Where did you get a new belt?

I agree the 6100 sounds so beautiful and is why I have been so wanting to fix this problem. I thought it might be old tapes so I am going to buy some new XL-II's tonight after work.

Thanks so much for your help with this!
Ron

 

[fonon]

Hi guys! Doesn't that anemic FF/REWIND on the NAD 6100 bug you?! It's a great-sounding deck with my all-time favorite recording level meters (so fun to look at in the dark), but that DAMNED wimpy transport motor! Well, I had enough and de-soldered the leads to the dedicated motor (it's the silver can at the rear of the cassette transport mechanism, on the top; the lower one drives the tape in PLAY), removed it. Sprayed, um, er, Radio Shack cleaner/lube into all the holes in the motor, worked the cogs back and forth for a while, sprayed it again and re-installed it. Voila! At least 40% stronger & smoother. Caig De-Oxit followed by Caig Gold would have been a much better idea but I was out. LET ALL THE EXCESS CLEANER/LUBE DRAIN OUT OF THE MOTOR before re-installing or it will drip on the belt, causing it to slip and making the tape un-ejectable! (Don't ask me how I know this). To be on safe side let motor dry overnight, and blow it out thoroughly. Re-install and feel the joy.

I have the same problem. Usually, I need to resume FF/REW (and sometimes also play) operations several times. I haven't original Caig preparations but I'm using substitutes proven in practice. Unfortunately, after cleaning, the motor doesn't work better. Any idea?
f.

 

[beadgc23]

I have the same problem. Usually, I need to resume FF/REW (and sometimes also play) operations several times. I haven't original Caig preparations but I'm using substitutes proven in practice. Unfortunately, after cleaning, the motor doesn't work better. Any idea?
f.

I'd like to add to this older thread - I've just bought a NAD 6100 in reasonable shape and I've been working on the FF/REW issue while I wait for a new belt to arrive. FF/REW performance was as described above, and after DeOxit-ing the motor there was little improvement. However the two takeup spindles were fairly stiff, old grease I suspect, and and after lubricating the shafts with fine oil (sewing machine oil) FF/REW performance is now very acceptable.

 

[Merlot1970]

I'd like to add to this older thread - I've just bought a NAD 6100 in reasonable shape and I've been working on the FF/REW issue while I wait for a new belt to arrive. FF/REW performance was as described above, and after DeOxit-ing the motor there was little improvement. However the two takeup spindles were fairly stiff, old grease I suspect, and and after lubricating the shafts with fine oil (sewing machine oil) FF/REW performance is now very acceptable.

BeadGC..... I can help you fix that problem easily. Remove BOTH take up reel and supply reel. Clean the spindles with a qtip and put a very light coat of oil on the spindles. Re-install supply and take up reels..Done.... FF and REW will now be super fast !

 

[Merlot1970]

Also....The NAD 6100 uses electromagnetic brakes that you'll see when taking off the spindles.

 

[beadgc23]

Thanks for that! I'll try again, the old girl drops into stop mode periodically and I need to put her on the bench again…

 

[Edison]

I know this post is 'ancient' (even-though it's not as old as these decks...)
I've been looking for a belt these days and have not been seeing it listed [much anywhere] by model number (except Thakker.eu [not affiliated]) but that's "over-seas" to me...
So, for the record from the Service Manual:

58.5mm x 3.5mm x 0.4mm ((about 2.3in x .138in x .016in))
The first length is probably the DIAMETER---therefore the circumference would be ~183.8mm ((~7.25in))
Perhaps others can find this somehow useful in future searches, perhaps a [close] generic might be sourced [more locally]...

 

[birchoak]

I know this post is 'ancient' (even-though it's not as old as these decks...)
I've been looking for a belt these days and have not been seeing it listed [much anywhere] by model number (except Thakker.eu [not affiliated]) but that's "over-seas" to me...
So, for the record from the Service Manual:
View attachment 1325470
58.5mm x 3.5mm x 0.4mm ((about 2.3in x .138in x .016in))
The first length is probably the DIAMETER---therefore the circumference would be ~183.8mm ((~7.25in))
Perhaps others can find this somehow useful in future searches, perhaps a [close] generic might be sourced [more locally]...

Man, are you guys still looking at this? Sadly, I gave the deck to my sister, who I am no longer speaking to for reasons that I will not go into here but are valid, trust me. I moved on to a Yamaha KX-530---now that sucker has a FAST FF and REWIND! I hate to say this, but I think it's a better deck than the NAD and may be even cooler looking. If you score one, you will likely have to pop the faceplate off and resolder a ton of tiny joints to get the display up and running again, but it's really not that hard to do.