First Reel to Reel

[2spike]

Just got a Pioneer RT-1020L, first question,how do i go about cleaning the inside of this unit it is very dusty-dirty dont want to use wrong products. Unit seems to work ok one problem i found is right side reel has whats seems to be excessive play on the motor shaft. The shaft seems to move in and out 1/4 inch where the left reel seems to have min. play. When machine is running right side reel seems to rub on front . Any help would be great thanks.

 

[MRL_Audio]

Get the owners and service manuals from HiFi Engine. Read em first. They will be very helpful.

 

[dhnash]

As MRL_Audio suggested, getting the manuals will help a great deal. They are available for free download after registering which is also free:

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/pioneer/rt-1020l.shtml

Cleaning the interior of the unit is probably best accomplished using a vacuum cleaner with appropriate attachments and a soft painters brush. Using compressed air tends to disperse the dust and can cause it to enter areas where it may cause other problems. The problem you are having with the take-up side reel table moving more than it should and rubbing against the face plate could be the result of the set screws that secure the reel table to the reel motor shaft being loose. There is a procedure shown on page 21 of the service manual shows the arrangement of these components and the method used to adjust the reel table position and for securing it.

 

[2spike]

I dont think that is the problem seems the whole takeup motor shaft moves in and out, but ill look at the set screws this evening to see . thanks dhnash!

 

[audiojones]

I’ve run across this problem before on a few other decks, not on a 1020 though I imagine it’s probably similar. In those cases it was an “E” ring (or circlip) on the shaft inside the motor that fell off (in one case it broke off) and allowed the motor shaft to move back and forth too far. There’s usually one at the front end and one at the back end, one of them probably came off and the motor shaft is floating.

Unfortunately the reel motor has to come out and get opened up to access it. Sometimes they put thread locker on the screws holding the motor sections together but usually it can be opened up depending on which type of thread lock they used (if any). If you take the reel motor out be very careful around the brake band, it can get bent and distorted very easily. When you are ready to remove the reel motor pull the brake solenoid plunger in by hand to release the brakes and slide the motor straight out, don’t tilt it or otherwise put any force on the brake band. Also when loosening the screws that hold the motor in place don’t let the weight of the motor rest on the brake band, support it before you remove the final screws.

 

[2spike]

that sounds very possible to me, sounds like a pain, well ill look at it after work and see what i can mess up. wonder if the rings are available?

 

[nh36000]

2spike;

Welcome to the R2R owners club. You will not be disappointed with how these things sound, I can say.

Also, I just bought some #3 E-clips for one of my Sony's.

After some searching, I found them at a hobby shop. There are lots of suspension parts for radio control cars, that are held together with those.

'Should have an easy time finding them, there. All one size or a few dozen of different sizes.

Lu.

 

[audiojones]

Should be a hardware / auto parts / hobby store item if it’s just an “E” clip or a snap ring, depends on what Pioneer used. BTW I’ve seen this type of problem happen before due to shipping damage and once because of the deck doing a face-plant onto the floor, so keep an eye out for other problems. FWIW seems like the previous owner should’ve mentioned a problem like that IMO.

 

[2spike]

I think the previous owner was clueless about RtRs much like me he got it from his father when he passed. i found another one locally for 100.00 working maybe ill grab it for parts. Parts on ebay a quiet high from what i see but i guess there not making anymore parts for these so..........

 

[2spike]

yea you guys were right it was a snap ring/e ring, was pushed out of the groove so i re snapped it took care of problem , was nervous taking it apart first repair on a RtR but it worked out

 

[nh36000]

Cool!

Lu.