Making this thread for posterity's sake as I believe it's been solved. It's a pretty simple fix, and likely countless folks have done this with a shrug and thought "no big deal," but hopefully helpful to someone nonetheless.
Apparently a common issue in the Akai GX-77 is that the strength of spring attached to the take-up wheel (the manual calls the spring 5-14 the "SP Pull Set" and the wheel 5-15 the "ring roller") causes its plastic tab to snap.
I've read some threads that have been informative but have lacked explanatory images to drive home the point:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/akai-gx77-help.770984/#post-10551964
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....-me-replace-fuse-and-go.755533/#post-10277988
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....garding-akai-gx-77-tape-loader-spring.167695/
In the one I'm repairing (or, have repaired *knock on wood) the plastic bracket fell out when I took the casing off. I didn't know what it was at the time.
I noticed a spring that was only connected on one end. Hmm. Can't be right. Springs usually need to be connected on TWO ends to be useful!
Doing some detective work, it seems clear, and looking at the service manual, that this was the spring's bracket.
The solution? Bend the little bastard a little and put the end right through the hole underneath the bracket's former position. Since it's in the same position, it puts the same amount of tension on the spring. And since it's through the thick plastic base itself, there's little risk of it breaking again.
Been loading and unloading the rest of the afternoon just fine. Hope this helps.
Cheers!
Apparently a common issue in the Akai GX-77 is that the strength of spring attached to the take-up wheel (the manual calls the spring 5-14 the "SP Pull Set" and the wheel 5-15 the "ring roller") causes its plastic tab to snap.
I've read some threads that have been informative but have lacked explanatory images to drive home the point:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/akai-gx77-help.770984/#post-10551964
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....-me-replace-fuse-and-go.755533/#post-10277988
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....garding-akai-gx-77-tape-loader-spring.167695/
In the one I'm repairing (or, have repaired *knock on wood) the plastic bracket fell out when I took the casing off. I didn't know what it was at the time.
I noticed a spring that was only connected on one end. Hmm. Can't be right. Springs usually need to be connected on TWO ends to be useful!
Doing some detective work, it seems clear, and looking at the service manual, that this was the spring's bracket.
The solution? Bend the little bastard a little and put the end right through the hole underneath the bracket's former position. Since it's in the same position, it puts the same amount of tension on the spring. And since it's through the thick plastic base itself, there's little risk of it breaking again.
Been loading and unloading the rest of the afternoon just fine. Hope this helps.
Cheers!
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