Garrard zero 100 tone arm question

[Carbsandcaps]

I was looking at my beloved Garrard zero 100 and I notice the tone arm is ver loose, you can twist the arm very easily and move it left and right at the pivot. Seems like there’s nothing there where the screw would normally tighten against to set the tension on the arm. Maybe this is normal on this oddball tone arm design? Any insight on this before I take it apart?

 

[gadget73]

swing it over, you may be able to see if there is a missing screw or something on the other side. Its been a little while since I really looked at mine but I want to say it had the usual arrangement of a pointy screw coming from each direction. The arms on these are not exactly rock solid feeling even when everything is right though.

 

[teebomus]

Mine has a lot of play in it too. I have the Model 70 that twists even more than my zero 100, but seems to play fine.

 

[Carbsandcaps]

Ya mine plays fine too it just doesn’t feel right. I talked to an old Garrard dealer and he said they always had a lot of play. They used a spring to hold tension instead of a jam nut.

 

[Nat]

I don't think it is normal to have much play - I assume the whole idea behind spring loading the pivots was to ensure as little as possible without having to have supertight bearing tolerances, and the DD75 I fixed up for my daughter, where I first noticed the spring loading, has very little play. I notice that in the picture, the arm is right up against the gimble frame on the right hand side, so I think the pivot pin is loose or missing. I've only worked on two or three Zeros, but they didn't have much play, before or after my ministrations.

 

[stereofisher]

Check for a screw. A while back I got several Zeros to learn how to service them. None showed play or were loose in the tonearms. Gave two to friends five years ago. One friend plays it like a radio. Did need to clean and oil the motor. Took 20 minutes! Both arms have no play. Probably should have kept one.