Goodwill Akai buy that's missing it's springs!

[lost audio]

Hello everyone. So I just picked up a Akai CD-A30 that's super sensitive to skipping. So I opened it up an noticed no springiness to the laser mech. Dug into it and the springs are gone, so now what? Part it out and sell the Sony KSS-121B laser?. I do like the how good the unit sounds but it's unusable. I even tried different rubber bushings and springs from parted out CD Players with some luck but not really,. Anyone know what other models that used this mech that are cheap? Thanks

 

[dr*audio]

Are you sure it's supposed to have springs? Maybe it only has the silicone bushings and they collapsed.

 

[lost audio]

I downloaded the service manual and it shows springs. The rubber bushings are solid

 

[lost audio]

Maybe this version didn't have metal springs? If so what's works to soften these rubber bushings to help the mech "float" and isolate it better? Right now it's too ridged. Have a early 90's Sony CDP-311 that was very touchy on the lights tap too. I changed out the stiff black bushings for softer blue ones and it solved the skipping issue.

 

[raycarr00]

if you want to try springs, they can be found at the big box hardware stores. they'll have a variety of bushings, too. you can clip the springs to size or tension...same with the bushings...it'll take trial and error.

 

[dr*audio]

The only way you can get the special springs used on this is to take them from something else, which is what the previous owner did, apparently. The thing is, the laser for this is no longer available so it has a limited life. You can get springs from any Sony home player but then you'd be ruining a superior player that you could get a laser for to fix this one. You will not find the special springs at a hardware store.

 

[onanysunday]

While you're in there, did you make sure the laser eye is perfectly clean (windex on q-tip head works well) and the rail(s) have been cleaned of old lube and then re-lubed with a very light coat of machine oil or white lithium grease? If not, that may also contribute to skipping.