Help: Thorens TP-11 mk1 tonearm disassembly issues (from TD-165)

[Old Guy8]

I found a Thorens TD 165 with TP-11 mk1 tonearm at a farm yard sale in '16, for near free. Broken antiskate hangers, for one issue. Missing dust cover and misc. parts.

I started disassembly to rebuild it, back then. Basement flood/rebuild intervened. I had a couple help threads back then. Back at it now.

Issue #1: I need to find a special screwdriver to remove set screw pivot bearings(?) with two holes on face. (see third pic) Might be called a "Spanner drilled hole screwdriver." I'm assuming its metric. I only find U shape tamperproof screwdrivers. So small it's difficult to measure hole spacing and size. Maybe about 3 mm or 3.5 mm spacing and 1+ mm hole dia.
Anyone with experience with this or similar tonearm with this type bearing?

Issue #2: Following part #'s can't be disassembled.
(see parts exploded view, pic)
6.872.022
7.874.005
6.874.018
7.872.021
7.872.022

Following parts are threaded together. But won't budge. Maybe Loctite or other glue on them? Maybe heat gun can expand it, to break glue. If I can free these, may allow disassembly of rest of parts above.
7.874.005
7.872.021

I have visited Vinylengine and Analogdept for a scan for TP-11 mk1 info. Found manuals, but no rebuild info. Most owners seem to have other arms.

I've bought a few replacement parts for this arm. Otherwise, I would just look for an upgrade arm.

 

[tnsilver]

Hi. For the bearings, just dremel a cheap old flat screw driver you can spare and chip away the center, creating the 'U' shaped tool. To separate the aluminum pillar 7.872.022 from the gimbal frame 6.872.022 you're gonna have to put one in a vise (preferably wrapped in a rag to avoid dings and scratches) and turn the other one. Brute force is the only approach, but make sure to apply it only to the black frame or aluminum pillar and not to the armtube or bearing. After that you're gonna have to release the top (horizontal) bearing with either a flat screw driver, or a 'U' shaped tool again.

 

[Old Guy8]

Hi. For the bearings, just dremel a cheap old flat screw driver you can spare and chip away the center, creating the 'U' shaped tool. To separate the aluminum pillar 7.872.022 from the gimbal frame 6.872.022 you're gonna have to put one in a vise (preferably wrapped in a rag to avoid dings and scratches) and turn the other one. Brute force is the only approach, but make sure to apply it only to the black frame or aluminum pillar and not to the armtube or bearing. After that you're gonna have to release the top (horizontal) bearing with either a flat screw driver, or a 'U' shaped tool again.

Maybe you are right. Unscrew the black frame and silver aluminum sleeve first. To get access to 7.872.021. I have tried brute force without damaging sleeve. Pliers with rubber grip just slipped on sleeve. I wonder if threadlocker on it. Why I'm considering heatgun, after removing wires. Some threadlockers can take more heat than safe to apply.
First remove bearing and long tube. Get wires out of way.
Thanks for reply.

 

[Old Guy8]

So I was able to disassemble tonearm. Good news. I used heat gun, and had a casualty. Bad news. The cup shape plastic washer. (Cup shape to keep dirt from bearing in silver aluminum sleeve. ) Heat gun was not a good decision. I don't know if it helped release Loctite. Still took a lot of force and grip marks. I'll have to find a black flat plastic washer as near replacement.

Threaded parts had thread locker on them. Had to jury rig rubber vise jaws. Still have wrench jaw marks on non showing bottom end of sleeve. Will have to stone off high spots.

Used Dremel to grind a two drill hole spanner from a flat screwdriver bit. Worked fine. Thanks, tnsilver.