"I'm stuck" or "Yet Another Dual 1249 TT Thread"

[jstwhln]

Let me start by saying that I'm a glutton for punishment and that this is the first Dual 1249 and the third record player I've worked on.

I picked up a Dual 1249 that was having the typical "tonearm lifts but doesn't move" problem. So I purchased a new steuerpimpel from a guy that sells them on eBay. While I was waiting for it to arrive, I carefully took apart, cleaned and lubricated the mechanism. After installing the new steuerpimpel, the tonearm lifts and moves, but it goes all the way to the point at which the stop cycle is triggered. Once there, the tonearm will set down, pause, lift and return to the tonearm rest and the TT will then turn off.

I've tried adjusting the tonearm indexing screw (under the Dual logo) to no avail. I've also tried going through the automatic cycle with the tonearm locked down on it's rest.

Has anyone else ever had this sort of problem? I've looked through the forums, and most problems seem to be the "tonearm lifts but doesn't move" type of problems.

 

[131east23]

I was under the impression that if you left the tone arm locked down and started the TT it would reset itself and begin operating as normal on the next go round. I can almost swear I read that in the manual somewhere.

 

[jstwhln]

It is in the manual and I neglected to mention that I tried it, again to no avail. Thanks, I just updated my original post.

 

[scorpio333]

I've been trying to get mine working and if I finally got it to move and the dang thing kept going like that I'd have a stroke. No kidding.

I can only think of two things I would try. First, make sure the end of the black control lever is in the right slot of the cam wheel. Second, is the other end of the control lever greased or not. Mine originally did have grease on it, but I've read others don't. If there is no grease on it, maybe it's getting too much "gription"?

 

[NoTransistors]

You took it apart and most things need not be touched on these machines. There is a flat bar that hooks onto a little spring-loaded pin on the aluminum plate [this plate moves with lateral tonearm movement]. That bar is the thing which stops the arm [when it hooks the pin] from going any more toward the label than the lead-in groove. Also, it is linked [with a long rod] to the speed control.
This is by memory, as I have not seen one of those sad turntables in years. I think that the 1249 is a poor design in function and looks when put next to the 1229Q that it replaced.

 

[jstwhln]

You took it apart and most things need not be touched on these machines. There is a flat bar that hooks onto a little spring-loaded pin on the aluminum plate [this plate moves with lateral tonearm movement]. That bar is the thing which stops the arm [when it hooks the pin] from going any more toward the label than the lead-in groove. Also, it is linked [with a long rod] to the speed control.

This is by memory, as I have not seen one of those sad turntables in years. I think that the 1249 is a poor design in function and looks when put next to the 1229Q that it replaced.

Ok, fair enough - most of the mechanism doesn't need to be touched. However, I only disassembled parts that needed the old lube removed and new lube applied. :thmbsp:



It appears that during disassembly, I pushed the spring-loaded pin in question down a bit too far as the height adjustment spring had no effect. When I removed the plate, I found that the spring was a bit out of shape. So I carefully rotated the spring off the side of the plate and gently bent it back into space. Upon reassembly, everything works.



Here are some pictures of the plate, spring and pin in question in the event anyone in the future has a similar issue.