Kenwood KD-2055 running too fast on 33 1/3

[PattonD]

My daughter’s Kenwood KD-2055 has developed a speed issue, and I have very limited turntable experience.


It was playing normally until recently, but 33⅓ RPM is now running much too fast, nearly at 45 RPM. There is very little noticeable difference in platter speed when I switch between 33 and 45.


The belt appears intact and does not seem to be slipping. Beyond that, I am not sure what I should be seeing. I understand the KD-2055 changes speed by shifting the belt on the motor pulley, but I am not seeing any obvious movement at the belt or selector mechanism when I operate the speed control. I may simply not know what to look for.


Could this be a belt-position issue, a stuck or misadjusted speed-change linkage, or something else? I have attached photos of the turntable, platter area, and mechanism. What is the proper first troubleshooting step, and what visible movement should I expect when switching speeds?


Thank you.

 

[restorer-john]

When you press the 33 or 45rpm buttons, the belt guide should move up and down to place the belt on the correct diameter step on the pulley. It's a big movement of about 1cm.

It may be dried out grease in the mechanism preventing it moving or moving to the correct spot.

Just type in "KD-2055 service manual" into google and there's plenty of pdfs out there. If you've got to go in to lubricate/clean, you might as well do main bearing and auto return/lift mechanism service too. Then it will last for another 50 years for your daughter.

 

[borchee]

It's a simple mechanism, so this must be a mechanical issue - likely with the spring and/or hardened grease as suggested above.

 

[ingridkel55]

The clue is that 33 and 45 feel almost the same. On the KD-2055 that means the belt is riding on one pulley step and never moving, which lines up with restorer-john's comment about the guide travel. Before pulling anything apart, pull the platter and mat, set the speed to 45, and mark where the belt sits on the pulley, then press 33 and watch. You should see the belt walk down to the smaller step, roughly a centimeter of change. If it does not budge, the linkage is jammed, not the belt.
Those decks are full of grease that hardens after forty years. Clean the old grease off the speed change linkage and the pulley guide with isopropyl and a swab, then re grease just those points. Set the belt back by hand and check speed with a strobe disc. Replace the belt too if it has a set in it.

 

[tothmes]

This may be a case of "for a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail". But from your photos it looks like the speed change fork does lift the belt as it should at 45 rpm and lowers it at 33. But at both positions the belt stays at the top (45 rmp) part of the pulley. Look at how the belt gets angled in the 45 position.

This is typical for collapsed rubber motor mounts on all of the Kennys from this era - I think the motor is now hanging so low, the belt never reaches the 33 rpm position. The solution is to replace the motor mounts.

My modesty - and the AK rules - forbids me to tell you about the only maker I know of for those parts, should you need them.

 

[borchee]

Out of curiousity...If the motor mounts sag, the pulley lowers and the belt rides the slim (33,33rpm) part, no?

My modesty - and the AK rules - forbids me to tell you about the only maker I know of for those parts, should you need them.

Well, besides the silicone ones by Collegit (from Sweden as yourself...go figure!), there are new ones out of natural rubber offered on ebay (from U.S.).

 

[tothmes]

Sorry, too early in the morning, of course the top part of the pulley is for the lower speed...

Interesting with the u.s. rubber parts, I hadn't seen them before, thanks!