Removing platter bearing/washers Garrard Lab 80

[_GOV_]

Hi all,

I picked up a Garrard Lab 80 as a project and I have a question about removing the old platter bearing/washers and installing new ones. As you can see in the picture, the original bearings are long gone, and I think one or two of the washers were gone too as the platter is riding way too low. Looks like someone tried to work on it in the past and lost the bearings and gave up and threw it back together. I have a new set ordered from ebay, so that part I am not worried about, the issue is I do not see how to get the old bearing and washers out of there as the main gear is in the way. Do you have to remove the big gear to get those out? I looked up some videos on YT, but they were of different Garrard models, and they seemed to be able to lift out without removing the gear.

Other than that, I think I have everything else working well. Everything is re-lubed and moving very freely, except the platter....which is kind of important Luckily the idler is in really good shape and after some belt dressing applied to it, it feels great and should work fine.

Thanks

 

[grillebilly]

Is the housing on pins or does it have fasteners from underneath? I have no experience with your table but if you want to remove the housing the pins need to be drifted down (if possible) or fasteners unbolted and slid to the side. My guess is you need to look on the backside.

 

[_GOV_]

Yeah I tried loosening the assembly that holds the spindle, but it is packed tight underneath with a ton of components for all of the automatic functions. I have read where people say to angle the washers to get them out but they are too tight on the spindle to angle enough to get them past the gear.

 

[gadget73]

looks like you got the outer cone off?

I don't specifically remember how I did this on mine, but its possible i cleaned all of that while I had the cycle cam out during the rebuild. I think that the piece the center spindle presses through can be removed by loosening or removing those 3 slotted screws around it. Probably can't drop the whole mechanism out, but you might be able to angle it enough to get the space needed to stack the washers in there.

make sure you mark the position of that eccentric washer that limits the travel on the trip arm if you do this.

 

[Robint]

If I remember correctly, you rotate the cam and there is a section where the cam is cut back and you can remove the bearing.

 

[_GOV_]

If I remember correctly, you rotate the cam and there is a section where the cam is cut back and you can remove the bearing.

I thought so as well but there doesn't seem to be enough room. It is very tight. I will keep working on it tonight.

 

[gadget73]

I do remember the rebuild process being extremely annoying on both of mine. Whatever you do, DO NOT remove the little screw that holds the tonearm in place. If you do it will drop enough to let a bunch of teeny-tiny ball bearings vanish and you will hate life trying to re-assemble that mess.

 

[_GOV_]

Oh yeah, I haven't touched the tonarm. I read about those ball bearings and my tone arm feels good so far, so I hope I don't have to mess with that

 

[Robint]

The other alternative is to remove the nut shown on the right side of the picture and push the spindle down and out of the cam. Push the cam to one side, remove and install new bearing. Replace spindle and re-install nut.

 

[_GOV_]

I was considering that after looking more at it. That might be my next move, thank you.

 

[_GOV_]

The other alternative is to remove the nut shown on the right side of the picture and push the spindle down and out of the cam. Push the cam to one side, remove and install new bearing. Replace spindle and re-install nut.

This worked! Only real worry is you have to take loose the RCA/switch and having it dangling while I flip it over was a bit iffy Worked out though, now just have to wait for the new bearings to arrive.

 

[gadget73]

my tone arm feels good so far,

mine was fine too, I loosened the wrong screw and found out the hard way what that particular piece of hardware did. Don't even remember what I was trying to do, but it was most definitely not that.

 

[_GOV_]

mine was fine too, I loosened the wrong screw and found out the hard way what that particular piece of hardware did. Don't even remember what I was trying to do, but it was most definitely not that.

I will be careful. Which screw are you talking about just so I am sure not to mess with it?

 

[gadget73]

don't have an exploded diagram handy but its the part that actually secures it in place. Fuzzy memory here but if you look under the tonearm while swinging it back and forth you'll find a C shaped metal part on the stem that sticks down with a slotted head screw in it that moves with the arm. It may or may not have a tail that sticks off this piece to interact with another linkage, I just don't quite remember. Its that screw that will let the whole thing go kerfluey.

this is what the arm looks like pulled out of the base. The part I'm remembering should clamp onto the flat on the bottom stem of all this.




this is what that goes through, view from the topside of the machine. Looks like whoever re-stacked this one used a piece of paper as an inner support to keep them from vanishing down the hole. There isn't much in there without the paper.

 

[_GOV_]

Thank you. What an odd design.

 

[gadget73]

odd but I think its out of neccesity. Same reason for the platter bearing to be of a similar design. Need to get something down through the middle so that eliminates the possibility of using a something like a pointy screw into a cup for the bearing. It also needs to be robust enough to allow being pushed around from the bottom side so it kinda limits your options.