TD 135 mk2 restauration attempt

[andman]

Hello everyone and happy new year! I would need some help with a vintage Thorens turntable. My dad has a TD135 Mk2 that he was given years ago and it has been collecting dust since. I would like to help him restore it, and even though he is a long term hi-fi enthusiast (he actually used to run a hi-fi magazine for work years ago) and I’m a seasoned DIY “noodler”, neither of us has ever attempted anything like this.

It has obviously seen better days, but the motor works, though currently not via the arm starting system. The tonearm itself (which, in spite of the black shell type - not visible in the picture - more common on the older TP12, should be a TP14) misses some pieces (anti-skating wire is gone, counterweight and its support are missing, plus some smaller things).

First off, we were trying to get hold of some service manual, but looking online I could only find a user manual for the mk1 or the service manual of the TD124. Does anyone happen to have the one for the TD 135 mk2? In general I did not find much information on the mk2 overall, so any other useful pointers (guides, videos, pictures, life wisdom, or even some specific sentient being to ask to etc) in order to assess the situation better and move our first steps forward would be precious! Thanks a lot!

 

[setup1]

Since that's basically a simpler version of the TD124, I highly recommend visiting and reading through AnalogDept's TD124 section.

Pictures documenting a TD135 restoration on Flickr.

 

[andman]

Thank you! I already started digging into AnalogDept. One question is how different is the starting mechanism betwenn mk1 and 2? We are still trying to fuilly assess which parts are missing and especially the tonearm seems to have gone through a bit of disassembling throughout the years!

 

[andman]

One area that remains still a bit unclear for me is the tonearm section. It seems to be mouning the "newer" BTD-12S mark 2 or TP14 (apologies for wrongly calling it TP12 in the original post), which should come with a different counterweight and antiskating, but both are gone and in the place of the antiskating threaded "rod" there is a screw like in the older BTD-12S. So not 100% what we are facing. Any thoughts?

 

[setup1]

I’ve owned and operated both versions of the TD124 since the late 80s, which are functionally very similar except for minor differences. I never handled a TD135, that’s why I added this Flickr link to my previous post because it’s the only one I found in the internet which has blueprints of the BTD-12S tonearm. I surmise that some missing parts from your tonearm have to be fabricated. Just like the TD124, the tonearm design may have also evolved slightly but functionally similar. Hopefully with those tonearm blueprints I linked, you'll be able to restore your tonearm to make music again!

 

[andman]

I’ve owned and operated both versions of the TD124 since the late 80s, which are functionally very similar except for minor differences. I never handled a TD135, that’s why I added this Flickr link to my previous post because it’s the only one I found in the internet which has blueprints of the BTD-12S tonearm. I surmise that some missing parts from your tonearm have to be fabricated. Just like the TD124, the tonearm design may have also evolved slightly but functionally similar. Hopefully with those tonearm blueprints I linked, you'll be able to restore your tonearm to make music again!

Thanks again. For some reason in my last visit to the page I missed those bluebrints!