pw5599
Well-Known Member
Tried the fine block and it doesn't do much of anything and don't want to use the medium and coarse ones on this so I'd say it's a no go.
Thorens owners group
- Thread starter candg.wales
- Start date
tnsilver
Stereo Puppy
The first vid loaded w/o issue, I had to ask for permission for the 2nd.
This suspension issue is indeed very odd. I am assuming Dave of VN sent you the correct springs. He is a solid professional, unlikely to make the mistake of swapping springs on the wrong model TT and his TD-160 springs were likely tested on many TD-160 units, so I am not going this path.
The only thing I can think of is that someone had pulled out the spring posts (stubs/anchors) for whatever reason (swapping faceplate?) and reassembled them in the wrong order. Two of those posts are longer than the third, and the position of those post is critical to the suspension.
Unfortunately I can't recall which goes where - but that can be easily looked up.
Your reply is quite enlightening, I finally have the hope that this can be figured out. It's too late tonight to look into this, however just looking and doing a ballpark measurement without removing the springs, it is clear that the spring fixture in front and closest to the tonearm holder is longer than the other two. Once I get the exact specs and know the correct placement I will hopefully have this figured out.
Does anyone know right off what the correct placement should be? Assuming that there are two different sizes, what is the correct position for the longest spring post?
I will get back to this first thing tomorrow morning, choosing not to try to figure it out without a nights sleep.
Thanks tnsilver
pw5599
Well-Known Member
You stated that you were having issues adjusting the springs when the old ones were on and then you replaced them. What was the issue with the old ones? The same as now or similar? The spring fixture length that was brought up sounds like a thing to check and a photo on a page I found shows what appears to be a shorter one at the front. See what you think. The suspensions | pasqualerobustini.com
Finally I met with success
Dave, from Vinyl Nirvana, gave me the information that I needed. "There are cases where in order to get the correct bounce you are not able to use the black washer and one of the silver washers. Use just the rubber grommet and a single silver washer." So on Dave's spring kit, in addition to the large rubber grommet that mates up against the chassis, on the other end of the spring you put a metal washer, then rubber washer, followed by another metal washer, and finally the lock nut. I left off one of the metal washers and the rubber washer, then without doing any real tuning, just mounting the springs, I achieved a 30 second bounce. So tomorrow I will formally tune the suspension, and get a large step closer to music.
Incidentally, Dave informed me that the longer spring post should be in front close to the cue lever.
Thanks Everyone!
pw5599
Well-Known Member
What did you end up with for the measurement between bottom edge of platter and the top of the deck? I've heard 6mm is the ideal but mine is a bit more than that and as I've discovered it is not the same all around so I may be doing a spring adjustment. I have a TD145 model.
My observations from last night were based on just a preliminary install of the springs along with the two platters. I was not doing any detailed adjustments as I just wanted to know if I was making progress. So I will hopefully have time today to actually get the suspension adjusted, things like the platter to chassis gap. Please note, this is all new territory for me, I am learning as I go. With that said, my understanding is you want to get that gap as uniform as possible, along with making certain that everything is level. 7mm is what I heard would be good, though that is not set in stone.
Nothing of value here other than I love my Thorens TTs. Just sublime!
Trying a blue belt on my TD-125 ll to hopefully bolster the period between cleanings back to years instead of months since Thorens changed suppliers.
No amount of cleaning as made a difference with my last 3 belts so just in case of contamination I dressed the running surfaces with 400 SC on a stick. The platter was then polished with 4/0 steel wool, green ScotchBrite and “green” electric eraser (safe for vellum). Finally cleaned with isopropyl.
The belt isn’t marked but has an inside which is determined by measuring the width of the loop with the belt hung on a pin or similar. The narrower loop occurs when hung from the inside. 30mm vs. 34mm for mine - within spec.
First test - it jumped up to speed and tracks like a 1:24 slot car. Multiple up/down-shifts and stop/starts without upset.
Don’t ask me to explain this but a new tighter belt takes more + adjustment than the old stretched slipping belt. I just except certain things about accurately spinning 9 pounds with the cross section of linguine is beyond my need to know.
This belt requires 60 hours run-in in addition to correct orientation for maximum W&F performance. I can’t detect any instability so far.
I wasn’t kidding about the electric eraser.
Gave it a thorough wipe down with Adams Interior Detailer and machine polished the platter with Simichrome polish.
No amount of cleaning as made a difference with my last 3 belts so just in case of contamination I dressed the running surfaces with 400 SC on a stick. The platter was then polished with 4/0 steel wool, green ScotchBrite and “green” electric eraser (safe for vellum). Finally cleaned with isopropyl.
The belt isn’t marked but has an inside which is determined by measuring the width of the loop with the belt hung on a pin or similar. The narrower loop occurs when hung from the inside. 30mm vs. 34mm for mine - within spec.
First test - it jumped up to speed and tracks like a 1:24 slot car. Multiple up/down-shifts and stop/starts without upset.
Don’t ask me to explain this but a new tighter belt takes more + adjustment than the old stretched slipping belt. I just except certain things about accurately spinning 9 pounds with the cross section of linguine is beyond my need to know.
This belt requires 60 hours run-in in addition to correct orientation for maximum W&F performance. I can’t detect any instability so far.
I wasn’t kidding about the electric eraser.
Gave it a thorough wipe down with Adams Interior Detailer and machine polished the platter with Simichrome polish.
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Beautiful table! Mine is currently upside-down in a pile of laundry (as a soft, safe, resting spot), while I yanked and repaired the main control board...
May i ask where you sourced this blue belt?
For TD-160, 165, 166, 145, 146, all - Mks 1 and 2... even the "Super" models; the blue belt in my experience helps with speed changes. I've only ever changed speed on the fly, I'd never in a million years just flick the lever to another speed while the deck is sitting still, that's just a dislodged belt on the ground and curse words.
I've switched to 45 from a standing start and the blue belt had enough gription to actually work. Will the blue last as long as the old Thorens or Thakker belts? We shall see.
I've switched to 45 from a standing start and the blue belt had enough gription to actually work. Will the blue last as long as the old Thorens or Thakker belts? We shall see.
It is stretching as it runs in. 1 very slight (-) adjustment at album 6 so far. All’s well.
Copanel
Well-Known Member
There are a few stores in Switzerland, Germany, Italy where you might be able to find it.
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adnick
Addicted Member
Needed one a few years ago and couldn’t find a vendor that had one, USA or in Europe…Seem to recall that one Swiss company had one listed for several hundred dollars but didn’t have available, so on advice from another vendor, asked Ray at Classic Turntable Company (CTC) if he had one or possibly locate one.
He had a used one for me in a couple of days, and the price was fantastic….of course CTC doesn’t advertise any parts for the TD124 so you’ll have to ask, and maybe my experience was a fluke but it saved my TD124
Good luck with your search,
Andy
