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Thorens TD 160 vs 160 mk ii - Interchangeability

Fomo120

Fomo120

Member
Hey All,

I've been keeping my eye out for a new Thorens 160 series table ever since my 160 mkii developed some pretty bad bearing issues. It seems as though the original 160 comes up more often than anything else, so I've been temped to pick one up. However I admittedly dislike the look of the 160 plinth and top.

Here's where my question comes in. Would I be able to simply take the sub chassis from a 160 and transfer it into my old 160 mkii? Only because I like the mahogany veneered plinth and straight silver top of the mkii.

Fomo
 
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You should be able to swap a 160 sub-chassis into a MK2. I think you can also just swap the bearing well assembly over if the sub-chassis is in fact different.


some more bits and pieces regarding the Thorens bearings. http://www.theanalogdept.com/td_platter_bearings.htm


What exactly ails your bearing? If its just the thrust plate at the bottom of the well, you can get replacements for that. Most of them are probably half worn out by this point anyway.
 
Not totally sure as I don't have a mkii, but I've been looking at images and you must have a top-plate on your mk ii in two tone with the majority black and the armboard section silver. I'd put money on that the two top-plates of the mki and ii are the same dimensions. Everything looks like it will swap over nicely. My only concern is the height of the plinths. My mki is about 62mm. The images of the mkii I've seen look thinner.

I know the tonearm on the ii is lighter, and if it has a resin inner platter and lighter springs, the plinth may not be designed for the extra weight and travel of the mki. Measure your current plinth and this should help. Also I'm sure other members have had both and will chime in accordingly.

Don't forget to answer Gadget's question about the bearing issue you currently have. Maybe we can help.

Good luck!
 
The only difference that you would need to watch for is the bearing size, whether or not it is a 7mm or a 10mm bearing, and as Gadget and Lee have mentioned your bearing may be repairable.
 
Nice to hear from you guys.

To be %100 honest, I'm not entirely sure of what's wrong with my bearing in detail. What I do know is that it makes a scraping sound when it turns, and that it lasts all of 10 - 15 seconds on the free spin test. I've been talking with Joel, of whom I recommended by many AKers and guys over at Vinylengine, and although he was extremely helpful and responsive we just didn't get to solve my problem. I ended up purchasing one of his bearing polish kits, but my problem didn't change. I then got in contact with two different reputable repair shops of which I was recommended here in T.O, but each told me that if there is a bearing issue on a mkii, there is nothing they can do. And indeed, although my thrust plate does have a dimple, there are no replacement thrust-plates available for a mkii.

bhundu - as far as the tonearm goes, I'm actually going to be running a heavier rb 250 rather than the stock TP16mkii or mkiii .. whatever comes with the 160mkii. Which may be a good thing, because I found the springs on the mkii weren't taking the weight as well as I'd like them to. The mkii plinth also measures a little over 6 cm.


Fomo
 
Ah, so you need TD-165 parts, or at least thats what memory says had the smaller bearing. You'd actually do yourself a solid by swapping the sub-chassis from a 160 into yours along with the 160's inner platter to get the 10mm bearing.


Does the MK2 have that plastic retaining ring thing on the bottom of the inner platter? No chance thats whats rubbing, is there? I've never worked on one of these specifically but old plastic sometimes warps and causes problems.
 
No plastic on my inner platter, all metal. I'm not too bummed about switching out the subchassis and platter now that I know it would work. An upgrade in it's own way. Now to keep my eye out for a 160 at a reasonable price .. which is getting harder and harder these days.
 
gadget73 said:
Ah, so you need TD-165 parts, or at least thats what memory says had the smaller bearing. You'd actually do yourself a solid by swapping the sub-chassis from a 160 into yours along with the 160's inner platter to get the 10mm bearing.


Does the MK2 have that plastic retaining ring thing on the bottom of the inner platter? No chance thats whats rubbing, is there? I've never worked on one of these specifically but old plastic sometimes warps and causes problems.
Click to expand...

Some of the 160's have the smaller bearing, even some of the 125 & 126's have them.
 
Any rhyme or reason for the smaller bearing in some of them? My own 160 is the only Thorens I've fooled with, and it has the 10mm bearing.
 
As I recall the plinths are not the same size if anyone was considering swapping
one for the other.
This was comparing a 160 to a 160 MKII silver trim version.
 
Well, my mkii's plinth measures 429mm by 340mm by 60mm, we've discovered that the thickness is identical so far. I have a feeling that they may be the same size, as I've seen universal top plates available online for any of the 160x series.
 
I have two TD-160 tables. One has a 7mm bearing and the other 10mm. Although it seems the 10mm is more common, they must have used TD-165 parts if there was a shortage.

I'd get to polishing the shaft of your inner platter, making sure there are no burrs on it. Likewise for the bearing well itself. From the noise you describe, it almost sounds like there is no oil in it. You may also need a slightly thicker oil if there is some wear.
 
BTW. Joel should have both 10mm and 7mm thrust plates. He calls them "spindle support pads" from memory. I've ordered both sizes from him in the past.
 
It's funny that you say that Joel was able to supply you with a 7mm thrust plate Lee. Looking back in my emails, what he actually wrote was "For this TD 160 MK II is no thrusplate possibility to change, only for the TD 160". I got the same response from the repair shops I contacted - there's nothing they can do for a 160mkii.

I polished both the spindle and the well, all is clear. I am also using the oil supplied to me by Joel. My thrust plate has a small dimple in it.

Matt
 
He did mention that there was a man in France who does specialty work on 160mkii bearings, but I don't think shipping my subchassis over the atlantic and back is too much of an option.
 
Found a guy offering a TD 150 at a reasonable price, going to check it out tomorrow. Not what I was originally thinking about, but I'm very exited.
 
Hi,
I've had a TD166mII with 10mm bearing most TD165 were 10mm
All TD160,165,166,147,146 have same size top plate motor plate and subchassis with 7mm or 10mm bearing.I have a that started like as TD146 with 7mm bearing 16v motor it now has subchassis from TD166mkII with 10mm Bearing but plastic sub plater,now with TD150 sub plater and a TD165 worker better with Mose/Hercules psu.I think this that all thorens base on TD16- can use the same parts
 
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