Thorens TP16 base tilted?

[p.robustini]

Yes, I believe you are correct in that.....so I was probably mistaken, sorry about that. So the only real adjustment you have are the two screws on the arm pillar that let you go up and down with it. Are you all the way down? It sure is looking pretty dang level, so you are might close. Can you measure, with a caliper perhaps, the distance of your platter off of the top of the deck?

I’ll try to pass that info as soon as I can.
The arm pillar is almost as low as it can get.
With only the stock rubber mat it would be impossible to have the arm wand horizontal (unless with a rather thick spacer).
I have been using a 5 mm Achromat for years but I’ve noticed it became rather warp recently. So I wanted to try the original mat and saw the tonearm was dipping too much. I should have realized that much earlier but I didn’t…
As I mentioned earlier, one of my cats jumped on the platter while I was playing a record. Maybe the vertical component of the hit warped the subchassis. I was surprised the cantilever was ok. The record is unusable on that side…
Maybe I’ll have to look for a subchassis replacement, there’s one on the Bay that is already damped (from a td147 I think).

 

[Fishead]

Best of luck to you amigo, and I hope all goes well.....

 

[p.robustini]

…. Can you measure, with a caliper perhaps, the distance of your platter off of the top of the deck?

It’s 5.5 mm. Since I just discovered I am no longer able to witch to 45 rpm I tried to lower the suspended subchassis but I haven’t much before it touches the pulley. So there is something wrong, probably the slight bent propagates to other other sensitive stuff. I cleaned the pulley, dusted the belt with talcum (it’s not old) but I’m no longer able to play 45s - and sure I was!

 

[Fishead]

Wow! So, do you think this is the result of the cat jumping on the table? Were you able to play 45s before that happened? Yes, that really does sound like something else is way off from normal. When you take the main platter off, do you see a long, tall screw over by the pulley? That is there to protect the pulley, although some earlier decks did not have this feature. When you push down on the platter, you can feel it hit that screw, otherwise you would be hitting the pulley and that was why Thorens decided to put it there. If you try to lower things too much, you will have your platter scraping on that tall screw so unless it's doing that, you should be OK. The motor should be able to be raised and lowered just enough to cause that belt to ride at the proper height, moving from lower to upper "tracks" on the pulley, back and forth, as you change the speed with the lever. You probably already know these things from the Analog Dept. website, correct? If you can't achieve this action, then you're right, something is very much out of order. Can you maybe take a picture of the pulley? I'd like to see what that area looks like and compare with mine.....fasten your seatbelts!

 

[p.robustini]

Yes, I’ve been always able to select 45s.
I did not check right after the cat’s jump. I was just relieve nothing important was broken and this possible bent subchassis was more subtle.
As you can see from the picture I don’t have a pellet protection….
So when I tried to lower things earlier I scraped the pulley…. Argh! But it seems ok, no wobble, smooth rotation.
Actually, I don’t remember about varying the motor’s height but its inclination with the innermost screw….

 

[Fishead]

Do me a favor, unplug the table so nothing will be moving and set the lever to where it should be when you set it to 45 on the selector and then take a picture. Then, plug the table back in and take another picture so we can see what movement, if any, there is in the belt.

 

[p.robustini]

Do me a favor, unplug the table so nothing will be moving and set the lever to where it should be when you set it to 45 on the selector and then take a picture. Then, plug the table back in and take another picture so we can see what movement, if any, there is in the belt.

Here are the pictures, n plugged and then plugged.
Thank you very much!
I have to leave for 24 hours. I can put my hands on the Thorens again tomorrow.

 

[Fishead]

OK, we'll pick up then.....something about the lever does not appear as should be either. The belt should, upon the lever rising, ride up and be roughly in the middle of the guide in the lever. Yours is not even making it up that far. It is a Thorens belt, that I can see. Are you positive it is the one for the TD160? I know some of these questions may seem very elementary, but just trying to wrap my brain around what is happening here.

 

[p.robustini]

You know I was starting to think about the belt. I bought I believe last year on eBay. Maybe some seller says it is for the td160 but it isn’t …
Though I can’t remember exactly, I can’t imagine me not trying to switch from 33 to 45 a few times after replacing a belt. ;-)
I do remember the cat jump was after, more recent…

 

[p.robustini]

https://www.ebay.it/itm/27524836313...0V7j2qVTe2&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
This subchassis might be interesting. Td147 should be the same? There’s also something way cheaper. Did td165/6s have the same quality? Same materials? I think they did….

The belt seems ok, bought this one 2 years ago, April 2020.
Cat damage is February 2021

 

[gadget73]

Bearing is different on some of them. 8mm vs 10mm but I don't remember exactly which got what bearing.

honestly if its just slightly bent it can be bent back. Find someone that does auto body work and I bet they can fix it with no issue.

 

[p.robustini]

Bearing is different on some of them. 8mm vs 10mm but I don't remember exactly which got what bearing.

honestly if its just slightly bent it can be bent back. Find someone that does auto body work and I bet they can fix it with no issue.

Thanks Gadget!
I’ll check again but I’ve seen it only yields when the platter is on. Without seems to be flat. It is strange but if confirmed I would say there are micro cracks allowing the subchassis to bend under weight, a permanent damage.
It may be just me dreaming nonsense about it but my structural geologist inside is suggesting this, a sudden vertical and violent hit causing brittle response ;-)