Motorola VM changer service

[hermitcrab]

I did a so-so clean of the changer but after watching Jordan Pier on YT on how to service the VM changer... I went full bore and took it all apart except the tone arm itself ... that alone looked like a big headache so I left it alone ...I dunked the parts in acetone and reassembled and lubed ... loaded a record and it stalled instantly in the middle of the cycle... the idler is new but it still stalls ...I found if I just lightly touch a finger on the idler assembly... it would change effortlessly, the idler spring needed a little help... when I say little , one ring on the spring tighter is all it took... I got to say this changer is impressive on the speed side.. according to the phone app is it running 33.3 - 33.7 rpm... and the same results for the 45 rpm setting .. for a AC controlled motor it is right on the $$$$ for a 50+ year old changer...

[William]

VM changers are my preference. I find them easy to work on and pretty much bullet proof. I have had a couple that were kind of finicky, both would not reject at the end of the record. Once I figured out the problem which was the trip pawl just was not clean enough, they performed great. I ended up soaking the trip pawl in PB-Blaster, then spraying with tuner cleaner, then rinsing with alcohol. Gary at VM offers service manuals for the VM changers. I purchased the 1200 series from him and he included his "tips from experience" with the VM manual. Both were very helpful. Check with Gary if anyone runs into a snag, he has all the documentation for everything VM.

Bill

[electra225]

We are fortunate to have at least three members of this forum who are well-experienced on record changers. I won't put anybody on the spot by naming names, but I hope some of their knowledge rubs off on me.

[Motorola minion]

I can add a bit to Hermitcrab's quote about the tone arm removal. I just started doing this instead of maneuvering the cycle mechanism plate off and back on, where the fuss is making sure everything is in proper position before you put in all the nuts and lube it.

Take the 7/16" stamped nut off then gently pry off the travel limit plates, loop a bread-tie or small gauge solid wire thru nut the other parts it holds and the tonearm itself, which you secure somehow. To properly disassemble the tonearm, you need not thread out the signal-wires and I hate messing with those too!

This tonearm un-fastening then removing the 5/16" fasteners on the top side, allows the entire cast cycle wheel assembly to be dropped and removed for de-gunk, re-grease with "lubriplate" or phono lube, then full-on exercising of the changer mechanism.

Initially job trained on 60s-70s RCA , Mag and BSR maintenance - I like V-M now about the same , but finally after taking too many shortcuts and having to take something apart again on them, usually one issue or another would return but they always played with a decent idler pulley.