I grew up with this kind of work and you talk me a couple of things with the heat. This is old school repair that comes from a lot of experience. Thank you!
Thank you so so much for this! With this video I was finally able to fix my mom's old 70's BSR turntable. She was so happy to come home to hear her Johnny Cash vinyl being played for the first time in 30 years!
Thanks! This is a very helpful video. I had a frozen BSR turntable on a Soundesign 4774B but after I followed the instructions in the video, it was restored to normal operation -- all within about 90 minutes.
10 yrs after your post, and it's still helping folks. I thank you so much! I have my old stereo w/ record and 8 track player I got as a gift for my 13th birthday...back in the 70s. This helped me so much! Hopefully, I'll be listening to some classic vinyls again soon. 😊
Thank you for this video. I am a novice record enthusiast and with the help of your video I was able to get my Grandparents seized BSR McDonald SA 150 working perfectly.
Thank you for posting this video. Bought a zenith console with a Bsr and used your methods to disassemble it. Removed the old grease that had hardened and regreased it. Works perfectly now!
Thank you for posting this video. Just as you stated: heat, patience, and time. This past week I used your technique to free up and remove a BSR platter. That BSR grease should be called slow set glue, because that is exactly what I found holding the platter in place.
This video helped me tremendously. Key word as you said..."patience". Took me almost a day to fix it......everything was seized. Fixed it with the help of your video and others....some repair threads.....some WD40 and other tools. The hair dryer definitely helped me to un-stick the 45-33 speed select switch.
Thanks so much for posting this. Our BSR turntable on our Panasonic SE2657starts when put on Auto, but then comes to a quick stop, having difficulty turning. We are going to try this method to get it up and moving again. Thanks to posts like yours, it maybe has a continued future in our home, rather than being given away for something that could very well be a quick fix.
i found that after applying lightweight sewing machine oil, tapping the spindle with a heavy screwdriver helped the oil seep farther and break the friction. The spindle will resonate a different 'ring' as it breaks free. Good video
Thank you for this valuable info! I found over the last few years about a dozen old changer stereos with these tables in them, and have been searching for this info to aid in the repair and refurbishing of these old classics. Sure they were not the best sounding units, and rough on vinyl compared to good turntables with decent magnetic cartridges, but listening and watching them change records brings back a lot of memories. I have thousands of records, most mint condition, sealed or rarely played. I'm sure I can sacrifice a few to play on these when I get them going. No valuable collector records for sure! But a few memories that will bring a smile to vinyl junkies around my age.....
Any good resources and information on Soundesign Consoles marketed under the name "TANGLEWOOD". I have been busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest for well over an hour, searching for my particular system, and have YET to turn up an exact cosmetic match not to mention ZERO models bearing the name Tanglewood. I'm getting super close. I can feel it, but was thinking somebody with more experience and knowledge might be able to get me there a little faster. Thanks in Advance!
i repaired one of these two years ago, it was on my realistic 4-1 stereo. a clarinette 103 model. the turntable was seized solid. I had no idea where to start, until I watched a similar video like this one to help me out. I just love these record changers, because of my large LP collection, i can stack about five lps at a time. since the repair its still working great with no issues. i think your videos are very informative, I love to see others like myself, who love vintage electronics.
Not only does grease act like glue when it becomes hard, the same is true for oil in fan bearings. I tried to lubricate an Easy Home pivoting fan that was completely stuck. Either I forgot about your idea about using a soldering iron or hair dryer or I naturally didn't know about this up until now. I tried to force the rotor shaft off the bearing, and then I ended up pulling the bushing out, and then it became a parts fan. I saved the blade, power cord, and cage. What I had learned: Never try to force seized motor shafts to come out of the bushing assembly. Thank you for this video! Next time I have a completely seized up fan, I can use my soldering iron or hair dryer to fix it.
This is the situation: I'm trying to repair a frozen BSR turntable for play 78 rpm records for my parents in the december 29th 2014, because that day is my father's birthday number 93th, and he and my mother wants to dance with an old music they have stored for many years in their closed. That's of course is an 78 rpm record with an Argentine Tango from the 1940. I just have been removed the seized platter, thanks for your detailed procedure. REally I tried first with a hairdryer, but this doesn't worked. After that, I used my iron soldering device and EUREKA! Next step will be the re-grease process and the inspection for the idler, and finally to install a NOS Sonotone cartridge. I want to say thank you very much to enable me to get a fast track to repair the turntable. This is not finished yet, but the main success, no doubt, is based on your contribution. (Please, excuse my english) Best Regards/Ricardo
Just put the soldering iron touching the spindle for a good while, till the heat pass by conduction to the turntable and loose the freeze grease. Good luck
Thank you so much, I paid way too much for a stereo console that was supposed to work and the turn table wasn’t spinning. I used this video to get everything spinning great but it still wasn’t working, it turned out I also had to clean up the idler wheel gear as well and it sounds great now. Thanks for the video!
Liquid Wrench is designed to dissolve old grease and oil 3 in 1 isn't you would have better luck at removing the turntable using Liquid Wrench. Liquid Wrench is better at freeing up the moving parts as well. I use isopropyl alcohol instead of just plain alcohol
Thank you! This totally worked. I used the vid as a guide to help me fix my BIC 940. It was seized up. It took like 3 hours with a soldering iron to loosen the platter enough to remove it. But it worked!
excellent how-to video. i followed your instructions today and got an old frozen BSR mounted on a Sony unit i picked up at the goodwill running again just like new! thanks!
I recently picked up a Zenith console with the BSR changer in it and the platter mechanism was frozen or stuck. I guess I got lucky cause I forced the platter to turn (but didnt manhandle it in any other way) and it did free up. I did get it to turn freely but it made some noise, so I tried a few drops of 3 in 1 oil down the spindle and it quieted down nicely. I understand for long term it should be dismantled, cleaned and relubed but at this point I'm fairly satisfied that it operates correctly so I dont want to fix it if it isnt broke if you know what I mean. Its been working fine for a few weeks now, and I mostly bought it to play and possibly record some old 78s that I have and I doubt I will use it much beyond that. I am watching a few videos because I was interested and thinking about doing that but the more I see, the less I want to tare into one. Thanks for sharing your work and I got a real kick out of your remarks at the beginning of the video. People can be so stupid and mean spirited some times but I think you got the last laugh on him. I know I laughed pretty good.
Glubricant was a common issue in SONY tape recorders and seized them up really badly. I like to use Marvel Mystery Oil to help free it up. It's a penetrating oil and a cleaning oil, very thin (much thinner than 3-in-1). Lighter fluid will help clean the old grease nicely. Followed by alcohol, then white lithium grease.
Great video! Another often missed piece on these BSRs is the peg which engages the bottom of the cycle gear. It looks like a solid shaft but is actually a frozen up roller bushing.
My grandmother had a 1982 Emerson stereo with one of these. I was dubbing Johnny Mathis to tape when the whole damn changer seized. Never did figure it out. It went in the dumpster when she went into the nursing home. I still have that tape, though!
Thank you, this procedure with 3-in-1 oil and heat from a soldering iron worked great for me on an old Magnavox turntable. The mechanics of the turntable bearing are almost identical.
Thanks for the video! I use these instructions to pull a BSR changer back to life from the parts bin. Its going in to a mid-60's Coronado suitcase record changer that originally had a VM-changer in it, but it was so beat up I couldn't do much for it. I do have to have a friend help me with making a new mounting board, though as the mounts for the BSR and V-M changers are different. I got it wired up and did get it to play, so there is hope for this thing!
As of yesterday, I was checking at my Fisher BSR turntable, I lift the platter out and everything has taken apart and I looked at it, it has the old grease on there to cause the changer to seized up. So I cleaned everything including the cam wheel, the washers and everything to get rid of that old grease and re-lubed it with 3-in-1 oil to restored my changer. I put everything back in and it runs really perfect. BSR turntables are an easy way to fix.
thanks alot for your post! i bought my capehart console last weekend knowing the record player didnt work. After watching your video it is operable again! Now to purchase some records! Oh, let me add one thing. I didnt have any oil when i started so i used wd40 to break down the thick brown gunk. Its spinning like its brand new again.
Thanks for posting. I have a Balfour Princess autochanger and the same had happened. Fairly similar in their build. Will just need to re-lubricate it again. This video was a great help.
Thanks for this video. i was going to throw my deck away as everything was solid after 30 years of not being used...... Couple of hours later, all working fine!!!
The soldering iron trick i never thought of. Its nice to learn something new everyday. The cam gear i would be less concerned about applying heat to since the shaft it rides on is metal along with the bracket its mounted to. BSR's of course are laughed at, but they sure as hell would outlast any modern Crosley changer.
Life saver! I have an old all-in-one radio/8 track/cassette/record player (It's an "Imperial" by 'Superscope', circa late 1970s) that had a seized platter. Thanks to your video, it's working perfectly again! Only difference is that instead of using a soldering iron, I heated up a screwdriver with a propane torch til it glowed orange, and stuck that in the hole.
Thank you good sir, this video helped me out a ton. I was worried I would have to saw into the cabinet and I really DID NOT want to do that. Thank you!!
I have my BSR turntable, mine is a Fisher rebadged, but it has a C142R changer with a magnetic cartridge and the turntable model is 220X. This one is a high end BSR and it works and runs excellent without getting seized up.
I saw the original video with the console this came out of. I don’t have the same cabinet, but the insides are the same. Everything is running fine, but my track 1 light bulb is out. I tried to access the bulb from below/behind, but it appears it would be much easier to access it from the top. Is there an easy way to do that? I took all of the knobs off except for the “selector” knob, but I was unable to remove anything past that in attempt to move the plastic and access the bulbs. Thanks in advance.
Thank you for the "how to" video. I watched it and would like to suggest the use of a piece of heavy aluminum foil with a hole poked in the middle and placed on top of the platter to be used as a heat deflector when using the hair dryer to protect the platter. I used this method with great success. I aimed the blow dryer at the spindle about 1 1/2" up from the platter at a distance of less than 2" for about 6 minutes until I saw the lube/glue begin to turn from an opaque to translucent texture. At this point I was able to remove the spindle. The platter took the use of a Weller soldering iron for about 5 minutes to remove it. I also used the Weller to remove the changer cog gear under the platter as well. Also I would like to add that the decal disc in the center of the platter can be left on for the platter removal. Thanks again for taking the time to help out those of us trying to restore and maintain vintage equipment. My daughter enjoyed listening to swing music along with a glass of wine after I repaired her player. Take care. Jim
Another problem I've encountered is corrosion between the sector gear and it's shaft on a JVC/Nivico changer from the early 70's (still all metal construction). I had to carefully use a punch to drive the shaft out of the bore of the gear and use fine grade sandpaper to remove all the white corrosion. I relubed it with white lithium grease along with cleaning out all old lube from the entire mechanism and relubing with 3 in 1 or white grease where applicable. The changer works ands sounds great.
Hi, I've had good luck with a small BernzOmatic butane click torch that has a flexible snorkel end. I heat the spindle perpendicular to the plastic platter quickly, & gentle. Like the soldering iron method, it then frees up nicely. Thanks for letting folks know & posting!
Have you tried using a penetrating oil like Kroil, or even WD-40 or contact cleaner to try to partly dissolve the old grease, rather than going right to heat? I'd think it might work better than 3-in-1.
thank you very much for this video. I am having an issue removing the spindle, but working on it. Everything else worked great with the hair dryer and some oil. Thanks again.
Years ago, I replaced the ceramic cartridge with a magnetic cartridge in a BSR and it worked fine. The only things to watch is that the models with two pole motors may introduce hum into the cartridge and you won't be able to use a magnetic cartridge in models with a narrow headshell.
Great video! This is a common problem with BIC turntables from the 70's as well. I've found that like you demonstrated, the soldering iron works best. Before I discovered that method I ruined a few very nice BIC and BSR turntables trying to free up the platter by force. But I have had success without applying heat by spraying the spindle with the very thin WD-40 oil and slightly, gently spinning in both directions. But again, soldering iron works best if there are no plastic parts in the way.
Thanks so much mate. Your video was really helpful and allowed me to refurbish my wives grandparents old record player. Thanks again for helping me make my wives day.
That's good advice to give, I was thinking the same thing in the way of record wear, Thanks to someone who set me straight about it before or it could have been many damaged records because of it, I thank them, and I thank you.
We have this BSR model. Ours is not siezed, but is playing too fast. The speed adjustment doesn't seem to work. Any videos you have posted that show how to start looking into this problem? Thank you!
When you have one of these BSRs with a magnetic cart, there is a huge improvement on record wear. Defintately worth it to spend a few more bucks for a mag cart and get a pre amp if needed.
Excellent video. I have an Allied Model 919 4-speed turntable vintage 1970's whose turning torque gradually diminished over the years to the point that the turntable wouldn't turn at all in some speeds. I removed the turntable and the cogged drive wheel as you suggested and found the ever popular BSR identification. I then cleaned the rubber drive wheel, re-lubed with fresh light oil the axles of the turntable and the cogged drive mechanism that powers the needle arm. Simply removing the aged lubricant and re-lubing as suggested did the trick to my mechanically "dead" Allied/ BSR turntable. Thank you for your excellent guidance!
Great work, I came across the same problem with a variable tuning capacitor on one of my restore projects. Wish I'd known about applying heat - would have saved me loads of time.
As a little kid and teen, I've taken apart many record players. It had something wrong with it like no sound or a smoking motor. I am very familiar with record changers and non-record changers.
Maybe the stepped motor bearings could be dry and dirty. To clean them, there is a small nut that you remove from the bottom, held by a screw on top. Unscrew it from top and the motor assembly should easily come off. Hold the small nut on the bottom with your finger. Clean the motor and both top/bottom bearings, and use 3-in-one oil on them. Also, it could be a hard/slipping idler wheel. This was another problem of these BSR changers. If the idler wheel is hard, glazed, and stiff, then it will not turn the platter properly. What I do is resurface the outer edge of the wheel with sandpaper or an emery board, remove the idler wheel off its shaft and treat the wheel with Rawn re-grip rubber cleaner/rejuvenator. Wait 15 minutes, then re-install the idler wheel back onto the shaft.
A lot of these used sapphire needles and these wear out much faster than diamond needles. When I replace a needle, I always try to get a diamond needle. Most of these needles are held in place by clip on the cartridge and to remove the needle, one has to carefully work the needle out of the clip.
I love your informative videos. I have what was a seized Dual 1259 turntable, and your video helped me fix it. Thank you so much. Love the occasional sarcasm also! Rock on.
Thank you! I picked up an older Zenith model IS-4021 ($12.99) in relatively very good condition. Platter was seized. After the first few drops of oil, I can feel her wanting to move. Some heat and platter removed fairly easy. She’s playing records now! I will watch for more and do a proper cleaning/lube of her. I notice platter is a bit warped. Is there a good way to straighten that up? Appears to be of some hard plastic. Yet to try the 8-track. Thanks!!!!
I grew up with this kind of work and you talk me a couple of things with the heat. This is old school repair that comes from a lot of experience. Thank you!
Thank you so so much for this! With this video I was finally able to fix my mom's old 70's BSR turntable. She was so happy to come home to hear her Johnny Cash vinyl being played for the first time in 30 years!
10 years ago and still helpful (and relevant to enthusiast), THANK YOU!
Thanks! This is a very helpful video. I had a frozen BSR turntable on a Soundesign 4774B but after I followed the instructions in the video, it was restored to normal operation -- all within about 90 minutes.
I did every job on the assembly line at the BSR Stourbridge plant from 78 to 1981 .
another fan here, inherited an old sobell system from my late Grandad and following your instructions got it working again!
10 yrs after your post, and it's still helping folks. I thank you so much! I have my old stereo w/ record and 8 track player I got as a gift for my 13th birthday...back in the 70s. This helped me so much! Hopefully, I'll be listening to some classic vinyls again soon. 😊
I followed these instructions step by step, and my frozen BSR now works perfectly. Thanks!
Somewhere on YT, there is a video of a modern Crosley junk-o-matic where someone removed the original crosley changer and replaced it with a BSR.
Found a Sony HME 418 brand new in the box a couple years ago at the dump. Your video was all I needed to get it running perfectly again. Thanks
🎉 Works like a charm
Thank you for this upload, still helping people 10 years later.
Thank you for this video. I am a novice record enthusiast and with the help of your video I was able to get my Grandparents seized BSR McDonald SA 150 working perfectly.
soldering iron worked like a charm..melted the grease to enable me to pop off the platter....Thank you..This helped me a lot!
What a great video!.
Worked like a treat. Without videos like this, I would have damaged the turntable. Thank you very much.
If you ever see this, thanks. You really helped me. Now my grandmother's record player works again.
Thanks to you I fixed my dad's favorite turntable that hasn't worked in 30 years!
You saved my record player and my sanity with this video. Thank you
Thank you for posting this video. Bought a zenith console with a Bsr and used your methods to disassemble it. Removed the old grease that had hardened and regreased it. Works perfectly now!
Thank you for posting this video. Just as you stated: heat, patience, and time. This past week I used your technique to free up and remove a BSR platter. That BSR grease should be called slow set glue, because that is exactly what I found holding the platter in place.
This video helped me tremendously. Key word as you said..."patience". Took me almost a day to fix it......everything was seized. Fixed it with the help of your video and others....some repair threads.....some WD40 and other tools. The hair dryer definitely helped me to un-stick the 45-33 speed select switch.
This video is so old and was exactly what I needed after hours of searching. Coming back for part 2
Thanks so much for posting this. Our BSR turntable on our Panasonic SE2657starts when put on Auto, but then comes to a quick stop, having difficulty turning. We are going to try this method to get it up and moving again. Thanks to posts like yours, it maybe has a continued future in our home, rather than being given away for something that could very well be a quick fix.
i found that after applying lightweight sewing machine oil, tapping the spindle with a heavy screwdriver helped the oil seep farther and break the friction. The spindle will resonate a different 'ring' as it breaks free. Good video
Thank you! I was able to fix my mom’s old stereo, she is 82 and this made her so happy! Thank you!❤️
Thank you for this valuable info! I found over the last few years about a dozen old changer stereos with these tables in them, and have been searching for this info to aid in the repair and refurbishing of these old classics. Sure they were not the best sounding units, and rough on vinyl compared to good turntables with decent magnetic cartridges, but listening and watching them change records brings back a lot of memories. I have thousands of records, most mint condition, sealed or rarely played. I'm sure I can sacrifice a few to play on these when I get them going. No valuable collector records for sure! But a few memories that will bring a smile to vinyl junkies around my age.....
Any good resources and information on Soundesign Consoles marketed under the name "TANGLEWOOD". I have been busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest for well over an hour, searching for my particular system, and have YET to turn up an exact cosmetic match not to mention ZERO models bearing the name Tanglewood. I'm getting super close. I can feel it, but was thinking somebody with more experience and knowledge might be able to get me there a little faster. Thanks in Advance!
i repaired one of these two years ago, it was on my realistic 4-1 stereo. a clarinette 103 model. the turntable was seized solid. I had no idea where to start, until I watched a similar video like this one to help me out. I just love these record changers, because of my large LP collection, i can stack about five lps at a time. since the repair its still working great with no issues. i think your videos are very informative, I love to see others like myself, who love vintage electronics.
Not only does grease act like glue when it becomes hard, the same is true for oil in fan bearings. I tried to lubricate an Easy Home pivoting fan that was completely stuck. Either I forgot about your idea about using a soldering iron or hair dryer or I naturally didn't know about this up until now. I tried to force the rotor shaft off the bearing, and then I ended up pulling the bushing out, and then it became a parts fan. I saved the blade, power cord, and cage. What I had learned: Never try to force seized motor shafts to come out of the bushing assembly. Thank you for this video! Next time I have a completely seized up fan, I can use my soldering iron or hair dryer to fix it.
This is the situation: I'm trying to repair a frozen BSR turntable for play 78 rpm records for my parents in the december 29th 2014, because that day is my father's birthday number 93th, and he and my mother wants to dance with an old music they have stored for many years in their closed. That's of course is an 78 rpm record with an Argentine Tango from the 1940.
I just have been removed the seized platter, thanks for your detailed procedure. REally I tried first with a hairdryer, but this doesn't worked. After that, I used my iron soldering device and EUREKA!
Next step will be the re-grease process and the inspection for the idler, and finally to install a NOS Sonotone cartridge. I want to say thank you very much to enable me to get a fast track to repair the turntable.
This is not finished yet, but the main success, no doubt, is based on your contribution. (Please, excuse my english) Best Regards/Ricardo
Ricardo Alberto de la Fuente how do you use the soldering iron to remove the spindle? Thanks
Just put the soldering iron touching the spindle for a good while, till the heat pass by conduction to the turntable and loose the freeze grease. Good luck
Thank you! Extremely helpful in restoring my thrifted BSR record changer unit.
Thank you so much for this video, it has been very helpful with repairing a couple of old turntables we found!!
Thank you so much, I paid way too much for a stereo console that was supposed to work and the turn table wasn’t spinning. I used this video to get everything spinning great but it still wasn’t working, it turned out I also had to clean up the idler wheel gear as well and it sounds great now. Thanks for the video!
MOBIL 1 0-50 SAE does this job very well .
Enjoyed the video thanks very much.Good to see a skilled man at work.
This vid reminds me of clips from the appolo missions
Fr
Liquid Wrench is designed to dissolve old grease and oil 3 in 1 isn't you would have better luck at removing the turntable using Liquid Wrench. Liquid Wrench is better at freeing up the moving parts as well. I use isopropyl alcohol instead of just plain alcohol
Thank you! This totally worked. I used the vid as a guide to help me fix my BIC 940. It was seized up. It took like 3 hours with a soldering iron to loosen the platter enough to remove it. But it worked!
excellent how-to video. i followed your instructions today and got an old frozen BSR mounted on a Sony unit i picked up at the goodwill running again just like new! thanks!
Very good, thank you for this. I had an old Ward Airline that had this problem. It works again thanks to this video!
I managed to get my mother's BSR record player running nice and crisp after it was immovable. Thank you for the information.
I recently picked up a Zenith console with the BSR changer in it and the platter mechanism was frozen or stuck. I guess I got lucky cause I forced the platter to turn (but didnt manhandle it in any other way) and it did free up. I did get it to turn freely but it made some noise, so I tried a few drops of 3 in 1 oil down the spindle and it quieted down nicely. I understand for long term it should be dismantled, cleaned and relubed but at this point I'm fairly satisfied that it operates correctly so I dont want to fix it if it isnt broke if you know what I mean.
Its been working fine for a few weeks now, and I mostly bought it to play and possibly record some old 78s that I have and I doubt I will use it much beyond that. I am watching a few videos because I was interested and thinking about doing that but the more I see, the less I want to tare into one. Thanks for sharing your work and I got a real kick out of your remarks at the beginning of the video. People can be so stupid and mean spirited some times but I think you got the last laugh on him. I know I laughed pretty good.
Glubricant was a common issue in SONY tape recorders and seized them up really badly. I like to use Marvel Mystery Oil to help free it up. It's a penetrating oil and a cleaning oil, very thin (much thinner than 3-in-1). Lighter fluid will help clean the old grease nicely. Followed by alcohol, then white lithium grease.
Great video! Another often missed piece on these BSRs is the peg which engages the bottom of the cycle gear. It looks like a solid shaft but is actually a frozen up roller bushing.
My grandmother had a 1982 Emerson stereo with one of these. I was dubbing Johnny Mathis to tape when the whole damn changer seized. Never did figure it out. It went in the dumpster when she went into the nursing home. I still have that tape, though!
Thx for the video. Got a bsr last week and it was seized up.. now. works like a charm.
Thank you Bryan for taking the time to make this video! So helpful!
I just created a new playlist, Tech stuff, and you're the first video on it. Good stuff
Thanks RTPN! Worked perfectly. Keep putting out the videos, I really enjoy them.
Thank you, this procedure with 3-in-1 oil and heat from a soldering iron worked great for me on an old Magnavox turntable. The mechanics of the turntable bearing are almost identical.
Thanks so much for the upload and information, you helped me fix my old record player. So happy to be able to play vinyls again.
this helped a lot! thanks! I acquired a Hifi rack with a BSR record player, it was also seized. soldering iron worked perfectly!
Thanks for the video! I use these instructions to pull a BSR changer back to life from the parts bin. Its going in to a mid-60's Coronado suitcase record changer that originally had a VM-changer in it, but it was so beat up I couldn't do much for it. I do have to have a friend help me with making a new mounting board, though as the mounts for the BSR and V-M changers are different. I got it wired up and did get it to play, so there is hope for this thing!
Do you have a link to the video of you taking the motor of this turntable apart?
I TOOK MY TIME AND THIS METHOD WORKED PERFECTLY...THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!
As of yesterday, I was checking at my Fisher BSR turntable, I lift the platter out and everything has taken apart and I looked at it, it has the old grease on there to cause the changer to seized up. So I cleaned everything including the cam wheel, the washers and everything to get rid of that old grease and re-lubed it with 3-in-1 oil to restored my changer. I put everything back in and it runs really perfect. BSR turntables are an easy way to fix.
thanks alot for your post! i bought my capehart console last weekend knowing the record player didnt work. After watching your video it is operable again! Now to purchase some records! Oh, let me add one thing. I didnt have any oil when i started so i used wd40 to break down the thick brown gunk. Its spinning like its brand new again.
Thanks for posting. I have a Balfour Princess autochanger and the same had happened. Fairly similar in their build. Will just need to re-lubricate it again. This video was a great help.
Thank you. This video was very helpful in removing the platter. The lock ring holds it together from coming off.
Thanks for this video. i was going to throw my deck away as everything was solid after 30 years of not being used...... Couple of hours later, all working fine!!!
Thank you for a great video. Your calm easy instructions made my repair go perfectly.
The soldering iron trick i never thought of. Its nice to learn something new everyday. The cam gear i would be less concerned about applying heat to since the shaft it rides on is metal along with the bracket its mounted to. BSR's of course are laughed at, but they sure as hell would outlast any modern Crosley changer.
I strongly agree with you. Once they are properly serviced and re-lubed, they will last for decades again!
Thanks for sharing this Tip . I was about to throw mine out and now it plays my CDs perfectly.
😉🤣
I can't thank you enough for posting these videos. It's helping me fix my parents old record player
Life saver! I have an old all-in-one radio/8 track/cassette/record player (It's an "Imperial" by 'Superscope', circa late 1970s) that had a seized platter. Thanks to your video, it's working perfectly again! Only difference is that instead of using a soldering iron, I heated up a screwdriver with a propane torch til it glowed orange, and stuck that in the hole.
Thank you good sir, this video helped me out a ton. I was worried I would have to saw into the cabinet and I really DID NOT want to do that. Thank you!!
This is exactly the video I was looking for! Thanks for sharing.
I have my BSR turntable, mine is a Fisher rebadged, but it has a C142R changer with a magnetic cartridge and the turntable model is 220X. This one is a high end BSR and it works and runs excellent without getting seized up.
Just saved a family record player with this vid. Thank you so much!
I saw the original video with the console this came out of. I don’t have the same cabinet, but the insides are the same. Everything is running fine, but my track 1 light bulb is out. I tried to access the bulb from below/behind, but it appears it would be much easier to access it from the top. Is there an easy way to do that? I took all of the knobs off except for the “selector” knob, but I was unable to remove anything past that in attempt to move the plastic and access the bulbs. Thanks in advance.
Cheers for the video man , my bsr turntable is running like a dream . Elvis is back in the building!
Enjoy your channel...working on my first BSR. Thanks for the help.
Thank you for the "how to" video. I watched it and would like to suggest the use of a piece of heavy aluminum foil with a hole poked in the middle and placed on top of the platter to be used as a heat deflector when using the hair dryer to protect the platter. I used this method with great success. I aimed the blow dryer at the spindle about 1 1/2" up from the platter at a distance of less than 2" for about 6 minutes until I saw the lube/glue begin to turn from an opaque to translucent texture. At this point I was able to remove the spindle. The platter took the use of a Weller soldering iron for about 5 minutes to remove it. I also used the Weller to remove the changer cog gear under the platter as well. Also I would like to add that the decal disc in the center of the platter can be left on for the platter removal. Thanks again for taking the time to help out those of us trying to restore and maintain vintage equipment. My daughter enjoyed listening to swing music along with a glass of wine after I repaired her player. Take care. Jim
Another problem I've encountered is corrosion between the sector gear and it's shaft on a JVC/Nivico changer from the early 70's (still all metal construction). I had to carefully use a punch to drive the shaft out of the bore of the gear and use fine grade sandpaper to remove all the white corrosion. I relubed it with white lithium grease along with cleaning out all old lube from the entire mechanism and relubing with 3 in 1 or white grease where applicable. The changer works ands sounds great.
Hi, I've had good luck with a small BernzOmatic butane click torch that has a flexible snorkel end. I heat the spindle perpendicular to the plastic platter quickly, & gentle. Like the soldering iron method, it then frees up nicely. Thanks for letting folks know & posting!
Have you tried using a penetrating oil like Kroil, or even WD-40 or contact cleaner to try to partly dissolve the old grease, rather than going right to heat? I'd think it might work better than 3-in-1.
Thanks for this video. It helped a lot to recover an old BSR.
What oil are you applying?
Super lube is another good thing to use,it got a Magnavox[1974] changer working again
thank you very much for this video. I am having an issue removing the spindle, but working on it. Everything else worked great with the hair dryer and some oil. Thanks again.
Thank you! Just fixed a Fisher 305-XA, works almost perfect for a vintage machine.
Thank you SO MUCH for this video! You were a great help, now I have a working vintage record player.
Years ago, I replaced the ceramic cartridge with a magnetic cartridge in a BSR and it worked fine. The only things to watch is that the models with two pole motors may introduce hum into the cartridge and you won't be able to use a magnetic cartridge in models with a narrow headshell.
Great video! This is a common problem with BIC turntables from the 70's as well. I've found that like you demonstrated, the soldering iron works best. Before I discovered that method I ruined a few very nice BIC and BSR turntables trying to free up the platter by force. But I have had success without applying heat by spraying the spindle with the very thin WD-40 oil and slightly, gently spinning in both directions. But again, soldering iron works best if there are no plastic parts in the way.
Thanks so much mate. Your video was really helpful and allowed me to refurbish my wives grandparents old record player. Thanks again for helping me make my wives day.
That's good advice to give, I was thinking the same thing in the way of record wear, Thanks to someone who set me straight about it before or it could have been many damaged records because of it, I thank them, and I thank you.
We have this BSR model. Ours is not siezed, but is playing too fast. The speed adjustment doesn't seem to work. Any videos you have posted that show how to start looking into this problem? Thank you!
everytime i follow your vids, things happen like you describe...everytime.. thankyou so much!
When you have one of these BSRs with a magnetic cart, there is a huge improvement on record wear. Defintately worth it to spend a few more bucks for a mag cart and get a pre amp if needed.
Excellent video. I have an Allied Model 919 4-speed turntable vintage 1970's whose turning torque gradually diminished over the years to the point that the turntable wouldn't turn at all in some speeds. I removed the turntable and the cogged drive wheel as you suggested and found the ever popular BSR identification. I then cleaned the rubber drive wheel, re-lubed with fresh light oil the axles of the turntable and the cogged drive mechanism that powers the needle arm. Simply removing the aged lubricant and re-lubing as suggested did the trick to my mechanically "dead" Allied/ BSR turntable. Thank you for your excellent guidance!
Great work, I came across the same problem with a variable tuning capacitor on one of my restore projects. Wish I'd known about applying heat - would have saved me loads of time.
It worked! Thanks a lot!! Now I've just gotta fix the volume knob on the attached sound system and I'll be set.
thank you for post, my BSR turntable working again....
Your suggestions were most useful, I don't suggest the hair dryer, but the soldering iron did a perfect job! (just slowly)
As a little kid and teen, I've taken apart many record players. It had something wrong with it like no sound or a smoking motor. I am very familiar with record changers and non-record changers.
Thanks! I gave a second life to my parent's turntable = less garbage for the earth
thanks, the most helpful video on youtube! got my sanyo jxt6440ks siezed platter off, just needed heat!
where do we find the video for the motor repair
thanks for the tips. I took it apart, cleaned it up and re-lubricated. it works now but plays too slow. any ideas on what to do about that?
Maybe the stepped motor bearings could be dry and dirty. To clean them, there is a small nut that you remove from the bottom, held by a screw on top. Unscrew it from top and the motor assembly should easily come off. Hold the small nut on the bottom with your finger. Clean the motor and both top/bottom bearings, and use 3-in-one oil on them. Also, it could be a hard/slipping idler wheel. This was another problem of these BSR changers. If the idler wheel is hard, glazed, and stiff, then it will not turn the platter properly. What I do is resurface the outer edge of the wheel with sandpaper or an emery board, remove the idler wheel off its shaft and treat the wheel with Rawn re-grip rubber cleaner/rejuvenator. Wait 15 minutes, then re-install the idler wheel back onto the shaft.
A lot of these used sapphire needles and these wear out much faster than diamond needles. When I replace a needle, I always try to get a diamond needle. Most of these needles are held in place by clip on the cartridge and to remove the needle, one has to carefully work the needle out of the clip.
I love your informative videos. I have what was a seized Dual 1259 turntable, and your video helped me fix it. Thank you so much. Love the occasional sarcasm also! Rock on.
Can you please upload a video on disassembling the motor and cleaning it.
Please please pretty please
Thank you! I picked up an older Zenith model IS-4021 ($12.99) in relatively very good condition. Platter was seized. After the first few drops of oil, I can feel her wanting to move. Some heat and platter removed fairly easy. She’s playing records now! I will watch for more and do a proper cleaning/lube of her. I notice platter is a bit warped. Is there a good way to straighten that up? Appears to be of some hard plastic. Yet to try the 8-track. Thanks!!!!