Tascam 32 Tension arm issue

[llthesystemll]

Hello,

I have a Tascam 32 that having issues with each tension arm. I have gone through the velvet dreams info and this issue is different.

The arms have about 2/3 movement before engaging the L-Shaped rod that rotates the damper shaft.

The issue is that when in the upright position these arms gets stuck or hung in that 2/3 area typically right at the top.

Now if I put the unit on its back, the arms swing back to other end as they should.

I cannot see anything that is obstructing the path of either. Maybe the hook plate springs that are there to return the arm to this position are worn out?

It appears that there is a counter weight on the other side of this spring which would cause opposing force when upright that maybe when on its back there is enough tension left in the spring to swing it back since the counter weight is not working against the spring as much in this position.

Maybe the arms need lube?

I attached a couple pics of each arm. All I did was take my finger and push them upward and this is where they rested.

Thanks for reading and any help.
Brian

 

[llthesystemll]

I totally missed the obvious here.

Once I put the rollers back on the arms, all was fine. DOH!

 

[Gcalo]

those tension devices need to be removed, fully dis-assembled, fully cleaned to bare metal, relubed with a good molylube waterbased grease and the tension springs need to be re-waxed.

the original lube gets very hard and binds the movement.

it takes a while to get them out, but it needs to be done.

do it correctly once and never agin have to deal with it.

 

[llthesystemll]

Thanks Gcalo.

I have done most of what you noted since I posted originally.

The issue with the arms was that the rollers needed to be installed.

Lubing it as you mention would not have made a difference for what I described although I have not read anything about waxing springs. I will check into it.

Brian

 

[Gcalo]

You don't wax the springs.

You wax the "string" that connects between the small spring and the small moving plate that connects the stiff wire to the arms

I use 91% isopropyl alcohol to very thoroughly clean the rotating hub over which the spring winds.

 

[llthesystemll]

K that makes sense.

I used denatured to clean the damper, the hub and even the plate that the dampers mounts to with the 2 small screws. The old lubricant was green and sticky. There was a light film even in places where the hub was not like on the plate.

I lubed the damper with

Losi LOSA5282 Silicone Diff Fluid/Oil 10000CS

Any particular type of wax I need for the strings?

Thanks for your help.

Brian

 

[Gcalo]

I run the strings over a table candle I keep on hand.

Great source of lubication for an item that sees little heat

 

[digicube]

I have a similar problem where the right tension arm gets stuck in the middle of the path, can't go up or down. This happens only when the machine is upright. Pushing the tension arm up/down manually will loosen it. I can feel the spring snapping when it frees itself. https://imgur.com/a/rflrCqE

 

[SkywaveTDR]

That is very strange in that the many machines I work on all need the cylinders cleaned and new silicon damping fluid put in them and I never have to wax a string. I don't know where people come up with this stuff maybe abstract wives tales or guessing which is not at all correct. Silicon damping fluid is what belongs in the cylinders not some moly grease. Like everything else people will go to some hardware store buy the crazy named item like Guerilla grease or Super Glue which is all the wrong stuff to use in these decks- I do not even allow Super glue on my bench as well as WD40- it does not belong there.