Noisy CD tray

[Gordon Steadman]

Probably been covered before but... as I am having to use my second string CD player at the mo, I am getting a bit peed off with the screeching noise as the tray opens. The Pioneer PD S901 is so smooth and silent (sadly musicwise too at the mo) that it just makes this one seem worse.

Its a Marantz CD63SE. Still sound fine so don't object to it too much but I would like to quieten it down a bit.

Any guide as to where to apply the gunge without putting it where it shouldn't be put would be appreciated. Words of one syllable and as non-technical as possible please.

Ta:)

[Oldpinkman]

If it ain't broke - don't fix it! :)

[DSJR]

The CD 63 series used to have a fairly quiet drawer. Why not download a service manual (try HiFi Engine) and see if the runners and gear/tracks can be greased?

[StanleyB]

The squeal is probably from the tray loading belt. A common fault on that type of mechanism. The belt needs replacing, but there is a bodge to extend its life.

[Gordon Steadman]

The squeal is probably from the tray loading belt. A common fault on that type of mechanism. The belt needs replacing, but there is a bodge to extend its life.

Aha.... is it a secret?:)

[StanleyB]

Lathe and chisels won't do much good in this case. Getting to the tray loading belt can involve the removal of the front panel, which requires a fair knowledge of how different manufacturers fit their front panels. If you get that wrong you might not be able to put the front panel back again.
In some cases you can get to the belt by removing the top cover. But again, that is not guaranteed. So if you can't manage to physically get to the belt the mod won't do you any good.

[Oldpinkman]

Lathe and chisels won't do much good in this case. Getting to the tray loading belt can involve the removal of the front panel, which requires a fair knowledge of how different manufacturers fit their front panels. If you get that wrong you might not be able to put the front panel back again.
In some cases you can get to the belt by removing the top cover. But again, that is not guaranteed. So if you can't manage to physically get to the belt the mod won't do you any good.

Or - "if it ain't broke don't fix it" :lol:

[Firebottle]

So if you can't manage to physically get to the belt the mod won't do you any good.

Ahh, but he knows a man who can, spill the beans.....please.......pretty please? :D

Alan

[Gordon Steadman]

i wonder how long the belt will live? I bought this player from Cash Converters (£20) about 15 years ago and it has always been noisy. Up to the last five years it was in constant use.

As I said, it works fine but its just annoying after getting used to the Pioneer.

[Gordon Steadman]

Lathe and chisels won't do much good in this case. Getting to the tray loading belt can involve the removal of the front panel, which requires a fair knowledge of how different manufacturers fit their front panels. If you get that wrong you might not be able to put the front panel back again.
In some cases you can get to the belt by removing the top cover. But again, that is not guaranteed. So if you can't manage to physically get to the belt the mod won't do you any good.

Great, thanks for telling me about the bodge then Stan:lol: I suspect that 'if it ain't broke' may well be the way to go here:rolleyes:

At this rate, Alan (Firebottle) will have no time left for his own stuff!!

[Stubies]

Lathe and chisels won't do much good in this case. Getting to the tray loading belt can involve the removal of the front panel, which requires a fair knowledge of how different manufacturers fit their front panels. If you get that wrong you might not be able to put the front panel back again.
In some cases you can get to the belt by removing the top cover. But again, that is not guaranteed. So if you can't manage to physically get to the belt the mod won't do you any good.

I recently completed the same fix on my NAD C 541 CD player (eventually the belt stops working altogether)- and Stan is right, the face plates and other bits that had to come off were tricky. But they did go back on - and it plays great and looks new!

If you do decide to do it. As a heads up, there were no OEM belts available (the service-women asked if i was the original purchaser, and even commented on my age! ha!), so i purchased a couple of these, and found one that fit just fine:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RUBBER-DRIVE-BELTS-SET-OF-10-FOR-WALKMAN-CASSETTE-/290752066398?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Cassette_Player_Pa rts&hash=item43b22c735e
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Pack-35mm-Rubber-Drive-Belt-Replacement-for-Cassette-Tape-Deck-Bulk-Wholesale-/390621124558?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Cassette_Player_Pa rts&hash=item5af2d557ce
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Mixed-57mm-110mm-Rubber-Drive-Belt-for-Cassette-Tape-Deck-Bulk-Wholesale-/390628599529?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Cassette_Player_Pa rts&hash=item5af34766e9

[StanleyB]

You can flip the belt round so that the smoothed out section is now facing outwards from the idler wheel. You then have to use a sharp needle to make grip marks on the idler like the tracks on a car tyre. This will solve the problem when no belts can be found to replace the original.

[Gordon Steadman]

I recently completed the same fix on my NAD C 541 CD player (eventually the belt stops working altogether)- and Stan is right, the face plates and other bits that had to come off were tricky. But they did go back on - and it plays great and looks new!

If you do decide to do it. As a heads up, there were no OEM belts available (the service-women asked if i was the original purchaser, and even commented on my age! ha!), so i purchased a couple of these, and found one that fit just fine:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RUBBER-DRIVE-BELTS-SET-OF-10-FOR-WALKMAN-CASSETTE-/290752066398?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Cassette_Player_Pa rts&hash=item43b22c735e
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Pack-35mm-Rubber-Drive-Belt-Replacement-for-Cassette-Tape-Deck-Bulk-Wholesale-/390621124558?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Cassette_Player_Pa rts&hash=item5af2d557ce
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Mixed-57mm-110mm-Rubber-Drive-Belt-for-Cassette-Tape-Deck-Bulk-Wholesale-/390628599529?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Cassette_Player_Pa rts&hash=item5af34766e9

Great, thanks for that.

[Gordon Steadman]

You can flip the belt round so that the smoothed out section is now facing outwards from the idler wheel. You then have to use a sharp needle to make grip marks on the idler like the tracks on a car tyre. This will solve the problem when no belts can be found to replace the original.

Could I use a chisel rather than a sharp needle?:lol:

[StanleyB]

It's your equipment so you can use what you want.

[Rare Bird]

I always always get nervous dropping a CD into a tray after an accident i had a few years back where as the CD failed to lift out of the tray full leaving my CD playing surface marked.