Thorens 160 armboard not centre?

[skimminstones]

Just been reading through the analog dept at some of their tweaks but the first thing i noticed was this pic and it saying the armboard should be fully centred

http://www.theanalogdept.com/images/spp6_pics/susp_adj/Susp_adj_exer_1/armboard_center.jpg

Now mine is like this...

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l241/londonguy/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160317_130140.jpg (http://s98.photobucket.com/user/londonguy/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160317_130140.jpg.html)

It does move easily enough to the centre but obviously wont stay there. Is it a simple matter of moving it centre and tightening the suspension bolt underneath to keep it in place?


One other question, ive read a lot about removing the foam bungs in the suspension springs. The plinth mine is in currently doesnt have an enclosed bottom plate though. Would removing the foam bungs still make any improvement or does the fact there is no bottom plate make that pointless? Ive never been totally happy with this plinth so may look to change it soon and i notice they are usually enclosed.

Mine is like this currently....

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l241/londonguy/IMG_20160317_130745.jpg (http://s98.photobucket.com/user/londonguy/media/IMG_20160317_130745.jpg.html)

[DSJR]

The TD160mk1 didn't have the cam shaped washers to aid centring the suspension and some convenient holes were later drilled in the top plate and sub chassis (to the left of the spindle near the left hand spring as viewed from the top) to assist.

The best thing to do is to stand the deck minus base, on some tall tins or similar, get the top as level as possible and see how the suspension looks. Make sure the cables aren't pulling and while you're at it, replace the exit cable with something more up to date and cut the links that earth the chassis to the signal screens, replacing with a separate wire - there's a Van Damme based techie one, beautifully made and with all wires tinned ready to solder and all for £16 or so -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-SL-1200-1210-Audio-Phono-Cable-Lead-ProteX-Black-Neutrik-Van-Damme-1-2m-/252270646196?hash=item3abc8093b4:g:I3AAAMXQVERSqnQ n

Once this has been considered, see how exactly the arm-board is positioned. I never liked moving Thorens springs on their grommets as was standard with Linn (the grommets cannot usually be easily rotated as the LP12's could), but try the left hand spring on its grommet first a tiny bit. if all goes pear shaped, the nut will have to come off the bottom, the spring removed and re-seated and the nut and washer replaced, adjusting for level. All the time, move the sub chassis back and forth and side to side to ensure free movement.

Apologies, I'm making this sound far too difficult. Adjusting these things is a bit of an acquired skill and once upon a time, I found it easy to do as I set up LP12's almost daily as part of my living. I hope you can make some sense of the above and do it incrementally. Holding the top of the spring lightly as the sub chassis is moved laterally can sometimes help as it may only be one spring that's off centre, dragging the other two with it.

P.S. Now I remember why Rega were so popular ;) Little setting up apart from cartridge and general tightening up of arm and bearing nuts - the feet were left a little loose.