TT-101 turntables…or any DD decks

Banquo,
We've never "pulled" the motor, and so far as I can tell by inspection, no one has ever messed with the screw that allows access to the bearing thrust plate. But when you say the motor rests on washers, I have to think. As you know, the electronics all hang on the metal assembly that also contains the motor per se. Are these "washers" accessed by trying to remove the motor from the rest of the metal structure? If so, mine should still have them; I am pretty sure Bill did not take that apart, and I know I didn't either.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I agree that now is the time to service the bearing.

As you know, the electronics all hang on the metal assembly that also contains the motor per se. Are these "washers" accessed by trying to remove the motor from the rest of the metal structure?

Yes, Lewm.

Lew, try to determine if the noise is coming from platter friction due to contact with the metal housing of the turntable. Any slight lowering of the bearing height will result in scraping of the platter. If the motor was removed then check that the washers to support the motor are in place.

If the noise is not coming from the platter then it must be from the motor. I have experienced a similar scraping sound at 45 rpm but not at 33 after oiling. It was due to incorrect bearing height as the bearing screw was not repositioned exactly where it was originally. I doubt if your TT needs oiling...if it did then it should produce sounds at 33 rpm.

Lew I would carefully mark the position of the bearing screw before unscrewing to oil the bearing or adjust. It is easy to do with a marker pen or simply just score the screw and the housing with a thin bladed screw driver.

The screw actually determines the height of the bearing and thus the central spindle for the motor. There is actually a round metal plate that could scrape a pc board inside the motor. Too low and the plate would scrape but too high and another part of the motor would begin to touch the housing causing friction.

What I would do in your case is to simply mark the bearing screw position and screw clockwise a tiny bit ...maybe 1mm and check the result. If it does not solve your problem then try again.

Hope this helps. I am not an expert and take no responsibility if you in any way damage your TT or bearing. I am just relating my experience.

Dear Dickson, Thanks for all the suggestions, but as I wrote earlier, the bearing was never messed with, nor was the motor per se ever removed from the main chassis (at least not by me or Bill Thalmann), and I did check to see if there was visible rubbing or any physical contact between the rotating platter and the well in which it sits, and I could detect none. Moreover, now that I think of it, the noise should be present at 33 as well as at 45, if it's simply a matter of platter height and "rubbing". Yet the unit is silent at 33, or at least silent enough that I do not hear the noise from about 2 feet away at 33. (Probably should get out my stethoscope.) We shall see.

Oh, and the last thing I would ever do is to hold you responsible for anything. I am no virgin when it comes to DIY or direct-drive.

Dear Lew, Even if the bearing or motor was not tampered with, there can be slight wear of the bearing plate resulting in the bearing sitting lower.

As mentioned I experienced the same symptoms that you have. On 33 there was no scraping sound but at 45 there was a scraping sound. I cannot explain why this would only occur at 45rpm and not at 33rpm. Adjusting the bearing screw solved the problem.

I also have a TT-101 motor that I have opened up and there are three thin washers separating the top and bottom motor cover. If I omit the washers and spin the motor manually there is a scraping sound due to the motor touching the upper motor cover.

You can experiment and raise the bearing spindle by turning the bearing screw just 1 millimetre at a time and checking the 45rpm speed after each adjustment. I remember I only had a range of adjustment of about 6-8 mm.