Ya know, I really dislike TK50 drives...

From: Daniel T. Burrows <dburrows_at_netpath.net>
Date: Sat Apr 14 15:27:05 2001

>> What did you in are the sensors on the 2 tape rollers. If either of the
>> rollers stick in either direction the drive decides it does not know
where
>> on the tape it is and shuts down. I use a marker on the top of the
rollers
>
>I assume these are the 2 rollers, about 1" in diameter, either side of
>the head assembly.

Correct.

>
>I've pulled a TK50 to bits (non-destructively), and the front roller
>doesn't seen to have a sensor on it. It does appear to have a height
>adjustment, which would not be the thing to twiddle.
>
>The rear roller has a slotted disk + optoswitch at the bottom end. I
>assume this is the sensor you are refering to.

Yes but I am sure the front one has a sensor also since the slightest
heasitation there also shuts it down.
I have not taken the time to find a front sensor but it must have one.

>
>> to determine which roller is causing the problem. Then just watch the
marks
>> while loading a tape.
>>
>> Don't feel bad - I have gone through over a dozen drives to get good ones
>> and the biggest cause failure are those roller bearings.
>
>Is it possible to replace the bearings? I've not attempted to dismantle
>the senosr (yet!), but it looks possible. Of course after doing that
>you'd probably had to do a tape path and head alignment (which could be
>'interesting')...


The rear one is not bad but the front one does involve some alignment.
Again I have not taken the time. I did try lubricating the top bearings
with a syringe and still had problems. I then removed it and did the bottom
bearing. It ran free then but I had alignment problems and no alignment
tape or info. At that point even with over a dozen drives on the way to
scrap metal it was not worth any more time to me.

Dan
Received on Sat Apr 14 2001 - 15:27:05 BST