Phonoland

Hello all! About 6 months ago I inherited a Rock-ola 442 juke box. I knew that it had worked about 15 years ago but I when I got it it wouldn't do anything but power up. I downloaded the manual and read it cover to cover at least 4 times. And now it is playing records! This is a major accomplishment for me considering I had absolutely no experience working with mechanic/electronics. In order to get the turntable to spin I had to put a rubber band on the driveshaft of the turntable motor. Initially, the turntable wouldn't spin and for some reason the jukebox manual says very little about the turntable, but eventually i realized i was missing a rubber grommet that is supposed to be on the driveshaft to grip the turntable and make it turn. I have played around with some rubber bands and the turntable spins but the speed in wrong. Is there somewhere I can get a replacement grommet? Or perhaps there is something else that would work in it's place? I can't find a parts book for the motor.... Thanks!

Thanks DoghouseRiley! Being able to see everything that should be there is very helpful. Assuming mine should look exactly like the picture you provided I am missing the thicker metal ring (the one with the screw sticking out of it) that goes around the motor spindle (I was calling it the driveshaft). That explains why putting a rubber band around it was helping the turntable to spin. Could you tell me what this piece is called so I can find a supplier here in the US?
p.s. Thanks for putting up with my lack of the technical lingo

Hi Emily,
You do not need the part with the screw on it here in the USA. That's an adapter, for 50 Hertz use. You have a common problem--first check that all there of the motor support grommets are good. They should be a "white" color on RockOlas, and lift the motor high enough, as well as straight enough so the "Idler wheel" ( or, in that foreign lingo-- "jockey wheel"), makes solid contact with the shaft. The "tire" ( sorry again) portion must not be "glazed"--it must be soft enough to make contact with the clean rim of the turntable. The motor, linkage, Idler wheel POST, and the turntable should have a drop or two of 20 wt. ND oil on them. Note: If you can't get the idler wheel soft, it must be re-surfaced. Ron Rich

DoghouseRiley wrote:Hi and welcome to this very friendly board.

I've a Rock-Ola 443, which is the "baby" of the same model, being only 100 play. But to all intents and purposes they are otherwise the same model.
If it's any help this is what you should be seeing under the turntable. Ignore the mechanism for the disabled multi-speed option behind the jockey wheel.




The jockey wheel which has a rubber tyre (sorry, I'm English) rubs on the drive shaft and the inside of the turntable rim and is kept in tension by the spring you can see. The tyre on this wheel and the inside of the turntable rim, must be kept free from any grease.

The only grommets are the three that support the turntable motor. You can see these in the photo, they are the ones nearest to the motor spindle. These can deteriorate over time which can cause the motor to vibrate slightly which can be picked up by the cartridge resulting in an irritating background noise when a record is playing.

A new jockey wheel, (if that is your problem) and the grommets if ever they need replacing, can be easily and quite cheaply sourced from a jukebox spares supplier in the USA.

Doggie, that photo of the drive mechanism - the "screw" you're using on that brass drive collar is way too long.
Being so will cause additional vibration and imbalance of the motor shaft - thus increasing chances of "flutter" in the sound.
Best to go with a flush type allen/hex screw of the proper thread to "smooth things out.
Your top motor bearing will love you for it.

MattTech wrote:

DoghouseRiley wrote:Hi and welcome to this very friendly board.

I've a Rock-Ola 443, which is the "baby" of the same model, being only 100 play. But to all intents and purposes they are otherwise the same model.
If it's any help this is what you should be seeing under the turntable. Ignore the mechanism for the disabled multi-speed option behind the jockey wheel.




The jockey wheel which has a rubber tyre (sorry, I'm English) rubs on the drive shaft and the inside of the turntable rim and is kept in tension by the spring you can see. The tyre on this wheel and the inside of the turntable rim, must be kept free from any grease.

The only grommets are the three that support the turntable motor. You can see these in the photo, they are the ones nearest to the motor spindle. These can deteriorate over time which can cause the motor to vibrate slightly which can be picked up by the cartridge resulting in an irritating background noise when a record is playing.

A new jockey wheel, (if that is your problem) and the grommets if ever they need replacing, can be easily and quite cheaply sourced from a jukebox spares supplier in the USA.

Doggie, that photo of the drive mechanism - the "screw" you're using on that brass drive collar is way too long.
Being so will cause additional vibration and imbalance of the motor shaft - thus increasing chances of "flutter" in the sound.
Best to go with a flush type allen/hex screw of the proper thread to "smooth things out.
Your top motor bearing will love you for it.

Thanks for that. I may get round to change it. But it sounds OK, doesn't it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIaVfQT84S8

Ron,
It looks like I have 1 bad grommet. Can you recommend a place to get a replacement? Thanks for your help!
-Emily

Ron Rich wrote:Hi Emily,
You do not need the part with the screw on it here in the USA. That's an adapter, for 50 Hertz use. You have a common problem--first check that all there of the motor support grommets are good. They should be a "white" color on RockOlas, and lift the motor high enough, as well as straight enough so the "Idler wheel" ( or, in that foreign lingo-- "jockey wheel"), makes solid contact with the shaft. The "tire" ( sorry again) portion must not be "glazed"--it must be soft enough to make contact with the clean rim of the turntable. The motor, linkage, Idler wheel POST, and the turntable should have a drop or two of 20 wt. ND oil on them. Note: If you can't get the idler wheel soft, it must be re-surfaced. Ron Rich

Best to replace them as a set, to insure proper alignment and longevity - if one's bad, the others are going too.

emily wrote:Ron,
It looks like I have 1 bad grommet. Can you recommend a place to get a replacement? Thanks for your help!
-Emily

Ron Rich wrote:Hi Emily,
You do not need the part with the screw on it here in the USA. That's an adapter, for 50 Hertz use. You have a common problem--first check that all there of the motor support grommets are good. They should be a "white" color on RockOlas, and lift the motor high enough, as well as straight enough so the "Idler wheel" ( or, in that foreign lingo-- "jockey wheel"), makes solid contact with the shaft. The "tire" ( sorry again) portion must not be "glazed"--it must be soft enough to make contact with the clean rim of the turntable. The motor, linkage, Idler wheel POST, and the turntable should have a drop or two of 20 wt. ND oil on them. Note: If you can't get the idler wheel soft, it must be re-surfaced. Ron Rich

Emily

Welcome to the board look at "sticky" at top of page "Used, new parts/"Books"/ Repairs--where to find"

Be advised the some places have a minimum order of $25.00 so make sure of all the things you need before you placed an order.

Best
Darrell

Go to Lowes and get some 5/16x3/8 grommets. They will work great. If you need to space up or down , use thin, soft rubber washers on top or bottom (usually top) of grommets. Also if someone has taken the studs with the c-clips out and replaced them with screws, be careful they are not too long and go in too deep and damage the windings on the motor. I have seen this on several. I guess the C-clips get lost and instead of replacing the C-clips, they just remove the stud and put a screw in. No...it won't cause "noise" in your amp unless you have other problems.

Hi Eddie,
I dis-agree with that advice. RockOla engineered that turntable setup to use the white grommets. Anything else, will cause motor noise to transmit thru the sound system, if working correctly, with the AVC on. Rubber "softness/firmness" is measured in scones, and RO, as well as most other TT makers, specified the scone number for both the grommets, and idler wheel rubber. Also--"someone", did not "replace" the e rings (aka: circlips), they were not used on some assemblies--screws, and spacers were--- Ron Rich

And I disagree with you. But that's ok. It's ok to disagree. And I meant a on a motor that is supposed to have studs or using the wrong length screw. You use a screw 1/4 too long it will pierce the windings. But have at it.

Eddie,
I sure agree, with you there !! Using the wrong length, wrong material, and/or sometimes even head type, in many cases, can cause all types of strange problems--( ask the guys that built the new bay bridge in San Francisco/Oakland-- )
Ron Rich

Thanks for all the advice guys! I've got another question for you. I'm assuming that the power cord on my jukebox should be a three prong with a ground? Mine does not have a ground and I think that might be one reason why I'm getting a bit of a humming sound. Thanks again for your patience with a jukebox beginner!
Emily

emily wrote:Thanks for all the advice guys! I've got another question for you. I'm assuming that the power cord on my jukebox should be a three prong with a ground? Mine does not have a ground and I think that might be one reason why I'm getting a bit of a humming sound. Thanks again for your patience with a jukebox beginner!
Emily

Depending on the level of hum, faint hum can be normal.
An experienced ear can usually tell if a faulty power supply or other component is starting to go, or if a transformer/ballast is loose and buzzing.