Seeburg LS2 Gem not cooperating

Hello there. This is my first post and it may be a doozy. I bought this machine locally and was told it was working but had some issues. After struggling with it for several hours I was able to get it up and running and playing records. I wasn't able to get it to honor my selection choices it sort of seems to have a mind of its own, always moving to the left to select the next record. Most recently the motor moved all the way to the left and if I hit the reject button it tries to continue moving left sort of bashing itself against the sidewall of the machine. This is my first jukebox and I really have no clue where to go from here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do have photos and videos if that would help.
Bill

Hi Bill,
Well, you can always do what the "Fonz"did when the jukebox did not work---I don't give advice, but if I were to do so, I would ask that you read all of the information and stickies posted above this post--unplug your phonograph, order the complete set of manuals ( and perhaps my Seeburg Mechanism Guide--PM me to order directly), and read them, ask questions, prior to proceeding. Ron Rich

Not familiar with that specific machine, but I'd look at the reversing switch as it relates to the bashing issue. You should see a switch somewhere toward the bottom of the mech near the rail that will should change positions when the mech has moved all the way left or right. It might need adjustment or cleaning.

Imthebongo wrote:Hello there. This is my first post and it may be a doozy. I bought this machine locally and was told it was working but had some issues. After struggling with it for several hours I was able to get it up and running and playing records. I wasn't able to get it to honor my selection choices it sort of seems to have a mind of its own, always moving to the left to select the next record. Most recently the motor moved all the way to the left and if I hit the reject button it tries to continue moving left sort of bashing itself against the sidewall of the machine. This is my first jukebox and I really have no clue where to go from here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do have photos and videos if that would help.
Bill

If I may suggest something: STOP! you are just going to do damage and turn a few relatively simple problems into more severe ones if you proceed without actually knowing how this system works.

if the mechanism is now jamming against one end of the rack it is either due to a faulty reversing switch which may have a broken paddle or missing over-center spring, or the reversing actuator has been tampered with.

Manually turn the motor coupling (above the motor) and get the mechanism a few inches toward the center of the rack. look at the bottom front of the mechanism. You will see a brownish fibre paddle hanging down outside the rack casting. Shift that back and forth and note that the switch blades transfer and stay in either position when flipped. If they do not move or do not stay in position when flipped the switch is faulty or has been "monkeyed with". If the switch appears to function properly, apply power and as the mech scans use a finger to flip the paddle (carefully) from side-to-side. the mach should reverse and keep going in the new direction.

If that checks out it is likely that the actuator that engages it at the far end has been moved too far out. Slightly loosen the screws on the rack bed that hold the actuator and move it about ¼ in toward the center of the rack.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of having full service instructions before proceeding further on any machine. Most problems will become straight-forward once you understand how things actually work.

Rob/NYC

Guy's
A word of caution for anyone who reads Rob's post above--While it won't hurt anything on the LS, or older mechs, to "flip" the reversing switch, you do NOT want to do this on later models, as you WILL DESTROY, the "new style" read-out contacts !!!
(See my Seeburg Mechanism Guide)
Ron Rich