Rock-ola 429 Starlet Gripper mech. gears/ Cam

I recently bought a pretty toasty Rockola 429 Starlet. Before powering on I removed everything I could get my hands on and and attempted to clean, degrease, etc. I now have it partially back together and trying go get the machine to "complete a cycle" of picking and playing a record. My question today is: What is the proper alignment of the gripper turnover gears in relation to to cam on which the tone arm guide rests? I know how to set the cam for the micro switches, that the manual says to turn the gripper clockwise until a "jam occurs" and set the cam accordingly. However, when I turn it clockwise, the gripper begins to move from over the magazine as if picking up a record. This makes me think that I have something off in the turnover gears on the gripper. Any ideas on what I have done wrong? Be gentle! This is my first venture into the jukebox world. Thanks!

I guess you are talking about the timing between the gripper and the transfer gears? If so, there is virtually no way I can describe how to do it. I will try...Looking at the machine from the front, there are two sprockets or gears. The one closest to the back actuates the gripper. The one toward the front transfers the record to the turntable and returns it to the magazine. There is a pin on the casting that holds the front sprocket stationary in relationship to the shaft. We will use that as a reference point. When in the "home" position with the gripper over the magazine, the pin will be at the left at the 9:00 o'clock position. The last tooth on the rear sprocket (looking at it from front in a CCW position) will be aligned with this pin. There will be a gap (like a tooth missing) right below this tooth looking at it from the top. Hope this helps.

Yes, that helps. Thank you. That is the way it is currently set. Now, according to the manual, the cam that operates the micro switches is also in the correct position (The #1 switch is up into the groove) So I should have all of that set properly. The outer cog has a pin on it as well, and it operates an arm going to the turn table via boomerang shaped piece. While in the home position, where does that "boomerang" sit in relation to the pin on the outer gear? Right now, if looking from the top, one end is underneath the outer pin and the other end connects to the arm. I think this is correct, but not sure.

Also, just to be sure, I am curious if the tone arm rest is in the right spot. While at the "home" position, the tone arm rest appears to be slightly above level and the knob at the bottom is resting inside the cam* that controls tone arm positioning. Thanks in advance for any help.

In the first paragraph are you referring the gripper?

I was referring to the rear cog you spoke of. I have it set the way you described, however I was curious about the pin on the rear side of it and how it operates that arm that extend to the turntable.

Hi
Maybe post a few photos of the areas you are having trouble with
Clones

Do the above photos clear up my question? I'm sorry I haven't gotten the lingo down just yet. The manual doesn't really label this stuff. Im curious if everything looks corect.

That pin you are talking about switches the turntable from 45 to 33 rpm. It looks right in the pic you uploaded. I tried to show you the orientation of the bottom gear to the two upper gears. Also tried to show you orientation of the turntable cam. That is keyed however. If your gripper arm is over the magazine as it should be and the turntable cam is correct, then all that is left is setting the switches. That cam (on Rear) is not keyed. You can rotate it to any position. Verify everything else from the pics and we will move to the rear cam.

Thanks for the reply. I'm currently out of town and will compare my machine with your pictures when I return tomorrow. If memory serves me correctly they look the same though. As for the rear cam, I believe it is set right according to the book, but I will check also.

I went back and read your initial post. Are you sure you are turning the gear in the right direction? Read that part in manual carefully.

Hi, I finally got home and I believe that all of your pictures match the way mine is currently set up. Moving on to the rear cam, the one that operates the three micro switches at the rear of the machine, I do think I was reading the manual correctly. It says (pg 11, CAM ADJUSTMENT) to "rotate the knurled end of the gripper motor armature clockwise until a jam occurs". At this point, the cam should be rotated until no.1 micro switch is seated in the cam groove. Now, when the gripper arm is over the magazine I can freely rotate the knurled end (under machine) clockwise quite a way until what I think is a jam occurs. It rotates so far, in fact, that the gripper arm picks up the record and lifts about two inches. Is this where I adjust the cam or is something wrong? However, if I go counterclockwise until a jam occurs, the arm goes back down and lets the record go. I would assume this is the proper position to adjust the cam. Hopefully this explains my question a little better.

Hi I hope I arent being too cheeky hijacking this thread but I have a similar problem with a 1484 wallmount.I replaced the 3 microswitches on the advice of the guy whos in the trade that I bought it from.It wasnt working fully so I did just that.I bought the correct tool to adjust the switches.At one stage I had the whole thing working great then spotted that some owner in the past had stuck paper wedges in the switch cam levers to get the correct pressure.I decided as I had the bristol wrench to do it "properly".Big mistake!Its never been right since.I had all sorts of weird behaviour that ende yesterday when somehow the gripper went totally out of sync.With the gripper motor dropped I could only move the shaft about an inch in any direction.Looking from the back the 2 gears were totally misaligned,still cant figure how because theyre screwed together?Anyway I had to remove the screw and the gripper release gear.I have replaced it many times in what looks to be the correct position and every time it lets me manually go through one cycle then its off again.I wonder if I have caused some serious damage when the gripper mech jammed?It blew the fuse at the same time.Hoping Eddie reads this and can give some advice.I'm in the UK BTW.
TIA
Mick

On closer inspection I have found the remains of a snapped off pin.Where to now?Cant even see where its from.
http://i1374.photobucket.com/albums/ag4 ... xqawmr.jpg
Mick

Hi Mick,
Since I can't see it, this is a guess--
The pin is the guide for the gripper direction, when putting a record onto the turn table. In order to fix this, one must remove the whole gripper assembly, punch out the broke pin and install a new one--NOT "fun", IMHO.
Ron Rich