Rock-O-La 488: Turntable spinning but wont advance to next record

Hi all,

My Rock-O-La 488 was working perfectly but now is currently stuck with the turntable spinning and the arm not going to pick up the next record. The tonearm can be manually moved back and forth but it doesnt stop the table from spinning or engage the next record. Placing the machine in SCAN mode doesnt do anything.
The machine recognizes and inputs selections but then they disappear from the screen and the turntable remains spinning....

Any suggestions? I feel like this happened once two years ago and the person who sold it to me manually turned something that advanced the arm to pick up another record...I cant remember where that was though.

Thank you!
Scott

Hi have comes across this with older rockolas whereby the gripper motor seems to stick, try manually turning the motor in reverse to see if it kicks it back into action. Is the gripper arm over the turntable? Also see if cancel switch at back will return it , check cancel switch blades at base of tonearm. If not any of these theres a problem possibly with the gripper reverse relay or some other component on the mechanism control board, i think theres a fuse there that you can check
Clones

Hi clones thanks for the reply
Tried the cancel switch doesnt seem to be triggering anything at the base of the tonearm. While in Operate mode the platter keeps spinng. Gripper arm is directly over the turntable (see attached photo).
Tried pushing the gripper arm motor both ways from the gripper arm but didnt want to force it too much, it seems pretty locked where it is. Is there a manual crank/override for it somewhere perhaps?
Have checked all fuses on the front of the amp and electrical supply and all seem to be fine...

Where might one locate the gripper reverse relay?

Thanks!
Scott

Hi
The mechanism control board is located at the back of the chassis, open the back access door and you will see it, the relay is located on it,
Clones

Hi Scott

With power off, reach up under the turntable and you will feel a round shaft that should turn. You should be able to turn this by hand to get the gripper arm to raise up and return to the record rack. You need to continue to turn this shaft until it tightens up when the gripper arm is located over the record rack to complete the cycle. Once cycle is complete the unit should return to normal.

Best
Darrell

I would suggest that you first check either the "mechanism" fuse, or circuit breaker (which ever is installed on that model)--if blown, I would suspect that the problem is a common one to RockOlas--lack of proper lubrication. If blown, do not replace, or reset it, prior to lubricating it, and turning the knurled shaft on the motor, in reverse, till the gripper is back all the way over the record basket. If a fuse is used, be sure it is the correct type/size ! Ron Rich
(ALSO, Please read your PM I sent you!)

Ok so I found the little shaft and rotate it but it locks up at the point pictured below, not quite over the record bin.
I tried turning it on again and it just returned to the table and wouldnt function.
Should I get a pliers and force it to turn more?



Thanks
Scott

Fuse in back seems ok too, as do the fuses on the main control board.

Hi
Loosen the gripper motor that will make it easier to move the gripper arm manually, the motor is held on with three hex bolts and try and return the gripper arm back over the record basket, it should move fairly easily if not something is causing it to bind
clones

Scott

You need to turn the motor shaft until the gripper arm completes it's cycle and stops over the record basket. If you do not do this it will continue to attempt to play a record. You need to ascertain what is stopping it at the point before it reaches the basket to park?

Best
Darrell

Scott,
DO NOT use anything except your hand to turn the motor shaft ! Doing so WILL, in most cases, cause further damage !
You do realize that the shaft turns one way to place the record on the TT, and the other way to remove it--?
Have you oiled the gripper assembly ?? I suspect it has "frozen up". Ron Rich

I can see it go towards the record bin while I turn it but it doesn't make it over all the way. If I turn opposite it just goes back to the platter.
Will try some grease on it and see if that unsticks it.

Thanks
Scott

NO "Grease" !!!! It will just "gum up" more--Use 20 wt motor oil and"work it" into the whole assembly--be prepared to spend at least one half hour doing so by hand turning that motor ( If you hand is not VERY sore, you have not spent enough time there ! ) Ron Rich