Showing posts with label Ortofon RMG309 fix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ortofon RMG309 fix. Show all posts

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Ortofon RMG309 fix


Simple fix for sagging counterweight on Ortofon tonearms


When I acquired my RMG309 a nylon tie was wrapped to support the sagging counterweight due to a deteriorated rubber tube that decouples the counterweight from the rest of the tone arm assembly. Since I was restoring an SME 3009 that had the same problem I ordered an extra set of rubber decoupling tube which fits the Ortofon but was too soft to support the more massive counterweight. What is required is a harder type of rubber tubing available from an auto supply.



Fixing the problem is very simple. To disassemble, loosen set screw [1] to release the spring, set screw [2] to remove the counter weight and then carefully pull out the short aluminum tube [3]. Remove all the deteriorated rubber inside the short aluminum tube [3] as well as on the other end towards the gimbal bearing tower [6]. Using fine sandpaper sprayed with a burst of WD40 clean the short metal shaft [4] until it is smooth and shiny. This will later be force fit into the new rubber tube [5] which is a 1/4" OD and 1/8" ID rubber tubing approximately 1 3/8" long I found at a local auto supply for .75 cents a foot. I did not bother to crazy glue the rubber tubing since there was enough resistance in the fit.



This is how it looks after reassembly.