Success at last! Removing dust cover hinges cannot be this hard

[BigscreenBob]

I’m trying to remove the hinges from a Technics turntable — because they’re too weak to hold the cover in the fully open position — and, in spite of spending a full hour watching YouTube videos and searching Google hits, and I am not having any success at all.

What the heck am I doing wrong?!

The clearest directions I’ve found so far make it sound so simple a five-year-old could do it:

<< “Do you see those little square holes in the hinges? These holes latch onto a notch on the turntable chassis, inside the hinge receptacles. What you need to do is insert a flathead screwdriver into the receptacles, from the underside. Push the screwdriver between the hinge and the chassis, and pry the hinge plate away from the notch (so away from the turntable chassis), while lifting the hinge up from the top. Maybe use pliers to get a better grip. It might be best to put the turntable on its side (remove platter first) so you can see what you're doing. It's a bit fiddly, but the hinges will come out.

To put the new hinges in, just push down on them, until they latch onto the notch.” >>

and yet when I follow these idiot-proof directions, I can only conclude I’m more stupid than an idiot. Either that or these hinges are stuck in place with Super Glue.

For the sake of my rapidly deteriorating sanity, could someone please explain how to remove these blankety-blank hinges?

 

[Montycat]

Have you considered dynamite?

I have taken those out but I can't remember any specific trick to it. Do you have a replacement set? The other issue with that style is of course the tabs on the dust cover which very often break. The easy solution is just to use the cover as a sit-on-top.

 

[BigscreenBob]

Dynamite, no. Sledgehammer, yes.

Removing the dust cover while using would be A-OK if I were going to keep it for myself, but I’m fixing it up for a friend as a gift. I don’t want to give him a TT with a lid that doesn’t work properly.

The tabs on this dust cover are in perfect shape, unlike a lot of dust covers with this style of hinge-tabs.

My hope is to remove these demon-possessed hinges, and either boost their spring-power somehow — if that’s even possible — or replace them with good, stronger ones.

I do like a challenge, but so far, this has been more than a little ridiculous.

 

[Montycat]

A trick that works with some hinges, but maybe not that type, is to wedge something between the hinge and the body of the turntable. Done right it changes the angle of the hinge, tilting it back a bit, and gives the lid a bit more weight past the balance point. A folded piece of business card or similar might work.

 

[BigscreenBob]

A trick that works with some hinges, but maybe not that type, is to wedge something between the hinge and the body of the turntable. Done right it changes the angle of the hinge, tilting it back a bit, and gives the lid a bit more weight past the balance point. A folded piece of business card or similar might work.

I’ll try that, Montycat. Thanks.

 

[BigscreenBob]

A trick that works with some hinges, but maybe not that type, is to wedge something between the hinge and the body of the turntable. Done right it changes the angle of the hinge, tilting it back a bit, and gives the lid a bit more weight past the balance point. A folded piece of business card or similar might work.

So I tried the business card wedge trick, and I give myself an A+ for execution. Really did it up right. Ram-jammed a slice of a super thick business card, folded, into that gap on both hinges.

It came tantalizingly close to working, but the lid still would not remain up; the only difference with the wedge treatment was that it took longer to drop.

So it’s back to square one.

 

[Penn42]

IIRC those should just slide out. Perhaps somebody used some glue at some point? I replaced a set for the same reason you're looking to replace yours. I think I still have the old ones laying around which are free to you if you'd like them. I'm not sure how much Technics dust covers varied in size/weight, but the dust cover from that old turntable was relatively large. If yours is a low profile dust cover my old hinges might still work.

 

[gadget73]

I don't have vast Technics experience but I also seem to recall they just slide out, maybe with a little wiggling at most. I don't recall needing any tools to release them.

 

[BigscreenBob]

I FINALLY GOT THEM OUT.

In my defense, once they were out, I could see/feel that the hinges and the receptacles had a very tacky coating on them.

I used a thin piece of spring metal as a wedge/shim from below to flex the little steel tab on the hinge while tugging upward on the hinge with some tiny pliers.

Now I hope I can restore the springiness somehow.

 

[BigscreenBob]

I’ll try that, Montycat. Thanks.

Montycat: what finally cured the weak springs problem was to alter the shape of the spring coils.

Using a screwdriver for leverage, I widened the gap between the top two turns (windings) of the spring, and the gap between the bottom two turns of the spring. In both hinges. So in those two areas, the spring is stiffer than it was before.

Now the dust cover stays up and open, just like it’s supposed to. It no longer slowly descends on its own.

A new lesson learned!