Rowe AMI CD-100E CDM-4 Drive Hub Dragging.

[TCW]

The driven hub, the one connected to the motor spins freely 350 degrees out of 360. It seems to stiffen for those 20 degrees. The first few disks plat fine but as it warms up it will not even spin anymore unless I help it along. Is this a lubrication need after this many years of service? If the its past being lubricated to keep it going are there replacement motors out there?

NOTE: I understand the Rowe CDM-4 Industrial CD Player Mechanism Field Service Manual and Parts Catalog states "The CD Player does not contain and field adjustments or field replaceable parts. Individual parts and components are not available for distributer or field repairs. All CD players that require repair must be sent to Rowe for service." 

However, I am sure someone has serviced these on there own or they were former Rowe Factory Service people. Someone might simply have a Rowe CDM-4 Shop Manual that shows a lubrication point and approved lubricant or an after market motor assembly or bearing replacement.

The second thing I want to address separately is this player skips if there is any scuffing on the CD at all. The lightest abrasion causes a skip. I think this could be due to a weak focus gain output signal due to age. I would guess like all CD players it has a potentiometer (any ideas) for Focus gain and Tracking gain. I have a scope so I could get the eye pattern maximized by watching this if there is a test point available.

Tom

PS: Some interesting background information on the entire CDM-4 Family

[TCW]

I pulled the CDM-4 (I was grounded) and pulled the driven hub away from its base against the pull of the magnet. The magnet was covered with fares material and was likely reason for the rubbing. There is only two thousandths of an inch gap when you are not pulling the driven hub away like I'm doing here. I cleaned this and also lubed the the very end of the driven hub shaft shown below with synthetic grease. I have run several discs through with no issues thus far.



The shaft at the end of the driven hub was lubricated evidenced here at the very end of the shaft but dry elsewhere.



Motor winding board PC2 LC421 94VO with V gain rheostat. 4 TRANSISTORS Q1 C327, Q2 C33740, Q3 C327, Q4 C33740. It also has a General Purpose Amplifier chip LM324N.



Closeup of V (VRI?Anyone know what this stands for?)gain rheostat.



Laser tracking assembly.



Closeup of rheostat. I am uncertain if this potentiometer is used to trim the laser or not. 

[TCW]

Let me know if any of you can shed any more light on the Rowe CDM-4. There is so little out there on the subject.

[Ron Rich]

Tom,
Well, there might be more on that unit if you correctly named/searched for it-- the was no such thing as a "Rowe CDM-4"-- It is a Phillips CDM-4. Rowe and all the jukebox makers ( and other users), purchased the CDM's from Phillips. Ron Rich

[TCW]

Ron,

I just threw in another 1.5 hours. I found more rabbit trails. The result is the same, little to no tangible information on the repair or adjustments to the Phillips CDM-4.

Tom