1800 Lift Arm Adjustment

[Brad]

So, before I try to bend both of these lift arms, I'd like to ask for opinions. When held down in their fully retracted position, each of these arms clear the carousel to the exact same point. They just don't retract to those points by themselves. They get close by themselves (within 1/8" to 1/4"), but no cigar. Before I made the lever adjustment, one of the arms still had around 4" to go before full retraction. With this information, is it still the opinion that both arms may be bent? Would you try bending them?

Thanks for your opinions.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Brad,
Never having done this--(let's wait for Marty)-- I can not imagine why one arm would have had 4 inches of movement, in the adjustment ? If my remember is working correctly, I recall that the arms both "bottom" when retracted the proper amount. Ron Rich

[Brad]

Thanks Ron. That's kinda what I was thinking - that the arms should bottom all the way, and that there's something I'm missing to make them do it. I also don't think having that lever adjustment maxed out - just to get the arms "almost" bottomed out - is correct.

[jukeboxmarty]

Here I am! I was out all day making money. Imagine that.

Brad I really don't know if anything else is wrong with your 1800 causing the lift arm adjustment to be out. If I was in sunny Las Vegas I could probably tell by glancing inside your machine.

I do know that I have had to "re-adjust" the geometry of several Wurlitzer arms throughout the years.

If an arm gets jammed on the way DOWN, it is very possible for the arm to become bent.

As Ron said both arms should bottom out.

Bending the arms as I suggested is of course a last resort.

In machines I've encountered and fixed this way, the arms only need an extra 3/8 of an inch or so before bottoming, after maximum adjustment.  Bending one arm will affect both, so you may not need to bend both arms.

The arms are fairly easy to bend if the bracket/lever (shown in the last picture in the jaws of the adjustable wrench) is held firmly. A little bending goes a LONG way, try for a minimum amount.

Oh yeah, last word of advise... don't break the arm!

I can try to make a video making test bends on the dis-embodied arms if you think that would help. Of course they won't be mounted in the machine.

-Marty

EDIT: If you do try this make sure you back off the adjustment screw before proceeding.

[Ron Rich]

Hi Marty,
What would the get stuck on, coming down ?
Ron Rich

[Brad]

Thanks Marty! A video would be VERY helpful.

[jukeboxmarty]

Ron, I've seen one caught on a record. Why there was a record in the slot with the arm up?.... I have no idea.

[jukeboxmarty]

Brad shoot me your email via PM. I'll try to get to it today.

Edit: OK, don't need your email I loaded the video to YouTube instead. Save it now, I won't keep it up long. The video is very short, but shows just how easy it is to change the lift arm geometry. Link below:

Lift Arm Video

[Ron Rich]

Hi Marty,
I assume that "why" should be "while" ? If someone put two records in a slot, I can see that happening, never thunked of that---- but not on any other circumstance ? Thanks, Ron Rich

[jukeboxmarty]

Aug 24, 2021 16:34:44 GMT Ron Rich said:

Hi Marty,
I assume that "why" should be "while" ? If someone put two records in a slot, I can see that happening, never thunked of that---- but not on any other circumstance ? Thanks, Ron Rich

It's more common on a 200 select mechanism with 'duck bills'. If the guide tips don't open properly the lift arm can miss the record on it's way up. I've also seen some pretty mangled guide tips on a 100 or 104 select machine, but the arm is usually wide enough to grab the record anyway.

I've seen some pretty strange things.... some unexplainable!

[Brad]

Thanks Marty. This is really helpful. Especially considering I thought the bending would happen on the lift arms themselves. Would this adjustment be better made with the arms off the machine or in?

[jukeboxmarty]

It would require quite a bit of disassembly to do this outside of the machine since the main shaft runs right through this assembly.

[Brad]

Okay. If you think it won't make much difference I'll just do it where it is. Thanks again. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Ron Rich]

OK-- I can see clearly now ( no, I'm not Johnny Nash !), it's not the lift arm being bent, but the lift arm actuator -- Ron Rich

[jukeboxmarty]

You win Ron! You guessed the word of the day!.... ACTUATOR!