I think my stock CB works, but...

[admin]

Are you talking about the cassette tape drive motor or the motor that raises and lowers the cassete tray?

[RustyTheDog]

Only one motor exists: the tape drive motor.

(Lowering is via a spring, raising is via the operator's force on the eject button.)

[admin]

I haven't had my radio apart in a couple of years but I don't recall any gear drive in the motor and it sure seemed to spin freely and smoothly.

[RustyTheDog]

Hmm... Sounds like my gummed-up motor is the problem. There was a bit of corrosion near it too.

Anyone have a severely broken stock radio for sale? I'll check ebay, but I did see one for $30 recently. The auction stated that it was known to be broken but it probably had the motor I need.

[catman]

Rusty-
Radio shak used to sell electronic parts cleaner that you might could use--- just a thought

[RustyTheDog]

Too late for that catman... Turns out, when I thought I was turning the motor I was actually only rotating the pulley on its shaft. The shaft itself wouldn't budge at first, so I removed the pulley, used vicegrips on the shaft and suddenly it broke free and now it spins freely.

I have a feeling this effort destroyed it inside, but if not maybe I fixed it. We'll see what happens when I put it back together.

In this process I damaged the pulley badly enough that I know it will wear out the belt pretty soon with any significan use. But that's okay... I just want to say the cassette works, I'm not going to actually use it. ;-)

[RustyTheDog]

I decided to open the motor... There was never any hope. I may have broken one of the plastic bearings worse than it was, but it was already very brittle from age and I believe a piece of it was clogging the works.

In fact, it was so brittle from age that this leads me to ask: Does ANYONE still have a working original cassette deck on a GL1200?

[Chris G]

Use my cassette all the time. Both for tapes, and the car adapter kit for my MP3 player. Works fine.

[RustyTheDog]

And it's the original equipment huh?

I may have spoken too soon. I put the motor back together removing the broken plastic bearing, which I'm sure had a purpose but without, it still stays centered and spins smoothly. Maybe it will work for a while. I'll report back soon.

The bearing is a 1" diameter ring of plastic.

[RustyTheDog]

Update: Well my motor still doesn't turn, but I notice the FM radio keeps playing when a tape is inserted, so it probably doesn't even recognize the inserted tape and I think that's the problem.

I'll put this project on hold for now. It's just not my priority.

[Skymajic]

I know we want to make everything on our babies work and sparkle too, but here's a quick, easy and very affordable solution. Somebody mentioned this on another thread, and this is what I found.


This little mp3 FM modulator can use USB as well as SD/DMM cards, and plays WMA as well as MP3. The little remote MIGHT be a useful addition. Though I'm thinkin, if not tied down somehow, It might wind up as road side litter someplace.

One of these little units and a couple of 2gig flash cards full of MP3's and yer good to go for the entire day!

Come next payday I'm buying one of these little hummers. I'm also gonna buy a Cig Lighter and install it (if I can) on the dash into the extra accessory hole on the far right next to the wind screen. This would make it much more accessible than down low on the left side below the CB.

[RustyTheDog]

Frankly, yes I plan to use MP3's and will NEVER use the cassette... But I want it to work just because it's supposed to work. It's an ego thing. ;-)

It seems you intended to provide a link to a device you like. Did you neglect that? I may be interested.

[Skymajic]

OOPS! :oops:


This is the one with the remote $25

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...&CatId=193


This is the one that takes more than one card, and plays more than one file type. $35

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...&CatId=193



BTW, I agree with you. One of my winter projects is to pull the radio and make the tape work properly, just cause it's sposed too!

[RustyTheDog]

I think for me the solution will be a GPS with an MP3 player and an FM modulator (transmitter). I am pretty much solid on Garmin, but the cheapest unit they have meeting these criteria is a little over my budget. (Nuvi 660)

If it works the way I hope it does, one advantage may be that the GPS's own voice can be heard through the bike's audio system without modifications.

[RustyTheDog]

Cool. But if I need a new GPS anyway, I'd rather have just one device... especially if I want both to transmit on the same FM frequency.

The more I think about it, I think I'll get that Nuvi 660. It's not made for bikes and it's not waterproof, but I avoid rain anyway, and if I mount it well I'm not too concerned. But this can wait a while... maybe prices will drop.