How to Fix a VHS VCR Tape That Won't Rewind/FF/Play

[@crazyjoeshorts5256]

Absolute lifesaver. I'm the one who is in charge of some irreplaceable footage from the past, much of which was on tapes. The poor things got left in a basement and were just locked up. And now, I have seen the stuff inside a tape.

[@gottron5521]

Thank you so much! I started panicking when my tape wouldn't rewind and your video helped a lot :D

[@DirtRoad90sKids]

Happy to have helped someone!

[@JoshawattGaming]

Thank you, this helped. Finally got my VCR I ordered on ebay and was watching a tape in it, worked fine, then I went to rewind and heard the tape being crumpled a bit, looked inside and saw the tape was moving up and down as it rewinds. I found out it wasnt the VCR but this specific tape. I opened it like you showed and jiggled the levers a bit and now it rewinds without moving up and down.

[@malydetoo1728]

I appreciate this video. Working on my tapes!! Thank you.

[@DirtRoad90sKids]

Let us know how it works out for you!

[@joshuapowell1868]

Great video vhs never locks up like them blue Ray's dose specially when they get all scratch up

[@MCC4RTHY1]

I guess I’m transferring the reels into another casing. The spring is fine, my vcr will rewind other tapes but this one movie won’t rewind :/ not sure what the problem is but great suggestion about switching the body out.

[@claytevebaugh1100]

I have one that seems to have rewound to far. There is no tape running across the top and all the tape is on the reel on the left side. I think this gives me enough of an idea of how to get it opened up. And hopefully fixed.

[@hellofend4734]

ok, so, i found two tapes in an old abandoned house in the woods near me. one of them is labled "greg and becky's wedding may 31 1998" its not rewinding amd i really want to know who "greg and becky" are. i hope this works

[@debbierohleder2948]

Thank you so much. This help me to fix my tapes. Your awesome!

[@DirtRoad90sKids]

You are so welcome!

[@irishtiger2000]

Hi, my tape rewinds & fast forwards but whenever I press play the timer is stuck on 0:00:00.

[@jawnTem]

On my tape, it had come loose from the other reel. I'm not sure if I repaired it correctly, but I taped the end onto the empty reel.

[@robertkoernke588]

I have a question: Why do I need those reel-locks at all? Are they not just for storage safety. Can't they be removed when they become a problem? They are not required for playback, rewind, or forward right?

[@jawnTem]

They stop the tape when it gets to an end and this switches the reel to go in the other direction.

[@robertkoernke588]

@@jawnTem when I was saving a tape, I believe I rebuilt it without the 'locks'. But I did save what I could. That was a year ago now.

[@speedyboishan87]

Hi i have a tape that takes 4 mins to rewind, normally it takes less than 1 minute to rewind other tapes. Thanks. Please advise

[@TheMaragorn]

Any tips for when you're missing those little wires that coil around the knobs the lever interacts with? I found one lose wire in my vhs tape that looks like it should go over one of these knobs, but can't actually get it to fit over either one of them.

[@DirtRoad90sKids]

If you found one inside the VHS tape case, it's probably the one. Without the tension on that spring, the hole in the center becomes a different size. you should be able to work it open with a pen or something and by applying the correct amount of tension to open the center up and allow it to fit back over the peg. If they are lost, you can open another tape that you don't care about and either steal the springs from that one or move the reels to that cassette case.

[@TheMaragorn]

@@DirtRoad90sKids Thank you for replying! I really appreciate that. I eventually found a little peg that had broken off and is the right size for this wire. It turns out my tape's case is designed differently and only has one spring that attaches to the lever, not two. I just couldn't find a place to put the wire until I found the piece that had broken off. I've tried to glue the peg back in place and will see if it can withstand a fast rewind. If not, I'll cannibalize a tape I don't care about like you suggested, only I'll probably try to switch out the whole case.

[@jackiechan8840]

Thanks dude

[@DirtRoad90sKids]

Happy to help

[@lmd6204]

All of the screws are.removed, but even with trying to force it apart, still not coming apart.

[@stephanuijl]

❤

[@calumryan6328]

We’re here because we know it’s only happening on one tape

[@joshuapowell1868]

People keep there mode switch clean out like they should people will never have playing problem's at all if you don't know what a mode switch is look it up online how clean out a mode switch in a VCR player every other video will come up

[@joshuapowell1868]

Plus vcrs vhs cleaning tapes everything been proven they are living online

[@ShiningBellyDance]

Hey thanks man, I just fixed a tape instead of losing my shit and crying over it!