REGA R200 Bias Belt Replacement - step by step

[@bkj242]

Excellent very helpful. Would have not wanted to attempt without this and the tips along the way. Thanks!

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

Glad it helped!

[@rolandmg1]

Thank you for such a detailed and easy to follow video, I might actually give this a go now.

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

Glad it was helpful! If you fancy replacing the wiring as well (highly recommended!!) this is the link to the harness of our instruction video www.thevinylsource.co.uk/product-page/rega-r200-rewire-kit-extra-low-capacitance-cable-full-litz-wiring

[@muzhaffarhazman5758]

Keen to do this repair! Having trouble sourcing a belt and spacer. Vinyl Source doesnt seem to sell them online…

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

Hi As far as I know the manufacturer of these belts discontinued the production some times ago, and nobody seems to have any stock left.

[@muzhaffarhazman5758]

@@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij thank you! My stubbornness compels me to find a solution regardless, wish me luck!

[@jonggyukim7816]

Great video! Thank you for sharing. If you can, would you share where to get the belt and spacer?

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

Sorry for the late reply. It seems that bias belt are discontinued. I'm looking everywhere from some time, but no luck

[@michaelbrind9222]

@@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij Any joy with belt supply?

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

@@michaelbrind9222 Unfortunately, not.

[@Raccoon1400]

I'm working on one of these arms and have changed the belt successfully, but I can't get the arm to move freely after reassembling the bearing. I've done everything as shown in this video, and reassembled several times. But same result. I can't see any damage to the bearings, races, or the cage. I didn't force anything. I tried adjusting the tension on the bearings. Any idea what could have happened?

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

Hi It happened to me a couple of times (more than 250 Rega R200 serviced). There is an inner bearing, close to the top of the main pillar, identical to the one at the bottom shown in the video. This bearing is the one that takes all the strain and wear, and since the cage that keeps the bearings together is made of mild steel, sometimes it wear off and let the bearings balls loose. If the upper joke sits more than ½ mm from the base, that's because the bearings are loose in the upper cup. Unfortunately, very difficult, is not impossible, to mend without a spare part. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Regards Mark

[@Raccoon1400]

@@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij Thank you for the reply! I've been searching to the answer to this since before this video came out. I have a thread on vinylengine on it as well. I didn't get any clarification there, just people who have done a few arms showing their process. There's some good knowledge there but no one had close to 250 RB200 rebuilds under their belt. It does appear the upper part sits a lot farther from the base than you say. So I guess I'm boned. I'm a full time tech and this is for a client. I don't do many arms, but have done a few. Never touched an RB200 before. This isn't the worst news (for me at least), since I can at least be confident in telling the client I didn't screw up the arm myself. I guess these bearing races aren't something that is easy/possible to source?

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

We upgrade/repair tonearm nearly daily, mostly Rega and vintage SMEs. I guess that a 4-5% of R200 have a problem with the upper horizontal bearing like the one you have experienced. There are no bearings like that available on the market, our workaround is to dismantle the tonearm to the bone (take care to mark the position of the two bias magnets, that's vital) and replace the damaged bearing with the lower bearing (the one shown in the video), they are identical; then we replace the lower bearing with a common high-precision bearing with ID 4.9mm (or 5mm) OD 10mm and thickness 3mm; the retaining nut will sit higher than normal and will need to be secured with a little drop of superglue. Once I had a tonearm with BOTH bearings damaged, and we had to make a bit of precise machining to adapt a normal bearing as upper bearing, a nightmare. Hope it helps. Please, subscribe is you didn't already. Cheers Mark

[@marknicholls4133]

Where did yiu get the belts from?

[@marknicholls4133]

Where did you get yourbelt from? SDI no longer supply 😢

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

I know, SDI has a reorder of 14 weeks from several months. We stocked some belts time ago and when the workshop will end those, as long as SDI continue to be out of stock, then game over.

[@alanbird7635]

Where did you source the belt and spacer from. You don’t mention where you got it and I can’t find a supplier anywhere.

[@alanbird7635]

I’m in the UK by the way

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

At the moment there is a shortage of those belts even my supplier in the US (SPD shop.sdp-si.com/catalog/product/?id=A_6B18M140030) has a lead time of 14 weeks and they don't supply any spacer. Be patient soon or late they will be available again

[@marknicholls4133]

Still will no longer supply 😢

[@marknicholls4133]

@alanbird7635 Have you found any belts? SDI will not supply any longer

[@jedi-mic]

You forgot the tension you didn't put it in

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

???? what tension? Please explain. I rewired and replaced the bias belt in around 200 Rega R200 tonearms and I cannot figure out what you mean by 'tension'

[@ivanbogush]

Looks like the belts are gone forever :( Maybe the people that manufacture the thin rubber belts for Sony Walkmans could make something similar.

[@TheAudioSanityChannel-ym7ij]

Sorry for the late reply. Indeed, the only supplier of these belts confirmed that are discontinued. Thin rubber belt won't work, is needed a rather strong timing belt with 1mm pitch.

[@johnjensen5302]

Great video and tutorial. Although the belts aren't available from the source mentioned, I was able to get a Dual 505 pitch belt (available on Ebay) and make that work. It's a bit too thick in the stock state, but by taking a Dremel tool and very carefully grinding the smooth side of the belt I was able to get it to fit. Hope this helps.