Thorens TD 124 Repair and Upgrade Tips

The turntable chassis should be restored. All parts including the motor have to be disassembled and cleaned with specific care. The motor bearing should be cleaned of all the old oil and grease then oiled again with high quality oil especially recommended for this bearing system. At the end of the cleaning and reassembling of the parts, the motor is dramatically less noisy and works more stable. The main platter bearing should be disassembled, cleaned and restored. Several components could be replaced: the thrust bearing plate (may be replaced by a thicker one made of bronze), the paper oil gasket and the bearing bottom plate. The new main platter bearing should be oiled with high quality oil having a viscosity which accommodates a broad temperature band. The result of the bearing restoration is a more stable and smooth rotation, less mechanical noise and a system which is perfectly sealed.

All parts made of rubber (idler wheel, drive belt, rubber decoupling mushrooms, motor suspension dampers) can be meticulously cleaned using only hot water and soap avoiding the use of any solvent which would have altered the elasticity of the rubber. This careful cleaning process allowed us to preserve the old parts. In fact there is no need to replace them as they work just as well as new ones would.

The switch suppressor condenser has to be replaced.

The big and massive plinth with super damping abilities is especially important given the power of the Thorens TD 124 chassis. The best material for the plinth is a birch plywood. 5 – 6 layers of 21 – 24 mm each can be glued with polyurethane glue which gives additional damping properties to the plinth. I am using following unique procedure: 14 cavities were dug inside of the wood body and filled with a mix of lead balls, sand and glue. This technique adds mass to the structure hence holding, dampens parasitic resonances and vibration without losing the natural harmonic richness of analogue instrument. It also balances the weight of the entire player. The plinth can be finished using a Rosewood, Mahogany or any other veneer. to make the plinth looks like a piece of art you can varnish it with 12 successive layers and thoroughly polish using premium surface coatings.

The whole structure has to be carried by spike feet. The spikes enable you to isolate the equipment from external vibrations in the environment.