Japanese Tape Recorder universal lubrication kit - Akai Tascam Teac

JAPANESE TAPE RECORDER general purpose universal lubricant kit for most Akai, Teac, Tascam and many other machines that use high grade mineral based lubricants. 

 LUBE KIT -  Japanese 

This kit has original OEM recommended lubricants for full lubrication of all parts of Japanese tape machines that originally were specified with mineral based high quality long life lubricants.  This kit is NOT suitable for machines that use synthetic lubricants for example the Otari range. Refer to specific kit for Otari and later Japanese machines that use a synthetic lubricant.

This kit contains:

•  1 x special Mobil DTE extra heavy capstan lubricant 10ml for sintered capstan shafts, flywheel bearings and pinch roller arm bushes. Also good for all other general lubrication tasks. of shafts, levers, pivots etc
•  1x special Mobil DTE light (Teresso 43) lubricant 5ml for sintered capstan and reel motors and pinch rollers 
•  1x Nagravox high quality grease for thrust plates, ball ends and repacking some special low noise roller bearings. 
•  2x Individual colour coded dropper applicator bottles for accurate placement of lubricant

 Do this simple service lubrication and the motors will last a long long time. Most motors we have come across have never been serviced and the lubricating felts are dry. Luckily these old capstan motors are really robust and can be brought back to good serviceable condition. They are relatively easy to dismantle and once upgraded / serviced will run smoother with less noise. 

LUBRICATION ADVICE

In the first instance always try to get hold of the manufacturers service manual and determine what needs to be routinely serviced with what recommended lubricant.  Here are some generic guidelines for routine servicing

� Sintered bearings fitted to separate flywheel capstan shafts, pinch rollers and drive motors felts should be re-saturated by adding 2 – 3 drops of appropriate lubricant every 5 years or 1000 hours.  Never use just any oil.   

� Reel motor roller and guide roller bearings should be replaced every 10  - 15 years if machine is used or not.

� Tension dampers should be cleaned and repacked with appropriate drag agent lubricant every 10 years or 2000 hours.

� Pinch roller arm bushes should be lubricated with Mobil DTH-EH  every 10 years.

� Solenoid cores should be cleaned and lightly coated (gently wipe dry) with lubricating switch contact cleaner every 10 years.

� Levers, shafts, plates, buttons, brake pivots & tape lift mechanisms – light application 1 drop Mobil DTH-EH every 10 years.

Always use general lube oil sparingly. Use a syringe or dropper.  1 drop or less. More is not better! Some lubrication systems are really simple, some more complicated requiring dismantling.  If there is a slight excess. Use a piece of absorbent paper towel to wick it up.  I dont recommend following any advice on the WWW forums or You Tube influencers - most of it is dubious.