Removing counterweight stub

[Indydan]

Congrats on getting the stub off! After that, the rest of the Michell technoweight installation is very easy. I installed mine a few days ago. Nice upgrade

After thinking about it, I believe Rega has no choice in installing the endstub that tightly. Once I got the stock endstub off of my RB301, I screwed it back onto the arm with my fingers while wearing a rubber glove. I tightened it as hard as I could.

I then put back the stock counterweight. As I was twisting/rotating the counterweight on the stub, to put it back to the right spot to adjust the weight, I noticed it was really tight on the stub. Those o-rings in the counterweight stick very tightly to the stub, almost like a clamp. Tight enough, that when I turned the counterweight counter clockwise, it would unscrew the endstub. I tried it 3 times, and each time rotating the counterweight counter clockwise unscrewed the stub; even though I had tightened the stub as much as I could by hand (wearing a rubber glove).

I think that is why Rega puts it on so tight; to avoid the counterweight unscrewing the stub during setup. Imagine all of the complaints Rega would get if this happened!

Of course, the stub does not need to be that tight with the upgrade weights (Groovetracer, Michell, etc), because they slide back and forth on the stub, without friction, to adjust the weight.

[fretlessVI]

That's a good point...

[Wozza]

Hi.

Managed to get my end stub off my p3 24 the other day.

Tried just with rubber gloves = No chance.

Tried wrapping the rubber glove around the stub and using a wrench = kept slipping all the time.

So in the end I put two fabric plasters around end stub. Then used the wrench in the 12 o'clock position and pulled down towards me gently and voila - the end stub came off really easy. The wrench was my granddad's so it was about 40 years old and all rusty!!

The Michell stub was a bit of a pain to get on as well. Kept on getting stuck half way. So I put some oil around the michell stub threading and it went right in.

[Blue Angel]

Let the force be with ye all

Seems like a lot of trouble to remove the end stub. I doubt if Rega used a cyanoacrylic (superglue). They probably used Loctite which bonds metals by the exclusion of air.

Many other brand arms use a simple Philips type screw inside the endstub. When the screw is undone, the stub comes off.

ba

[Frank_Sm]

Let the force be with ye all

Seems like a lot of trouble to remove the end stub. I doubt if Rega used a cyanoacrylic (superglue). They probably used Loctite which bonds metals by the exclusion of air.

Many other brand arms use a simple Philips type screw inside the endstub. When the screw is undone, the stub comes off.

ba

Rega doesn't use loctite or any other bonding agent with the end stub. The problem is essentially that the internal threads cut into the aluminum arm casting are of very poor quality. It is also very soft and if the assembler isn't careful when installing the end stub at the factory, damage to the internal threads of the arm is very possible making it difficult to remove the end stub. When the end stub is removed, take a look inside at the internal threads and in some cases you may find that small areas of thread have chipped off.

[jorgjean]

Had the end stub removed by the dealer when he upgraded the internal wiring. I was not able to mount the Mitchell for some reason. I also suspect the internal threads to be of poor quality preventing the screwing on of the Mitchell. As much as I like Rega,it has that somewhat junky image with me. But I still buy it due to the sound.

[Wozza]

I've just tried to get an end stub off a P5 and its not shifting at all.

f**k me why the hell do they have to put them on so tight??

I'm using the same technique that worked fine on a p3 24 a few months ago. This s**t will not budge at all.

As you can see I'm very wound up at the moment because I've wasted all morning pulling out my TT and trying to get this stub off.

Now the end stub is gooed up with residue off the plasters I used for gripping!!

Either way I'm getting this stub off if it means ripping the arm out of the table and shredding all the bearings in the process.

If I damage this arm I'm never buying another Rega TT again.

[Wozza]

Man I just did it with a different set of pliers!!

Happy Dayz!!!

[coolmaster]

I've always done this job with the stub firmly gripped in a bench vise. Chances are higher this way to removing the stub than with the use of pliers or other suitable hand tools. I feel its a safer and surer method. If you don't have a bench vice at home, perhaps borrowing the use of one at some nearby auto repair shop would do the trick. Just a couple of minutes work. I would very carefully hand torque down the new Michell stub to the tube. That being done once and for all, I wouldn't disturb it indefinitely.
Luckily I own a medium sized bench vise since my past days of tinkering with car engines. Its really a very very useful tool when needed.

[azvd]

After half an hour of sweat and thrills, I successfully removed the endstub of my RB700 and installed the one that comes along with the Groovetracer counterweight. Judging by the pictures below, did I disengage anything from the arm internal mechanism or have I sucessfully done the job?

It'll take a week until I'm able to follow on with further cartridge alignment and audial tests. Until then, there will be only hope that I did it right.

[tomytoons]

Looks OK to me. That is the grounding tag you see.
Heh heh they are a bitch to get off. Always hang on to the arm tube after the bearing housing near the stub when twisting the end stub.

[watercourse]

If you have a multimeter, try testing for continuity between the arm and the negative pole of the left channel. This way, you'll be sure that the wire attached to the grounding tag has remained attached all the way to the RCAs.