Pioneer PL-A45D turntable spindle

[sureshotf16]

I am restoring 35-year old Pioneer PL-A45D turntable and believe the center shaft bearing assembly is seized.
1. Should this spindle rotate freely normally?
2. Disassembly of center shaft components is proving difficult, (set screw stuck, unable to release center shaft from housing).
Does anyone have ideas on how to disassemble seized components and lubricate? Thank you :)

[FileFixer]

Every spindle is freely rotate.

[Japi Roelofs]

Those set screws can be really stuck sometimes. If you're afraid to ruin the screw head, try using pliers instead. The set screw needs to be removed, there's no way around it.

Don't use pliers on the actual spindle though: you'll leave marks causing the platter to sit uneven on it.

Try spraying some WD40 on it, and let it penetrate overnight. Or warm it up using a soldering iron, it just might loosen up the old hardened grease /oil enough to give you some wiggle room. Then more WD40, wiggle and pull. Patience is the key.

[musicmn]

Hi, I believe on this model the entire spindle housing can be removed from the deck by removing a large nut on the top side of the housing. If so remove it, the housing will be a lot easier to service. To remove that stuck screw I use a large soldering gun to heat the screw. Pioneer put thread lock on it so heat is the only way to get it loose. Now if the slots in the screw head are stripped out then heat the screw and use a Vise grip to grab the head of the screw and gently turn it out. Once the screw is out then you can use either a soldering gun or a heat gun to warm the housing. The spindle should come out it's only being held in by old lubricants. Be careful, if my memory serves me right there is a small ball bearing in the bottom of the housing. Don't loose it !. Once apart it's just a matter of cleaning the inside of the housing, the spindle and the ball bearing. I don't remember if pioneer use oil or grease to lubricate the spindle. But once it's a part you should be able to tell. Then use fresh lubricant to replace the old as you reassemble it. I hope this helps.

[Japi Roelofs]

You can loosen the nut, but the problem is that the stuck spindle keeps the nut from lifting off. So the spindle needs to be removed, before the housing can come out.

[sureshotf16]

Thank you all for Help. All good. I soaked in combo WD-40 and Contact Cleaner overnight. Pliers to start removal of set screw. Spindle and bearing then cleaned of gunk and then lubed with Braun electric razor lube. All works great: my old Pioneer PL-A45D runs perfectly.

[aslat]

Bumping in to this thread.
I have exactly the same same problem. I've managed to remove the holding nut and washer but the spindle cannot be pulled up and out.
Or does it get removed from the underneath by taking the bottom cover off?