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Dual 1219, 1229 Service for Amateurs
I'm a retiree who is always looking for a new and challenging hobby. I am an
amateur hobbyist, not a working turntable repairman. To that extent use this
guide at your own risk. I have been a hi fi addict since the late 60's. Just before
Christmas 2008 I got the bug to get my old hi fi equipment out, a 1974 Marantz
2270 and a Garrard Zero-100C I bought new, still have all the boxes and
paperwork for. After a little work on the receiver and a proper service of the
Garrard this equipment still makes some beautiful music. I also upgraded my
speakers, replacing some cheapie interim Kenwoods that replaced my Pioneer
CSR500's which sadly were destroyed. The new speakers are some early 90's
Klipsch Quartets in oak oil that look beautiful and sound terrific. While I was
waiting for the Garrard to be serviced I got interested in Dual 12-series tables.
My brother always had duals and he swore by them, his last table was a 1229Q.
I looked on E-Bay and I wound up buying a US version of the 1219, a 1229 and a
couple of junk for Europe metric 1219's mostly because one of them had a
choice Dual base with the fold down front and also because some parts are
interchangeable. I have 1 of the Euro tables, the for US 1219 and the 1229 up
and running and they are amazing to listen to. The other Euro table was missing
parts and the gimbal bearings were destroyed so it is parts only.
Above are pictures of the Dual 1229 I recently purchased on E-Bay for the
princely sum of $69 + shipping. It had a Shure V15 Type III cartridge and no
base cabinet. The base cabinet was another $9.99 on E-Bay + shipping. It was
quite tired when I got it probably never having been serviced since new. The
start/stop switch was loose and the speed control lever was stuck.
Caution: Never force a stuck speed control. If it won't move easily it must
be cleaned and lubricated. The plastic speed control cam will shatter if you
force the control lever.
The table was dusty and dirty and had a tweaked transport screw in one corner.
I did a quick cleanup of the chassis with a paint brush, replaced the transport
screw from a donor table, released the stuck start switch and tightened the set
screw on the bottom of the chassis and cleaned up the speed control (detailed
description later) just to get the table to spin up and allow me to finish checking it
out. The table actually ran in single play 33rpm on the 12 inch record setting
only. The cueing lever also seemed to work well. While the other speeds
worked the tone arm would not move to 10 inch or 7 inch positions in single play
mode. Additionally after a few minutes of running the drive motor became
noticeably noisy.
I then inserted the multi-play stacker spindle and very carefully moved the mode
lever to the multi-play position.
Caution: Never force a stuck single-multi play mode control. If it won't
move with very light effort and you force the lever you will break the plastic
ears off the bottom of the gimbal ring. There are no service parts for this,
you will either scrap the table or have to replace the complete tone arm and
gimbal assembly if you can find one.
My mode lever moved quite easily and the tone arm did rise, a good sign that the
gimbal assembly was intact. I put a couple of old records on the stacker and hit
start. The tone arm rose from it's rest, a record dropped and the tone arm set
back down on the rest and the table turned off. I also manually moved the tone
arm to the starting groove of the record and found quickly that in multi-play mode
the tone arm was dragging and would not track.
These symptoms are typical for a table that is stuck with old grease, has a
broken rubber washer in the single-play multi-play tone arm height control, needs
a new tone arm clutch (sometimes referred to as a "guide white" or
"steuerpimpel") and a drive motor that needs to be disassembled, cleaned and
re-lubed. Below are some better step-by-step descriptions of how I brought this
table back to life.
Some differences between early and later 1219 tables and 1219 and 1229
tables
Some early 1219's were built for use in either US or Europe with a 110v/220v
switch on the motor terminal box and had hardwired phono cables and no
separate chassis ground wire. Many of these also had 50cycle strobe patterns
on the platter. Use of US 110v 60cycle power required a change of the motor
pulley to produce set speeds. Metric record sizes were stated on the switch
mask. Later United Audio units intended for US only had no 110/220v switching,
had RCA output jacks under the table and had ground wires. They had no strobe
patterns on the platter.
!219's had metal speed control levers and 2 piece pitch control knob knobs
where 1229 tables had 1 piece pitch control and plastic speed control knob.
Preparing the table for service
After disconnecting the table and moving it to a work table I first removed platter
retaining clip and the platter, cartridge and head shell and the counterweight at
the back of the tone arm. Make sure the tone arm is locked on the rest at this
point. Next unlock the transport screws, tilt them out of their slots in the
mounting board and lift the table out of the base. I have found with careful
handling it is safe to work on either side of the turntable when it is placed on a
thick soft layer of terrycloth bath towels.
Servicing the speed control mechanism
Disassembly
The example speed control is a 1219 unit which has slightly different pitch knobs
and speed switch lever.
1. With the table right side up remove the vinyl keeper washer on the idler wheel
and set the idler wheel aside. After the wheel is removed it's a good idea to put
the keeper washer back on the idler shaft.
!229 speed control switch shown above has plastic lever and 1 pc pitch knob.
2. Turn the table over and carefully set it on a thick layer of towels. Pictured
below is the speed control mechanism.
3. Find the actuator spring that connects the idler wheel arbor on the speed
control mechanism and remove the E clip that retains it to the shaft on the motor
switch arm and lift the spring off the motor arm shaft.
4. Remove the nut on the bottom of the speed control that holds the detent plate
(see above) Carefully remove the washer and detent plate from the bottom of
the speed control switch shaft. All units have a ball and spring that lock the
detent plate into position for the various speeds. On some units the ball and
spring are loose parts and should be removed and set aside. I have found at
least one that the ball was captive in the end of the hole in the speed control
housing but make sure these parts don't fall out and get lost.
5. Turn the chassis right side up again and lift out the speed control switch lever
and the fluted aluminum pitch control knob.
6. Under the pitch control knob above the pitch pointer is a fairly large C clip.
This C clip must be removed then the pitch pointer and a wave washer come off
above the chassis.
7. Turn the chassis upside down. Grasp the speed control housing and the idler
bracket as a unit and remove the 2 screws that hold the assembly to the bottom
of the chassis. Lift the assembly off the bottom of the chassis and try to do it
without letting the cam spring push the whole assembly apart until you can get it
out and look at how the idler bracket pin inserts into the side of the plastic cam.
Once you see that you will have an easier time re-assembling the speed control.
As an assembly aid I have some pictures below that show the speed control
assembly removed from the chassis.
Detent plate removed...
Speed control switch lever and pitch control knob removed-1219 2pc pitch knob.
Large C-clip partially removed from pitch pointer...
A view of the idler bracket and plastic speed control cam. Note how the pin on
the idler bracket passes through the S-slot in the side of the plastic cam.
Another view of cam idler bracket assembly to main housing...
Speed control parts laid out in order of assembly. Note parts above the "chassis"
line assemble on top of the chassis and all others including the 2 attaching
screws in upper right corner of picture go below the chassis. Note the first part
below the chassis is a washer with 2 small right angle tabs that must be
assembled to the chassis so the center hole lines up with the hole in the chassis
that the switch tube passes through. Note also that there is a step on the steel
pin that the idler bracket slides on. This step down fits into a small hole in the
bottom of the chassis to correctly align the speed control assembly. Make sure
when installing the speed control to the bottom of the chassis this step down pin
is located in the chassis hole before tightening the 2 mounting screws or the
speed control will not work correctly and you may damage the speed control
casting.
Cleaning
All parts of the speed control except the pitch pointer can be degreased easily
with charcoal lighter and a hobby paint brush. Caution: The pitch pointer is a
hard rubber and will be attacked by petroleum products. Use rubbing
alcohol and a soft cloth only on this item.
Reassembly
1. Once all old oil and grease are removed put a trace of Phono Lube or other
very light lithium grease in the S-slot of the plastic cam and on the switch tube
the cam swivels on.
2. Refer to the exploded view picture above and place the large spring back on
the switch tube portion of the main speed control casting.
3. Smear a drop of 10w30 motor oil on the idler bracket shaft and slide the
bracket up and down the shaft a few times to make sure it moves freely.
4. Raise the idler bracket almost off the shaft, place the plastic cam over the end
of the big spring on the main casting, engage the idler bracket pin in the S-slot of
the cam and slide the cam and idler bracket together down the switch tube and
idler bracket shaft.
5. Hold the cam down on the switch bracket against the spring force and install
the tab washer above the cam on the switch tube and the small spring on the top
of the exposed portion of the idler bracket shaft.
6. Carefully start the idler bracket and switch tube through the chassis holes from
below the chassis.
7. Rotate the tab washer to engage the tabs in the slots in the chassis.
8. Carefully center the idler shaft spring over the alignment hole in the bottom of
the chassis and insert the idler shaft though the small spring and then the step of
the idler shaft into the alignment hole. Make sure idler shaft spring is not kinked
or crushed and that the idler shaft step down pin enters the alignment hole in the
chassis.
9. Maintaining assembly pressure on the speed control assembly install the 2
mounting screws to attach the speed control assembly to the bottom of the
chassis.
10. Place the motor switch spring back over the end of the motor switch link pin
and re-install the small E-clip.
11. Turn chassis right side up and put a dab of Phono Lube on both sides of the
wave washer and place it over the switch tube.
12. Place the pitch pointer over the switch tube, rotate it to engage the cam and
re-install the large C-clip.
13. Install the fluted pitch control knob and finally smear a little Phono Lube on
the brass speed control switch shaft and insert it into the switch tube.
14. Turn chassis upside down again and re-install detent spring and ball in hole
on bottom of main speed control casting.
15. Insert the pin of the detent plate into hole in bottom of plastic cam and install
detent plate over the flats on the bottom of the speed control switch shaft and
install cupped side of washer down against detent plate and install and lightly
tighten the nut.
16. Turn chassis right side up.
Idler wheel inspection and installation
The perimeter of the idler wheel must be perfectly round to prevent rumble and
free of rubber glazing to supply proper traction.
1. Very carefully inspect perimeter of idler wheel to make sure it is free of flat
spots. A common cause of flat spots is a table that was stored away with the
motor switch left on so the idler wheel sits in contact with the motor pulley for a
long period of time.
2. Very very small flat spots may be cleaned off by putting the idler wheel shaft
flange finger tight in a drill press chuck (do not use a chuck key or you may
collapse the flange and wreck the bearing) then lightly dressing the edge of the
wheel with a fine emery board. If the wheel has more that very very small flat
spots it must be replaced or it will rumble.
3. If it is only glazed the edges can be lightly feathered with 280 grit paper and
wiped clean with alcohol.
4. Once the idler is in reasonable condition remove the vinyl keeper washer from
the idler wheel shaft, coat the shaft with a drop of 10w30 motor oil, insure the
fibre thrust washer is present at the bottom of the idler shaft, install idler wheel
and keeper washer.
Motor service
Drive motor leads must be disconnected from the switch box and the motor must
be removed from chassis for disassembly, cleaning and lubrication.
1. Turn chassis upside down and remove the mains plug from the bottom of the
switch box then remove the switch cover screw and cover and set aside.
2. Note that the terminals are numbered in the switch box. Make a list of which
colored wire goes on what terminal post.
3. Use a small hook made from piano wire or brass tubing to aid in removal of
wire connecters from switch box terminals. Place the hook under each wire
terminal close to the terminal post and using other had to slightly rotate wire
terminals on their posts gently lift terminals with the hook up and off the terminal
posts. Be very careful not to apply side pressure to the plastic divider walls
between terminals or you will break the plastic switch box.
4. After all wires are removed from the switch box turn the table right side up and
using a 7mm metric socket remove the 3 motor nuts and lift the table off the
motor assembly and set aside.
5. Before the motor is disassembled put a pencil or paint reference mark on the
upper and lower shells to assure proper reassembly.
6. Wipe off the exterior of the motor before disassembly.
7. Loosen the motor pulley setscrew and remove the motor pulley. Carefully
inspect the shaft surface near the motor pulley setscrew contact area to assure
there are no burrs on the motor shaft. If there is it must be dressed down
carefully with an emery board or you will score the motor bearing when you pull
the shaft through the bearing.
8. Remove the 2 frame screws nuts and spider washers. Using an expanding
jaw plier or snap ring plier inserted next to one frame screw insulator recess then
the other carefully force the shells apart a little at a time until they separate.
9. Carefully wipe any debris out of the inside of the motor cans.
10. If the armature has rust on its exterior carefully sand it off with 280 wet dry
paper. Do not get the dust in the bearings.
11. If bearings are varnished they should be degreased with the charcoal lighter.
Otherwise put several drops of 10w30 motor oil in the bearing cup surrounds
which have felt wicks in them and can hold a fair quantity of oil.
12. After the wicks are saturated put a drop of oil right on motor shafts and
making sure top washer and the 2 frame screw insulators are installed in the
motor half that has the field windings carefully install armature and position
housing halves so reference mark lines up and screws install without binding.
13. Press halves together with your bare hands until nuts will safely thread onto
frame screws without washers. Tighten frame screws