I have a Marantz TT440 Linear Tracking turntable which needs a belt replacement. As on many linear tracking turntables the turntable platform is locked onto it's foundation not from the frontside but from behind the platform itself. This means that you must open the complete box to remove the lock ring which holds the turntable in place.

Once one has removed the screws from the back of the case one discovers that Marantz has added 3 more screws (or something!) which must be removed by aligning the platform to expose three resesses under the platform. They are deep resesses, and the type of screw utilized to further secure the cas to itself underneath the platform is impossible to detect. It should come as no surprise that I have found myself stumped in my attempt to try to open the turntable casing up to this point in order to... remove the lock ring, so I can remove the turntable platform, so that I can replace the darn turntable belt. Is it possible that there is something deadly and nuclear that Marantz wanted to protect me from touching here?

Anyway, I'm hoping that some kind soul out there may have more knowledge regarding this than I and can tell me how to get this turntable cas open, so I can replace the turntable belt, once and for all.

Or will plastique be necessary?

Thanks in Advance.

Many linear tracking turntables have the retaining ring located underneath the platter, instead of above the platter. this is the ring that normally would keep the platter from falling off the actual spindle of the turntable base. This Marante is not an exception to that rule. The problem is that after the screws from the turntable cabinet (the part cabinet that the entire turntable sits on) the cabinet still is helf together from crews which have been hidden in three deeply resessed wells underneath the turntable platter on top of the unit... or SO IT SEEMS! These wells can only be seen and accessed by aligning 3 openings in the turntable platter face to the hidden screw resesses underneath the turntable platter. The wells where these screws are located are very narrow, deep, and whatever type of retaining piece, be it phillips screw, star, or... hey !!! It could be a thumbtac for all I can see... Anyway I just can get to these or remove them.

In desperation one starts to wonder if an ax is the method of choice to open this turntable in order to access the platter retaining ring, so that one can take off the platter and replace the darned belt.

I think I can say with pretty good certaining that until that ring is removed... no belt.. unless you might intend to (horrors!) cut one in two and glue it back together... is ever going to be replaced on this turntable.

Thanks know the less for a nicely written reply. Zonds! Will I have to stoop to buying a manual from Marantz in order to make what should be such a simple fix?

Dan

Thanks for your reply, but this appears to be a uniquely different problem. I am a very technical person and in fact have actually worked as a radio station engineer, so in general I don't go looking often for details such as this.

Many linear tracking turntables have the retaining ring located underneath the platter, instead of above the platter. this is the ring that normally would keep the platter from falling off the actual spindle of the turntable base. This Marantz is not an exception to that rule. The problem is that after the screws from the turntable cabinet (the base that the entire turntable sits on) the cabinet continues to be held together from screws which have been hidden in three deeply resessed wells underneath the turntable platter on top of the unit (or so it would seem.) These wells can only be seen and accessed by aligning 3 openings in the turntable platter face to the hidden screw resesses underneath the turntable platter. The wells where these screws are located are very narrow, deep, and whatever type of retaining piece there is, be it phillips screws, stars, or... hey !!! They could be a thumbtacks for all I can see... Anyway I just cannot get to these 'screws' or remove them.

In desperation one starts to wonder if an ax is the method of choice to open this turntable in order to access the platter retaining ring, so that one can take off the platter and replace the darned belt.

I think I can say with pretty good certainty that until the retaining ring is removed... no belt.. unless you might intend to (horrors!) cut one in two and glue it back together... is ever going to be replaced on this turntable.

Thanks, in any case, for a nicely written reply. Zounds! Will I have to stoop to buying a manual from Marantz in order to make what should be such a simple fix?

Dan

That's great news, thanks for posting.

I thought probably the platter could be removed. It can on most turntables. If the table has belt drive and the belt is hidden, it's usually accessed by removing the platter and/or through access slots in the platter.

Wayne