Hi, when tape is doing fast FF or fast REW and I hit stop, right reel stops almost instantly, and left reel is still spinning for second or maybe half second. And you can hear that crackling when tape stops and it wrinkle a bit on the side where pinch roller is I think before it. Then I do a little REW or FF to tight the track back because in that moment it became loose on pullies. I can't find out what's going on and how to fix it, I tried to replace that left brake arm but still same, everything is clean in vcr, new pinch roller, belts, felts. Any idea what this problem could be ?
I have one good S9850, and I tried to replace right brake arm from that one to bad one, and same thing.
I compare everything from good one in bad one everything is in the same place so I don't understand what's going on. https://i.imgur.com/EXambzP.jpg
there is just one screw that I tried to adjust and it's labeled in manual as adjustment screw, but however I turn it, it's the same. I circle it red. https://i.imgur.com/fUfwFyb.jpg
Carefully clean all tape contact areas (including rotating guides) with IPA. And trial and error method is not good to repair something. Why to do something if you do not know what you are doing?
Normally the supply reel does the braking to keep the tape tension and prevent loose tape like you have. It may be the take up reel (the pulling reel) is stopping too quickly. So dont assume the problem is on the left side. It might be on the right side.
The brake pad, just to the right of the red circle, looks dirty. Maybe that is causing weak braking, but again the main problem may be the right reel stopping too suddenly. I would inspect in that area.
The black screw you adjusted is probably to adjust back tension in play and record. It is not part of the braking system so you should not have adjusted it. Also adjusting it requires access to a back tension cassette for proper measurement.
Does seem like the brake isn't working very well or perhaps part of the mechanism that activates it has a broken tooth or is out of alignment maybe. If it was me and I wasn't super technical and/or didn't want to invest much on a repair service that has spare parts, I'd probably just use a separate/inexpensive tape rewinder or even a second inexpensive VCR to cue the tape up to where you want to start capturing before moving it over to the better VCR.
Every mechanism has its own well-known problems (for example Panasonic G and K stuck pinch roller assembly because of hardened grease on shaft, K mechanism loading motor link gear what should be replaced no matter how it looks with new original one etc.). I have found that in cases where the problem goes beyond the well-known, it is often not worth spending time finding the fault - you need to take a mechanism in a mint condition from a cheap VCR, replace the head drum and those parts that are different, do routine maintenance and forget. Because in most cases the problem is because someone has tried to do something there before by trial and error method.
As timtape wrote - do not mess with tension. You need Tentelometer or at least tension cassette to set it.
. Because in most cases the problem is because someone has tried to do something there before by trial and error method.
This cannot be stated enough.
And those "someones" are generally as skilled as a monkey with a stick, having zero or near-zero knowledge of the devices, nor even using service manuals. Most watch a Youtube video, and for a different deck entirely. The worst videos are 12voltvids, because he's a "bull in a China shop", forcing and throwing things like an impatient child (sometimes complete with whiny commentary). Newbies love him (because they don't know any better), while most experienced users can't stand him.
For several years now, eBay has been a video dumping ground. Facebook always has been, and Craigslist was before it. Those are often just people selling their problems, or recyclers/flippers with random finds in random condition. It's almost never decent video gear, it almost never "works" as claimed. It's not used gear, it's abused gear.
It wasn't always like this. I remember when you could get great deals on great gear, but that was the 2000s, maybe early 2010s. Definitely not the 2020s. It's not the status quo anymore.
Post like this are common with random bought video gear. Some can be fixed, most cannot.
Carefully clean all tape contact areas (including rotating guides) with IPA. And trial and error method is not good to repair something. Why to do something if you do not know what you are doing?
Everything is cleaned with IPA and everything that needs to be greased is freshly greased. Pictures that I took are before cleaning, that's why pad is little dirty.
Since I have one good S9850 and one with problems, I compare both first to see if anything jumps out of ordinary, this is not my first vcr that I repair so I'm not opening vcr for the first time not knowing what is where, not saying that I know every component in vcr and how to adjust it, but most of them I do, and how to remove them. I do this kind of repairs here and there for myself and other peoples. For now I fix almost every vcr without any problem. But this one is kind of tuff, at least to me personally, that's why I asked for help.
I want to try and fix it myself first If I can, and learn how. If not, the easiest thing is to drop it to some vcr service.
Quote:
Originally Posted by timtape
Normally the supply reel does the braking to keep the tape tension and prevent loose tape like you have. It may be the take up reel (the pulling reel) is stopping too quickly. So dont assume the problem is on the left side. It might be on the right side.
The brake pad, just to the right of the red circle, looks dirty. Maybe that is causing weak braking, but again the main problem may be the right reel stopping too suddenly. I would inspect in that area.
The black screw you adjusted is probably to adjust back tension in play and record. It is not part of the braking system so you should not have adjusted it. Also adjusting it requires access to a back tension cassette for proper measurement.
I was suspecting the right reel, but mechanism that connects two brakes are just some plastic thing that is pushing each other connected with spring. I looked at the manual but there is nothing that catch my eye for brake adjustment.
I mark that black screw before turning it, and return it to it's original state.
Look at the brakes on the good vcr stopping slowly, not like on bad right reel stops almost instantly and left reel is still rotating like half second.
Does seem like the brake isn't working very well or perhaps part of the mechanism that activates it has a broken tooth or is out of alignment maybe. If it was me and I wasn't super technical and/or didn't want to invest much on a repair service that has spare parts, I'd probably just use a separate/inexpensive tape rewinder or even a second inexpensive VCR to cue the tape up to where you want to start capturing before moving it over to the better VCR.
I inspect almost every visible mechanism that have tooth and not a single one is broken.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lordsmurf
This cannot be stated enough.
And those "someones" are generally as skilled as a monkey with a stick, having zero or near-zero knowledge of the devices, nor even using service manuals. Most watch a Youtube video, and for a different deck entirely. The worst videos are 12voltvids, because he's a "bull in a China shop", forcing and throwing things like an impatient child (sometimes complete with whiny commentary). Newbies love him (because they don't know any better), while most experienced users can't stand him.
For several years now, eBay has been a video dumping ground. Facebook always has been, and Craigslist was before it. Those are often just people selling their problems, or recyclers/flippers with random finds in random condition. It's almost never decent video gear, it almost never "works" as claimed. It's not used gear, it's abused gear.
It wasn't always like this. I remember when you could get great deals on great gear, but that was the 2000s, maybe early 2010s. Definitely not the 2020s. It's not the status quo anymore.
Post like this are common with random bought video gear. Some can be fixed, most cannot.
I got this vcr from a friend it was his fathers, and his father died recently. And I don't know if anyone before me mess with it, it doesn't seem like it, screws on the vcr had that click when you unscrew them like you break the Loctite.
Only one vcr that I bought I bought here locally in my country and it was in really good shape just needed some cleaning and lubrication it was good as new. Other vcr's that I bought I bought from vcr shop in NL. This S9850 was a gift so I will try to fix it if not by myself, and if no one will help I'll manage somehow.
Last edited by Thermaltake; 11-18-2025 at 10:28 AM.
screws on the vcr had that click when you unscrew them like you break the Loctite.
Loctite tight? Hmm.
In general, JVC screws were not machined in tight like Panasonics. I had "brand new" JVC decks in the 90s-00s (both PAL and NTSC), and none of them ever took force to open.
Fun fact: I have come across decks that had the screws glued, epoxied, or screws replaced by welded brads. I'm amazed at the truly stupid things that some people (and people at organizations) do. Decks were meant to be serviced, so sealed the unit was a peak of stupidity.
Quote:
Only one vcr that I bought I bought here locally in my country and it was in really good shape just needed some cleaning and lubrication it was good as new. Other vcr's that I bought I bought from vcr shop in NL. This S9850 was a gift so I will try to fix it if not by myself, and if no one will help I'll manage somehow.
Well, that's good. Lucky local break + reliable VCRShop decks.
It's amusing how, too often, freebies/gifts keep on giving.
In general, JVC screws were not machined in tight like Panasonics. I had "brand new" JVC decks in the 90s-00s (both PAL and NTSC), and none of them ever took force to open.
Fun fact: I have come across decks that had the screws glued, epoxied, or screws replaced by welded brads. I'm amazed at the truly stupid things that some people (and people at organizations) do. Decks were meant to be serviced, so sealed the unit was a peak of stupidity.
Well, that's good. Lucky local break + reliable VCRShop decks.
It's amusing how, too often, freebies/gifts keep on giving.
Yes all 5 of them when I unscrew them have that click sound and from inside it looked like it was never opened, it even got that fresh new electronic smell
You have no idea. One friend offer me 3 Sony VCRs all working well, still didn't pick them up.
Some vcr's I fix and give to red cross I have friend there working and people still need that old stuff who would say. Some of course I fix and sell, I really don't know what to do with all of them. I will soon put some on sell, don't have space for them anymore, and I don't have time anymore for digitising that much as I used to.
I just love them, and that smell of that vintage stuff pricless. I have so much of that retro stuff. I have technics sl-1200 mk2 serviced by me in mint condition like new, even rubber smell new from it I have some decks and stuff. I have my precious vcr's that I restore in almost mint condition and they also now smell like from the store
A little OT.
Is there some topic on forum where I can post picture of repairs that I did I have some juicy ones
I'll try and sort all images on weekend when I have some spare time to do that, and post.
I'll let everyone know how it went with this JVC, in a few days my buddy is coming in to town and maybe two brains are better than one or half
-- merged --
For those non believers who told me that I don't know what I'm doing and stuff like that, weeeelll, I manage to fix it. Never give up!
And it was damn worth every second of it
I dissasemble the whole bridge million pieces(didn't have time to take picture while doing it), and clean everything and assemble back again and aligned according to manual. And now, everything is working as it should. Don't know exactly what the problem was, probably some misalignment in timings somwhere, but when I was lookling and comparing to the other bridge everything was same.
