Hitachi TRK 8290 (Part 2). New Belts. Boombox Radio Cassette Repair & Service.

Hi Folks,
Here's a step-by-step guide to disassembling the rare Hitachi TRK-8290, with specific regard to replacing the belts and servicing the tape deck. This particular example had a seized mechanism and a few other gremlins, so it required a pretty hefty disassembly.
I wanted to include enough detail to be helpful, so split the video into 2 manageable parts. Check out for part 1, where I disaasemble the unit, and do the service prep, ready for reassembly here in part 2. Links for Part 1 and the unboxing/appraisal videos can be found below.
I have featured an 8190 in a previous video, so please check it out! I'll also be featuring a TRK-8080 soon, so stay tuned!
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TRK-8290 Service - Part 1:
• Hitachi TRK 8290 (Part...
TRK-8290 Unboxing/appraisal:
• Hitachi TRK-8290 Radio...

[@mr.nobody5422]

Awesome boombox

[@The2441cb]

What a fantastic tutorial, it's given me confidence to change the belts on my 8290. Thank you so much.

[@retro_restos]

That's fantastic to hear - thanks for the feedback! Enjoy your refreshed machine, and please spread the word 😀👍

[@peterperry1583]

Brilliant two part series and another box going on hopefully for another forty years.
But that motor has its work cut out turning so many belts .

[@retro_restos]

Thanks as always! Yep - that's a lot of moving parts off one spindle, but surprisingly smooth when running. A lot of inertia with that bike ol' flywheel!
Lots more coming up soon 😀👍

[@rolandbendig0815]

Ah ok....Thank you.

[@timgiebel]

Brilliant video, thanks so much for all the detail! I got round to working on my 8290 today, as I had some cited help, you may remember I’m completely blind.
I also got the belts from deckTech several months ago. Upon reassembling the Hitachi I have found exactly the same as you, in that the auto stop doesn’t work, is that the bottom belt? If so I noticed that one seemed loose. I guess I need to contact deckTech to ask them to send me some replacements? I wonder if they have updated the belt kit on Ebay now, so that they are sending out the right ones to everyone. The other strange thing is that the record button isn’t working properly, it presses down but when you press stop it doesn’t come up, so you have to lift record up manually, and also it isn’t recording over the tape. Weirdly when we first started work on the machine this morning, the record button was working normally, so it must be something that we’ve done in reassembling it. I won’t have my PA again till next weekend, so hopefully that gives deck tech time to send out the correct belts.

[@retro_restos]

Hi, yes - Decktech had old information, and I updated them with my findings after doing this one myself. They graciously updated their records with immediate effect, so you should get the best fitting belts now. Tell Matt that Dylan sent you! The auto stop is the bottom belt. However, the mech is notorious for not working properly nowadays, due to idler wear, metal parts wearing, switch PCB issues, etc - so they really can need some fettling. As for the recording, I would have said that the slider may need de-greasing and re-lubricating, but as it already worked, it may be that the actuating levers for the play/record swiches may be bent out of alignment. As you are removing the mech, you could try holding them yourself to see if it overwrites the tape. Sounds like something may just be misaligned.

[@timgiebel]

@@retro_restos thanks Dylan that’s really helpful. Also I meant to ask you, please could you give me a link to the oil that you use for lubricating the motor, capstan shaft etc? I’ve pretty much run out of the sewing machine oil I bought years ago, and would like to get something that I know is decent.

[@andriyzvyeryev6583]

Good day dear Sir, excellent job as well done.Could you advise sizes of required belts? Thanks in advance. BRGDS Andriy

[@hinny2005]

What would you charge to do a similar service? And if it would be possible to send in my unit which I just pulled out of the loft.