CD Player Tray Stuck
This article shows how to repair a stuck CD player tray that will not open. The example CD player is a NAD T512, however, these generalized steps may apply to other models such as Marantz and Yamaha. You should of course first consult the service manual for your particular model to find out the precise dismantling steps and the size of the replacement drive belt required. This typical problem occurs when you press the "Open" button to insert or change the CD. There is usually a whirring noise of the loading motor and the tray gear wheels; however, the tray does not open. Sometimes one has to press the button a few times before the tray finally opens.
Back in 1993 when I was repairing CD players I came across these problems where the tray does not open and it was always due to the drive belt for the loading motor being worn out and slipping. This typical problem occurs on many CD players, because the CD drive mechanism -- made by a small number of busy manufacturers in China and the Far East -- tends to share the same design where a drive belt is used for the tray mechanism. Sometimes one could buy an expensive high-end machine or a cheap supermarket brand, and they will have the same drive mechanism, laser, and spindle motor.
Almost all CD drive mechanisms found today are of plastic fabrication, with plastic cogwheels. Those old Akio Morita days when you found a die-cast alloy chassis with metal parts are gone! Apart from a small number of computer CD ROM drives, almost all of the latest drives will have a cheap spindle motor guaranteed to wear out exactly after your European guarantee expires. :-)
Back to CD Basics
There is usually a very small drive belt driven by a motor, which not only slides the tray in and out, but also loads the inner platform to engage the spindle to the CD. Sliding the tray does not usually require much torque; however, the CD loading mechanism requires additional torque when the inner platform raises the spindle motor to engage with the CD. When the drive belt slips, and the friction caused can heat the rubber until it becomes hard and shiny. This cumulative effect gets worse over time until the belt no longer works, and to the layperson, this effect manifests as a "stuck tray".
Many CD players have a manual override for opening the tray in such an eventuality. There is usually a small hole for inserting a paperclip, which releases the locking mechanism. Not all CD players have this, and you must consult your manual, which should provide the best advice.
How to Fix a Stuck CD player Tray
Repair of the faulty tray mechanism involves removing the CD drive, and this is an extremely complicated task. There may also be high voltages present in the CD player, hence you must not attempt any repairs if you are not a qualified engineer with experience. Only a qualified engineer should carry out the repairs, and if you are not qualified and experienced, you should never attempt any repairs. It is best to take it to your nearest service centre to let the engineers repair it. The rest of this article is for engineers and is about how I managed to repair my NAD with a stuck tray.
Usually, CD players have a front door part that requires removal. This part has to match with the outside design of the case, and therefore manufacturers made this bit changeable, so that their mechanism could be compatible with a wide number of brands and models.
As you can see in this plan view, the CD transport mechanism is usually made of plastic. There are usually some obvious looking screws that keep it secured to the CD player chassis. Sometimes there are also some hidden screws under the tray to consider.
This is how it appears after removing the mechanism. There is usually a metal plate that holds a plastic disc which requires removal.
The drive belt and pulley are usually situated below the tray, and if there is sufficient access through the tray, then it is possible to replace the belt without having to dismantle the drive further.
Here is a photo with the top plate removed.
Usually the tray does not simply pull out of its railings, as there is a locking latch.
Turning the CD mechanism over, there is usually a lever that one must push to the side in order to unlock the latch.
Simply pushing the white lever to the RHS will unlock the latch so the tray can pull out. There are other variations of this mechanism where a plastic tab/claw stops the tray from pulling out. Usually, one must insert a screwdriver into a small opening to push the tab. The Marantz CD6000 OSE has a mechanism like that. Have a look at that article for more information.
Although on the surface it appears simple, it is actually complicated as there are many variations of this mechanism.
After removing the tray, one has full access to the drive belt and pulley. As you can see, this is a typical plastic pulley arrangement found on many CD players.
Here is a side view of the pulley.
In this particular mechanism, a belt with approximately 8 cm circumference and 1.2 mm cross section will work. Slightly thicker belts can work as well. It is a very small belt, and there are many sellers on eBay selling these for a few pounds. Around £1.60 including postage would be a fair price. The Walkman Drive Belt article might help in finding suitable belts. I recently bought a bag of assorted size belts and was able to find one that had a good chance of working.
Before installing the new belt, you may want to clean the pulleys to remove any oil or rubber dust from their surfaces.
A stuck CD player tray -- that is not opening when you need it to -- can be very frustrating. Just think of all the time wasted, pressing the "Open" button. Many people often sell their players on eBay and buy a new one when that happens.