VCR Overhaul Kit Source

[Outland]

I will be working on a Panasonic (PV-4559) VCR soon with a bad rotary switch. I’m going to clean the switch and change the belt. While I’m in there, I’d like to completely overhaul the mech.

What would this entail? If I had to guess, I would say clean the tape path and replace the rubber parts.

The rubber parts would include the idler tire and pinch roller. At one point, the pinch roller was available from studio sound electronics, but it's discontinued now.

I found a source for the pinch roller, but the part was produced in 1996. Is a NOS rubber part as good as a new part, or will it be deteriorated (hardened) as one in a VCR? In that case, I may be better off pulling a pinch roller from a newer clean VCR.

[Electronic M]

Nos rubber is hit or miss depending on who made it, the environment it was stored in and age...I've seen good rubber parts from the 40's and bad rubber parts less than 15 years old.

One thing you could do if the original is only surface hardened is clean the surface with Goof Off (which will dissolve the outer layer) then follow up with CRC automotive belt spray. I've used that method to bring back 50's phono idler wheels that before treatment I expected I'd have to replace.

[Outland]

There are no operational problems with the mech apart from the dirty switch and bad belt. I was planning to change the pinch roller solely based on age (1995).

It's an OEM part from Panasonic. I ordered it, I'll see how it looks.