VOGONS

EME279TC belts, replacement vs. original

Topic actions

First post, by nino

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Hello,

I do own a few Matsushita/Panasonic EME279TC (and mechanically almost identical EME279TB and EME279MBB) slim diskette drives, used in many 90s laptops. These drives are belt driven. I do own one with the belt still intact. Using this original belt, every single one of my drives works fine (rpm measured using ImageDisk is steadily around 299-300). I recently ordered a few replacement belts from console5, since they offer EME279TC belts. However, using the replacements none of my drives work. The disk is spinning visibly and audibly slower and irregular, and a slight squealing noise is coming from the drive. So I assume the belts from console5 are pulling too strong on either the motor or the spindle, slowing them down.

After contacting the console5 support, they offered to send me 2 different replacements, one of them being larger in diameter than the other one, and both of them being larger than the ones I initially received. Using these, I got slightly less squealing and slightly higher rpm, but it wasn't enough (irregular and still far too low values around 160-190 rpm on all drives).

The weird thing is, that according to them, they already sold >100 of these belts and never got any complaints. For me, however, they didn't work in any of my drives, while all drives work fine using the original belt.

Is there anyone else who ordered these specific belts from console5 and who can confirm to me whether they work fine or not?

Thanks!

Reply 1 of 2, by BitWrangler

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

From messing with belts on other things, irregular speed generally means that the elasticity is different in one portion of the belt to another, this might either be from poor quality control where the thickness isn't identical throughout, or from poor storage where one portion of the belt has hardened somewhat and the other hasn't.

Sometimes, if it's just started to harden slightly, you can R&R it by soaking in castor oil, olive oil or glycerine for a week or so, then cleaning it with dish soap before using. Storing rubber parts in, or heavily coated with any of those in a dark, cool place can quadruple storage life.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 2 of 2, by Deunan

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Never used their replacements but the general issue is the OEM parts are pretty expensive and rare, probably because these are often JP manufactured drives and any spare parts are in Japan and require shipping and import duties and taxes. So from what I know the console5 belts are way cheaper but basically picked to more-or-less match the original belt length, not actual specs like material type, elasticity, etc.

So, they have a good match for what are PC and PC-like floppy drives - but the laptop ones probably use smaller and lower power motors to conserve battery. I bet the actual belt specs are way more critical in laptop drives because of that. So chances are none of these replacements will work properly and you do need to look for original belts.

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to General Old Hardware
Close window
Close window