Thanks, Don! I think I'll try it when I screw up the courage. What the heck, if I mess things up, the result is the same--an unusuable piece of equipment.

But I think you forgot a very important step: "First, pour yourself a good stiff drink..." Cheers, Chuck On 7/8/2006 at 8:56 PM Don Y wrote: > Chuck Guzis wrote: >> I know this is pretty far OT, but it might help someone with an I/O >> Selectric too, so I'm posting it here. >> >> At any rate, I've got a very nice Selectric II typewriter with a broken >> drive belt. I've got a replacement, but I'm very wary about taking >> screwdrivers and whatnot to the mechanical marvel. >> >> Does anyone know how to do this who'd care to give me a step-by-step? > I'd >> hate to throw the thing out--it is/was a great machine. > I'm not sure how this is done on a "Selectric II" -- I > didn't know they made I/O's of the II. > > But, on the "regular" Selectric I/O, you remove the cover > (obviously) and slide the carriage to the far right. This gives > you access to the left dust cover (be careful not to mangle the > tapes as you remove that!) > > On the left side (YOUR left) of the carriage there is a > cover over the idler gear. Take it off. While you are there, > loosen the 2 screws? that hold the bracket carrying the > C1 contacts and the lower idler gear. > > Take off the selection switch assembly. Don't mangle any of > the blades. Try to notice the positions of the screws that > mount it (mark them) so you can get a headstart aligning it > correctly when you reassemble. Use a piece of string/wire > or rubber bands to hold it out of the way towards the front > of the machine. > > Then, take out the two screws that hold the pusher cam follower > onto the bottom of the machine. > > In the guts of the machine, you have to carefully take off > the spring and pawl for the cycle clutch. Don't drop the > spring! :> Or the little horseshoe clip that holds > the pawl on its fulcrum. > > Now, you disembowel the machine :> > > First, take off the three screws that hold the cycle shaft > in place (on the left side of the chassis). Carefully pry > the plate from the frame of the machine. Slip the spring > off the positive latch bail (this is the follower that rides > on the positive cams). > > Push/pull the positive bail down and, while holding it there, > remove the selectors from behind the bail. Now you need > patience and/or a couple of extra arms... > > Push the -5 and rotate 2 links out of the way (hard to describe > what/where they are... just watch for interference and THINK > about how you can coerce these things out of the way). > While doing this, slide the shaft out the left side of the > frame. You don;t need to pull it all the way out. Just > enough to get the drive belt off the shaft. Watch for any shims > that might be there to hold the shaft aligned properly. > > To reassemble, just do everything backwards! :> > > This is not really a task to be tackled casually. You > really need to THINK about each step as you are doing it > so you don't bust anything. And, you want it all to fit back > together with minimal amount of tweeking required. > > Avoid any of the cams that move the tapes since any little > alteration there will affect printing. > > Good luck! > :>