Lenco Instructional and Mounting Advice
Please read this before continuing
We have created a Lenco instruction page for one where we explain how best to assemble our Lenco Upgrades. Make sure you assemble all parts correctly and double check that everything is in place. However, we cannot take responsibility for any problems or malfunctions caused by assembly. These are at your own risk.
Our advice is to take pictures of the original configuration before detaching or removing the parts. This way you always have a backup to check if something goes wrong.
Click on the desired revision for quick scrolling through.
Good luck with the restoration of your beautiful Lenco turntable!
The GrooveMaster 1 is a direct drop-in replacement for the standard Lenco tone arm. No additional mounting options are required. The Lenco arm lift and armrest can be used as normal.
There are two adjustment screws in the mounting ring of the Lenco record player. Loosen these slightly and remove the standard arm from the record player. If necessary, solder the wiring loose. Tip: take some photos so you know how it was connected. Then place the GrooveMaster tone arm and secure it with the adjustment screws. You can adjust the exact height later.
Carefully feed the wiring through and secure it with a piece of tape. Make sure that it does not get stuck. It may also be necessary to raise the arm lift slightly. Then place the supplied bushing on the axle as shown in the photo.
Then solder the wiring neatly to the original connections. If you have a different console with RCA connections, you can solder the wiring directly to those. We are assuming a standard Lenco record player here.
On the other side of the solder tabs, you can attach the record player cable.
Remove the small screw that secures the headshell. Now you can turn the headshell and mount the cartridge.
Carefully install the cartridge clips, following the cartridge supplier's instructions.
Now set the needle pressure (VTF) by adjusting the counterweight. If you have a heavier element, the total counterweight can be moved back a little. To do this, loosen the small adjustment screw on the threaded bushing (on the underside of the multi-thread bushing)
The anti-skating can now be adjusted. The value on the tone arm corresponds to the set needle pressure. Please note! The anti-skating is set with a Wally skater. In our opinion, this is the most accurate anti-skating setting. The most standard anti-skating methods on turntables are heavily overcompensated. One more thing: a blank disc is not a good way to set the anti-skating!
Once everything is set up, there's only one thing left to do: enjoy listening to music! Have fun!
Adjusting the cartridge on the GrooveMaster is easiest with a protractor. The advantage of the GrooveMaster 1 is that the headshell is already at the correct off-set angle (24 degrees). Therefore, the cartridge can be placed parallel to the headshell and does not need to be rotated. Only the correct effective distance of the needle needs to be set and then you are done. For this we provide a protractor.
To properly adjust your cartridge in combination with the GrooveMaster 1 on the Lenco L75 series and Thorens 160 series, we now have a GrooveMaster 1 protractor available. This can be downloaded here and printed out by yourself. Please note the scale and the correct printer setting.
The Lenco idler wheel with the 2.5 mm. shaft is the most commonly used. You can recognize it by the circlip that fixes the wheel. You may want to measure the thickness of the axle just to be sure.
Carefully remove the circlip from the shaft. It is best to do this with a small plier. Be careful not to lose the circlip. We supply an extra circlip, but we advice to use the original.
Clean the shaft with alcohol or IPA. Then insert one PTFE ring. Then moisten the shaft with a drop of supplied oil.
Place the Audio Creative wheel. Then you can insert the second PTFE ring, Push the circlip back onto the axle. Slide it just enough to allow the idler wheel to rotate free and without play.
Audio Creative StealthDrive 3.0 mm.
The Lenco idler wheel with the 3.0 mm. You can recognize it by the two nuts that fixes the wheel. You may want to measure the thickness of the axle just to be sure.
Remove the the two nuts from the shaft. We supply a new stainless locking nut to replace the two original nuts
Clean the shaft with alcohol or IPA and insert two PTFE rings on the shaft. Then moisten the shaft with a drop of supplied oil.
Place the Audio Creative wheel. Then place the last two PTFE rings and install the locking nut to the point that the wheel can rotate freely without any play.
How to Replace the Lenco Motor Bearings
Lenco motor assembly order
Opening the Motor Housing
Open the motor by loosening the four screws
Slide the motor apart and remove the motor shaft. Clean the shaft with alcohol or IPA. Be very careful with the Lenco moror spindle. This is a very precisely made motor part
Then start disassembling the rear part of the bearing housing. By loosening the two screws behind the elctronics, you can remove the parts.
nd the wheel runs smooth.
Replacing the Rear Motor Bearing
Remove all old grease and lubrication and clean all parts very well. Prepare the new parts so you can easily assemble them without mistakes.
Apply some silicone grease to the bearing housing.
Then install the new bearing ball and also put some grease on the front on the ball. Replace the thrust plate for the new part.
Then assemble the remaining parts and close the bearing housing. Now you can also replace the spark compressor right away.
Note: There are different motor connections used by Lenco. In some Lenco record players, the spark compressor is on the chassis near the switch. If that is the case, just replace it in the place of the old one.
Replacing the Front Motor Bearing
Remove all old grease and lubrication and clean all parts very well. Prepare the new parts so you can easily assemble them without mistakes.
Apply some silicone grease to the bearing housing.
Be careful not to lose the spring loaded insert! (see image)
Then install the new bearing ball and also put some grease on the front on the ball
Then assemble the remaining parts and close the bearing housing.
Now the motor can be reassembled. Make sure the openings of both ball bearings are neatly aligned. Clean the motor shaft on both sides with alcohol or IPA and apply a drop of the supplied oil to both shaft sides.
Reattach both parts with the 4 screws and make sure the parts fit neatly and the motor shaft rotates freely.
Adjust the screw to leave a horizontal clearance of about 1 mm. Then tighten the nut to secure the set screw.
Replacing the Lenco Grommet
Careful press out the old grommet and brass bushing. Be careful not to damage or bend the idler shaft.
Remove the old rubber grommet and clean the ideler arm.
Apply some silicone grease to the eye of the idler arm
Also apply some silicone grease to the rubber grommet.
Now gently push the rubber grommet through the eye with some force so that it comes neatly into place in the center of the grommet.
The grommet is already prepared em the bearing is placed halfway up the grommet.
Now push the bearing bushing through the rubber by hand gently and carefully.
Make sure the bearing housing fits neatly at the bottom and top of the grommet.
Replacing the Motor Springs
Remove the motor and springs from the chassis. Then place the new springs as on the picture.
Carefully place the motor on the springs and place the lower springs as on the picture
Use the the new nuts to fix the motor springs. Job done.
Replacing the Lenco V-blocks
Remove the old brittle V-blocks and clean the holes very well.
Important: make sure there are no parts left in the tonearm base.
Note: the V-blocks are very accurate machined and are press-fit.
Carefully place V-blocks one by one by pressing them in by hand.