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Repair guide

Replace a stretched or broken drive belt

Some old drives turn the spindle through a rubber belt that stretches or perishes with age. Replacing it is a mechanical job with a cheap part, once you have checked that your drive is a belt-driven model.

Open the interactive checklist Tick off each step as you go. It saves in your browser.

Drive · Medium · about 60 minutes. Try it, but check first. This will not fix every machine, so read the sources first.

You are in the right place if: The disk spins slowly, wobbles, stops, or the drive makes a whirring sound but never reads.

Before you start

  • Do not stretch the belt on to the pulley with pliers; slip it on gently.
  • Keep lubricant away from belts and pulleys.
  • If your drive has a mains-powered internal supply, unplug it and do not open that section.

Board revisions and models

Belt dimensions, routing and whether a belt exists at all vary by model and revision.

Parts you may need

  • Replacement drive belt for your model. Match the belt size Amazon · eBay
  • Isopropyl alcohol. Clean pulleys Amazon · eBay
  • Lint-free swabs. Clean-up Amazon · eBay

Tools

Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These links only search by name. Disclosure

Step by step

  1. Confirm the drive uses a belt Check a disassembly guide or service manual for your drive: not every model turns the spindle by belt.
  2. Power off and remove the drive Unplug everything and take the drive out, noting cables and screws.
  3. Open the mechanism Remove the cover and any shield, and take photos of the belt path before moving anything.
  4. Inspect the old belt Look for cracks, stretch or a sticky, melted belt. A belt that has turned to goo needs thorough cleaning of the pulleys.
  5. Clean pulleys and spindle Clean both pulleys with isopropyl alcohol so the new belt can grip.
  6. Measure and choose the new belt Match the belt's width and circumference (measure the old belt or use the listed size) and buy a belt made for your drive.
  7. Fit the new belt Slip the belt over the spindle and the motor pulley, making sure it sits in the groove without twisting.
  8. Reassemble and spin test Put the drive back together and check that the disk spins smoothly at speed.
  9. Check alignment and speed If the drive has a speed adjustment, follow the maker's procedure; otherwise test with disks.

Tips, tales and maybes

Found in write-ups and forum threads. These are other people's reports, not tested by us.

  • Tip (Medium confidence). A Famicom Disk System refurbishment shows a belt replacement on a floppy-style drive. Source
  • Maybe (Low confidence). Rubber belts often fail on units that have sat unused for decades, so replace even a belt that looks intact if the disk speed is off. General technique, no source.

Guides we used

We wrote the steps in our own words from these. They have the photos and the full detail, so please read them and support their authors.

Boards and models vary, so check what is in front of you. A repair can involve hot tools, chemicals and, on some machines, dangerous voltages. You do it at your own risk.

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