I have a WM-DC2 that is cosmetically gorgeous but has two issues:

1. Center wheel is cracked. Still plays OK but noisy click. I want to try repairing it before playing it much more.

2. FF works but REW doesn't. The motor operates but there is a clack, clack sound and the spindles don't rotate.

Questions:
What other Walkman models use the exact same center gear, if any? I'm thinking I'd like to find a cheaper, "throw away" unit to practice on first.
Is the failure to rewind caused by the cracked center gear or is this a different issue that needs repair?
I have looked for a free copy of the Service Manual to no avail. Anyone have it to share?

Cheers,
Steve

i am not 100% sure why but alot of the ones with the cracked gear will continue to run for a very long time. i took one apart that was totally unusable and took a look inside. i think it's got to do with the exact place and the width of the crack. i have a couple that continue to play very well after several years. if it a big and nasty crack you can dismantle it to watch it jam itself up. on the otherhand if they are not split to far apart they will run the whole circumference but they will click in one spot every time. the headphone sound is just fine. mine will click about 62 times per minute.

Thanks for the info. The crack in this one is about 2 teeth wide and it makes a pretty loud click. Headphone sound is great, though. However, I don't want to risk widening the crack further or causing any teeth to break off anywhere. And I'd like to get rewind working again. Thus my questions...

By the way, another member here sent me the service manual! Thanks, Martin!

just a little tip for you....i have a wm-dc3 has that same geer. it has jammed a few times and i thought it was a gonner. i use it mainly for recording. i have done somewhere between 50-100 90 minute tapes with it. when it jams i put it in ff or rev. for a very short time till it starts moving. sure enough,,once i get it unjamed it is fine for a long time. i use it alot because it is the best analogue recorder i have. i think if alot of people who get there's jamed would be back in business by trying the same thing. if after a dozen tries it doesn't work you are probably past the point of no return.

Good tip. Nice to hear that they "keep on ticking" even if they are clicking - at least for a while. I've found out that the REW problem is probably caused by the gap in the center gear and will likely be resolved once the center gear is fixed. The smaller diameter rewind gear has a harder time bridging the gap, I think. It fails to engage at the gap area... all based on looking at the exploded view in the Service Manual, of course.

If the gap has exact dimension, it bridges problem-free.

Repairs from part goes in such way: remove ring, ring with Epoxit adhesive fasten and perfectly align.
Possibly: must make metal disk smaller, from 28mm on 27,8mm,

I repaired about seventy Walkmans in such way. All these walkmans work now with very quiet „ tic. .tic...tic..“or completely calmly!




Walkman models are:
not all of WM2,WM-R2,WM-F2,WM-5,WM-F5,WM-DD,WM-DD2,WM-DD3,WM-D3,WM-DC2,DD100 “BOODO KHAN,WM-DD30,WM-DD33

Thanks. One question: If I need to make the metal disk smaller, will I have to break the plastic gear into two pieces to remove it from the metal? Or can the plastic be carefully removed from the metal without breaking it?

You can plastic carefully remove from the metal without breaking it.

Thanks renzgi. I will give it a try..