[ reprinted from 000715 MMDigest ]

I have had the same problem with the  transmissions in the Kimball
players.  What happens in that a small plastic sacrificial gear inside
the sealed gear box gets brittle and the teeth strip and break off.

This motor and transmission operates on 14 Volts DC.  Test to see if
the little high speed motor is spinning by placing your finger on the
side.  There is a bearing on the side where the shaft of the motor
protrudes.  If the motor is running but the output shaft is not, you
have a bad gear in the transmission.

I called Kimball and they said that they sold all of these parts to
Paul Keglor.  He runs Dancing Ivories, Inc. in Bay Shore, NY.  I don't
know if he has an E-mail address but he can be located by phone at
1-631-242-0963.

Don't be shocked if the small gear costs about $125.  It would be nice
to find another source for this gear since the price seems a little
steep.  This cost may be due to retooling costs that he had to put out.

You will have to drill out the rivets that fasten the gear housing
together, clean out all of the broken plastic pieces, lubricate, and
reassemble the gear box.  Be sure that the new gear doesn't bind
against the motor.  The motor _must_ turn freely against the new gear
without binding.  I had to drill out some of the holes where the motor
mounts because the new gear is about 1\64 inch larger than the old one.
Good luck.

Pete Knobloch (Tempe, AZ)