My RCA Model VR560 VCR has a spring, function unknown, in the cassette loader portion. I don't know why the spring is there. Its 1 inch long end, as shown against my thumb, isn't connected to anything. Why is the spring there? We also have problems inserting and removing VHS cassettes as they get stuck inside requiring full disassembly for removal. The plastic tape protector doesn't flip up all the way to allow the tape to spool out onto the player head.

Next, the display numbers were very dim as viewed through the red plastic lens. They appeared faintly yellow. So I found that by cutting away the red clear plastic in front of them and applying clear tape in its place, they were now readable in their blue form. The fluorescent numbers, of some sort, dimmed with age. I pass this on as an aid to others.

 

Sounds like a problem with the cariage loading mechanism, if it doesnt travel all the way down then the flap wont open fully.

 

I agree that the problem is with the carriage mechanism. Can anyone help, have they worked on similar RCA VCR's in the past, have any idea what the spring is up front that is by my thumb in the picture?

I believe gravity and any spring action stops once the cassette is pushed in and falls down. Then the first motor takes over to pull out the tape and a second motor drives the reel plus a third drives the read head of the tape.

Again, what does the first spring do up front, how is it held in place, is something missing, what is wrong?

 

RCA dont make VCRs they will be imports, eg Sharp ,Hitachi, LG etc, need to know who makes it. Unless you can get a Wksp man for it. The cariage on VCRS is not gravity. Its gear driven.

 

With loading mechanisms that have been removed from the machine, the gear timing has to be right otherwise things just dont work properly. I used to repair VCRs & have a cuboard full of redundant VCR workshop manuals. With out knowing what you are doing it will be hard repair by remote means. Heres a pic of a loading Mech from a Philips VCR.