Victrola Credenza

[James]

How can I fix to restore the tension of the lid brackets. It no longer can hold the lid open. Please help.

James

[AZ*]

If you lift the lid to its fully open position, it locks in place via spring loaded ball bearings that pop into a hole. If that doesn't happen, then someone has dorked with the cylinders, or it has gotten gunked up inside and needs to be cleaned and adjusted.

As for the tension,

You need to disassemble the lid support pneumatic cylinders that function much the same way as a screen door closer or the support on the lift gate of an SUV or minivan.

The Credenza cylinders are easy to take apart. Once they are apart, apply neatsfoot oil to the leather piston cups to make them pliable. Also add some neatsfoot oil to the inside of the cylinder. The cylinders are adjustable as to the amount of air that escapes from the tiny hole near the bottom using the knurled screw and knurled nut.

[spin78's]

I've made some videos about Credenza lid dampers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKHdzIL0mLU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIuEsOBuYt8

Hope these help...

[Victrolaman]

I just did mine today. You take them apart, and clean them good. And then set the air pressure but adjusting the little valves at the end of eac one, and then take the top nut and tighten it, that's the lock not and that's all. Mine were all gummed up wit old grease and dirt, soaked them in some gas for a little while and cleaned them with steel wool. Put some wd40 in there and they work like new again