Panasonic RQ-NX10 Drive Belt Replacement

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Introduction

The Panasonic RQ-NX10 is a portable cassette player released in 1998. A player with digitally-controlled buttons, it was moderately popular in Europe. The drive belt often fails after this amount of time; annoyingly, soldering is required to replace it.

What you need

Step 1 Removing top case

Panasonic RQ-NX10 Drive Belt Replacement, Removing top case: step 1, image 1 of 2

Panasonic RQ-NX10 Drive Belt Replacement, Removing top case: step 1, image 2 of 2

Remove the following screws to remove the top case:
2x 5mm P0 screws
1x 3mm P0 screw (thin)
2x 3mm P0 screws (thick)
Pull the case straight up to remove it.

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Step 2 Remove eject latch

Panasonic RQ-NX10 Drive Belt Replacement, Remove eject latch: step 2, image 1 of 1

Remove the eject latch, which allows you to open the case to insert a cassette tape, by pulling it straight upward.
Do not use excessive force to remove the eject latch. Removing it may require pushing it forward or backward if stuck in place. The mechanism it covers is under tension.

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Step 3 Disconnect motherboard

Panasonic RQ-NX10 Drive Belt Replacement, Disconnect motherboard: step 3, image 1 of 1

Remove the two brass 3mm P00 screws.
When reinstalling the screws, locate the "ice cream cone" symbols to find the correct screw holes.
Desolder the motor terminal pins.
Desolder the rotary switch terminal pins.
The top-most pin of the rotary switch terminal is meant to be soldered to the negative end of the capacitor, as shown in the image.
While technically not required, we highly recommend you desolder the ribbon cable to make motherboard removal easier.
If desoldering the ribbon cable, make sure to heat it for up to 2 seconds at a time - otherwise, the cable may be permanently damaged.

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Step 4 Remove motherboard

Panasonic RQ-NX10 Drive Belt Replacement, Remove motherboard: step 4, image 1 of 1

Pull the motherboard up on the motor terminal side. Do not remove it completely yet.
After this is done, slide out the motherboard toward the motor terminal pins.
This is to prevent damage to the headphone jack connector and to the case itself.

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Step 5 Replace belt

Panasonic RQ-NX10 Drive Belt Replacement, Replace belt: step 5, image 1 of 1

Replace the belt as marked.
Test the belt's function after placing it by manually rotating one of the gears. If the belt visibly moves, there is friction, or if the mechanism otherwise is not smooth, reseat the belt.
When installing the belt, do NOT twist it! This will cause issues when playing tapes; the belt is square-shaped and must be aligned. If it is twisted, reseat the belt where it is twisted.