Typewriter Talk / Smith Corona Electra new belts now motor won't spin up. Clutch? Belt?

**Posted by Kalani** 25-1-2023 18:59:09

Wow.
What a difference with metal vs plastic clutch setups on the Electra series. Others?
Yikes. . .this means checking the 1 other "working for parts" electra that I have.
(Memories of the black and white Frankenstein movie. . . .or Mel Brooks version. . )

Huge thanks for posting the pictures.
Now I know what to look for.
k

**Posted by Kalani** 26-1-2023 09:48:32

Aha!
Opened up an Electra 120 that I got on ShopGoodwill for 23 $ and found . .yep. . a metal clutch setup.
Great!
Thanks for the pics and info. Learning a lot.

**Posted by Pete E.** 26-1-2023 10:02:42

Kalani,

I have a series of Facit portable machines from 1959 to the early 1970's. It is interesting to see how much metal was replaced with plastic little by little.

BTW...your o-rings went to our local Post office, yesterday morning. You should see them on your end Friday or Saturday.

**Posted by OregonJim** 26-1-2023 12:38:02

Pete E. wrote:
It is interesting to see how much metal was replaced with plastic little by little.

The drive gears for the ribbon advance were also changed from metal to nylon on Smith-Coronas sometime in the '60s or '70s. I have a mix of both types of machines. For what it's worth, the nylon is still holding up well.

**Posted by Pete E.** 27-1-2023 10:54:11

Jim,

I was really surprised to see the two plastic gears associated with the power-return on the Electra 220 on both the normal power and the super-charged power machines.

The 220 parts-machine I harvested had was the "normal" power return model and the plastic gears just ate themselves up.

Duane Jensen has a good YouTube video on the replacement work required to change them.

**Posted by ESC4P3** 29-1-2023 23:39:08

Hi Pete,

I just got a 5TE and saw your comments in a couple of threads that you have more O-rings for replacing the original belts than you can use. I would be super thankful if you could send me two. Tried to message you, but it won’t let me until I have three posts.

also, i’m missing a few of the tiny screws on the body as well as the specialty screw that holds the right side platen roller knob. I was at Lowes yesterday and didn’t see any as small as these smith coronas use. I was going to try Ace Hardware and now see you mentioned them. So, you are thinking they have these screws i’m looking for?

lastly, i’m also missing the pull pin/nut on the variable line spacer in the left side platen knob. Any ideas where i could get one of those?

Thanks,
John E.

**Posted by Pete E.** 30-1-2023 14:29:02

John E.

I found that the Dash No. 240 works best on the 5TE.

I will send you a pair of 240's and a pair of 239's...so you can even try one of each size or a mix of the 2 sizes. The Hardness of 70A is what I found works best. Sometimes the motor placement has been adjusted by a previous owner.

Got your address from your Message. They will go out in the US Mail on Tuesday of this week.

Yes...try ACE Hardware of even Tru-Value Hardware for small set screws. Bring your platen knob with you to help find what might fit.

I am well known at my local stores to even roll in a complete typewriter into the hardware section. Folks always get a kick of of seeing such old machines in person.

**Posted by ESC4P3** 09-2-2023 21:35:26

Pete,

thanks so much for sending me the o-rings. Both sizes worked, but I agree the 240 is the closer match to the original belts.

As for the set screw, I’m still looking. Went to Ace Hardware with the cone tipped set screw and they were quite helpful but didn’t have a match. They said even if they could find the right size and thread, it wouldn’t be a cone tip. I’ve found a couple companies online (including the same company you got the o-rings from) that likely would have the right one, but you need to know the type, size and thread to figure out which one. The guy at Ace even said it’s possible that it was a proprietary screw made by SC.

**Posted by Pete E.** 10-2-2023 13:28:29

Hi John,

Hopefully other Members can confirm, but I think the right platen knob is held by 2 slightly different set-scews.

One with the conical-shaped end and the other with a flat bottomed end. IIRC...there is a dimple drilled in the metal of the platen shaft for the concial-shaped screw to engage. But the other screw is flat-bottomed and seats against the remainder of the slightly rounded shaft metal.

**Posted by Pete E.** 10-2-2023 13:42:10

Hi John,

I just recently parted out a Series 6 S-C and have these 2 screws off of its right platen knob.

If you think they will work, let me know and I will get them out in the US Post for you.

If they do not work out, I would appreciate it if you sent them back to me.

But I am hopeful this will work on your Series 5 machine.
.