Opening up a Beocenter 8000

[CharlieWednesday]

This has got me stumped.  I recently bought a Beocenter 8000 to replace my older setup (consisting of Beomaster 3000, Beocord 2000, Beogram CDX and Beogram 3000).

I ‘upgraded’ partly because it adds the ability to control CDs via remote, but also because the Beocenter 8000 will take up less space and looks great – not a mark on it and I got a great deal on eBay!

The tape deck doesn’t work, and I am pretty confident it will be the tape belts.  If you click play it tries for a second, then reverses and tries side 2, then stops.  I have replaced belts in two Beocord 2000s before now,  so I am pretty confident it will be the belts in this one too.

The problem is, opening up the Beocenter 8000!  The service manual indicates that if you unscrew the 3 screws on the front and the 6 screws on the back, it will simply lift up at 90 degrees.  In fact I watched a YouTube video of someone doing this, but theirs was a 9000, not an 8000.  I assumed it would be the same.

I can only lift it a couple of inches then I see that there are connected cables preventing it form lifting further.  On the left (looking at it from the back, so above the CD) there is a cable connecting to the display panel, and on the right, there is a motor, with connecting cables leading don to the main unit, so I expect this is the cassette door motor.

The service manual I found online is one intended for the 5 similar systems 8000, 9000, 8500, 9500, 9300.  It’s beginning to look like my 8000 is a little different inside than the others?

Has anyone ever opened one of these up?  I’ve put it all back together for now as I’m afraid I’ll break it if I keep trying without knowing exactly what to do.

[Ken]

Hi Charley,

Just go to Youtube and type in Beocenter 8000 (or 9000, 9500  or 9300) there are many film on how to open up the Beocenter, and many of the films adress the major problems.

The most of the video’s are in english. Ive used them for my Beocenter 8500.

The films are a lot beter to understand than the service manual, and you also get tips on what not to do,

Good luckand best wishes

Ken

[auric]

Ken:

There are several screws you need to remove in addition to the 3 across the front ledge of the unit.

Flip the back cover over the rear connectors up. There is a screw in the right corner. Then there is a screw on the right side of the cover that holds a long cosmetic piece in place. Once you remove this screw shift the plastic piece and it will slide off. Beneath this piece are several more screws that hold the top cover in place. Once you remove all of the screws along the back, the entire top will flip open.

There is a steel rod behind the back lip just under the top cover. It runs along the length of the unit. Remove this rod and insert it into the a slot on the left side of chassis to the right of the transformer. This will prop the lid open and allow you to work on the unit. Its like the steel rod that props open the hood of your automobile.

Remove any CD or cassette from the unit and close both doors before attempting to take the unit apart!

[Madskp]

One extra piece of advice. The double sided tape that holds the glass plates may not have the propper strenght anymore.

Therefor there is a risk of the glass plates falling of when the top lid is open

[Guy]

Further to all the excellent advice above, you will see from the picture of my similar BC9500 below that all the cables and connections should be routed through the front edge of the BeoCenter, thus allowing it to pivot forward and upwards freely:

(Note that it was opened up with the CD/Tape doors closed – the doors were then opened whilst in the service postion)

[CharlieWednesday]

Thanks everyone for your help, I have got it open!  It turns out I was loosening some of the wrong screws at the back, so was not lifting up the whole top section.

I was able to loosen the tape deck assembly and can see that 2 of the 3 belts have stretched and degraded quite badly, which is what I expected.  Now that I know this I’ll order the belt kit from beoparts and get on with it!  I’ve replaced belts on two Beocords 2000s and 1 Beocord 5500 before now, so I think I’ll be able to manage this one too.

[auric]

There may have been two different versions of cassette mechanisms for the BC 8000… This was the case with later versions as the series evolved.

The two mechanisms have different belt configurations. beoparts-shop.com has the right belts and parts including the pinch rollers! Check with them.

While you have the unit open, you may as well change the belts for the doors as well since they are quite old by now.

[CharlieWednesday]

There’s any easy way to identify the cassette deck by looking at the screws; it’s the version 2 cassette deck of the 8000 thru 9500 range, but it may be that the 8000 specifically only ever had the version 2 cassette deck.

The CD and cassette doors seem to work fine but I see your point auric – the belts are cheap so I will order them and replace them while I’ve got the thing open.

Thanks everyone for you help – once those tape belts arrive I’m confident I can get the thing in full working order.

[Author]

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