Laser module not dropping enough when ejecting, spindle too high.

[Bowlsnapper]

I can see that the laser module has problems going up all the way as well. The drive tray catches on the spindle when trying to eject and then tries to close back up but the laser module and thus the gearing isn't cycling all the way and so the drive ends up popping back out and catching on the spindle again. I probably need to remove the drive tray to even start this, But where should I be checking to see why the laser module isn't dropping all the way to allow the drive tray to clear?

Edit: The laser module IS dropping all the way. I can see that the tray is lowered all the way in this white piece of plastic that slides over when the tray starts to open. I can see that the black tab is all the way at the bottom of the slope in the mechanism. Why would the spindle still be sticking up too far? The tray looks straight... But the rear of the tray is still catching on the spindle. I cannot visually understand what is happening. Anyone seen this before?

I may just cut away the plastic that's catching on the spindle and see if the laser module raises to the correct height when closed. The Xbox has never been opened before me so I have no idea what it possibly could have been that changed.

I just tried to open the drive fully and I manuevered the rear of the tray past the module... and the laser just tried to read a disc with the tray all the way out... WTF?

That spindle looks a bit high for resting position when fully closed.

[Bowlsnapper]

This problem is a mindfuck. Please help me. Lol. It shouldn't be possible for the spindle to be this high... And I'm assuming the rest of the module. The Xbox has never been opened before I did the ram upgrade, and thus, the drive cannot have been smashed in. @SS_Dave @KaosEngineer

[Fringle]

1 hour ago, Bowlsnapper said:

This problem is a mindfuck. Please help me. Lol. It shouldn't be possible for the spindle to be this high... And I'm assuming the rest of the module. The Xbox has never been opened before I did the ram upgrade, and thus, the drive cannot have been smashed in. @SS_Dave @KaosEngineer

I just dealt with the reverse of this with an Xbox 360 drive.  When the tray was in, the deck wouldn't raise.  Turned out a track on the underside of the tray somehow got damaged so the closing mechanism wouldn't catch properly.  If you can pull the tray all the way off and verify that the closing mechanism didn't come off the track.  Or just pulling it off and reseating may be all that you  need to do.

[Bowlsnapper]

7 minutes ago, Fringle said:

I just dealt with the reverse of this with an Xbox 360 drive.  When the tray was in, the deck wouldn't raise.  Turned out a track on the underside of the tray somehow got damaged so the closing mechanism wouldn't catch properly.  If you can pull the tray all the way off and verify that the closing mechanism didn't come off the track.  Or just pulling it off and reseating may be all that you  need to do.

Well the position sensing isn't the only problem. The rear of the tray is snagging on the laser module's spindle. And I have verified that the module is fully dropping in the mechanism... So i have no idea at all what to do... I could reseat the tray, but I'm honestly not sure how to remove it in the first place. Lol

[KaosEngineer]

20 hours ago, Bowlsnapper said:

That spindle looks a bit high for resting position when fully closed.

Over the production life of the Xbox, Microsoft installed many different DVD drive brands and models.  Which one do you have?

Edit I think I recognize it a Samsung drive but which model in particular is it?

 

[KaosEngineer]

If it is a Samsung DVD drrive, take a look at this old tear down tutorial from llamma.com - Samsung Xbox DVD Dissassembly (archive.org)

In particular, make sure the plastic nub shown in picture 5 is in the slot on the bottom of the DVD tray. IIRC, this is part of the spindle raising / lowering mechanism.

[Bowlsnapper]

3 minutes ago, KaosEngineer said:

If it is a Samsung DVD drrive, take a look at this old tear down tutorial from llamma.com - Samsung Xbox DVD Dissassembly (archive.org)

In particular, make sure the plastic nub shown in picture 5 is in the slot on the bottom of the DVD tray. IIRC, this is part of the spindle raising / lowering mechanism.

I'll double check, but I'm pretty sure it's slotted correctly, as it does raise and lower according to the tray position. And this thing has never been cracked open so It's impossible for a person to have dislodged it unknowingly.

[prtscn]

remove tray, lower laser assembly down as much as you can. insert dvd tray. gearing should be synced. white gearing/slider is responsible for lifting laser assembly

Edited September 2, 2023 by prtscn

[Bowlsnapper]

9 minutes ago, prtscn said:

remove tray, lower laser assembly down as much as you can. insert dvd tray. gearing should be synced. white gearing/slider is responsible for lifting laser assembly

Yes, the tab appears to be all the way at the the end of the guide in the white plastic, but I will double check that, since I don't have a very good view and the gears are definitely not synced in the first place

Thank you.