Need some tips for offloading heads without them touching

[gtd4242]

One issue that I think causes more unrecoverable jobs for me than anything is offloading the heads improperly. Once they are off, I can then put something between the heads to seperate them and allow them to be easily loaded onto the platters. However, some heads seem to be very prone to sticking and therefore damaging the heads, making them useless. Hitachi drives seem to be quite prone to this for some reason.

I was just wondering if anyone out there has a solution that allows you to offload the heads without letting them come in contact with one another? Also, is it just a string of bad luck on my part or are the heads really that fragile that coming in contact with one another will kill them? Also, if the tools are magnetized in anyway, will that cause this sort of problem. It's weird because I can do some swaps like this and they go just fine with no problems, and the heads seem really resilent. However, lately head swaps have been more and more prone to failure. I'm thinking that another possibility may be the fact that my tools are getting magnetized when I'm working with the magnets and such. I had one of the magnets pull a lot of my torx drivers over and ever since then it seems like I've had nothing but problems.

[rchadwick]

I'd like to know the answer to this too. I just got the video from Salvation, and was disappointed it told all about getting the heads back on the platter, but skipped over keeping the heads from slamming together.

I hate to say it, but I don't think there is a practical way to do it.

[Shortscurcuits]

There is a very easy way to do it. Cut plastic strips from a blister pack (from a kid's toy or something similar as it has to be medium thick plastic ) and bend it in half. Strip needs to be about 1/4' x 4'. If you don't bend it completely over it can be inserted under the arms of the head assembly before you spin them off the landing area. Hold them in place and spin the platters and move the heads to the outer area, the plastic lifts the heads off the disks and holds them apart at the same time. No scratches and no stuck heads. Will post a pic or two later to help explain.

[Starling]

Wow, I came up with the same procedure as yours, only I use cardboard instead of plastic
Works great for me.

[rchadwick]

I actually tried something similiar, but found on some head stacks the wires hang down a little, and can be damaged by something pushing on the arms.

[pcimage]

For Hitachi drives with a head parking ramp, and most notebook drives, there's an even easier method.

I insert a small folded up piece of Anti-Static wrapper (like a mainboard comes in, not the real thin stuff) in between the arms,while the heads are on the ramp.

Then move the heads off the ramp, away from the platter.

Remove the head stack and then do the reverse to replace.

This way the heads never touch each other, and not even the platter!

Practice makes perfect!

[rameez]

u can also use straws .

[rchadwick]

PCImage, do you mean the pink, thin foam stuff (Like what they use on the MB bottom)? Or the antistatic 'bubble-wrap' stuff? Not the silver bag, right?

[pcimage]

The silver bag

[Odiferous]

For drives with a parking ramp, I use a home-made tool that fastens to both the read/write arm and ramp itself, so I can remove the headstack and ramp together, with no damage whatsoever to the heads - they remain safely parked throughout.

[rchadwick]

Cool idea. Do you have a picture?

[rchadwick]

Well, I finally broke down and made one It seems to work good, with one exception. When I try to remove or put back the HDA, the arms rub against the edge of the platter (I've been playing with it on a junker drive). I'm worried the head wires might be damaged, or maybe the SA on the platter will get scratched. Has anyone found this a problem? Any way around it?

[cryoborgofthevenus]

Hi ! use Feeler gauge for automotive, and yes....the plastic one. Not the metal one...

[rchadwick]

I didn't know they had plastic feeler gauges. Will have to check it out. Thanks!

[hddguru]

Wow , I use the same as "Odiferous" , one lid and ramp adapter for each generation. As we say "Piece Of Piss" RAMP load drives even with 4-5-6 heads is ok to.

[hddguru]

It's all in the ANGLE of re-insertion

Well, I finally broke down and made one It seems to work good, with one exception. When I try to remove or put back the HDA, the arms rub against the edge of the platter (I've been playing with it on a junker drive). I'm worried the head wires might be damaged, or maybe the SA on the platter will get scratched. Has anyone found this a problem? Any way around it?

[mr_spokk]

Wow , I use the same as "Odiferous" , one lid and ramp adapter for each generation. As we say "Piece Of Piss" RAMP load drives even with 4-5-6 heads is ok to.

Hi, a picture of it would be nice

Bosse

[rchadwick]

Wow , I use the same as "Odiferous" , one lid and ramp adapter for each generation. As we say "Piece Of Piss" RAMP load drives even with 4-5-6 heads is ok to.

I can guess what a ramp adaptor is. What's a lid adapter?

[rchadwick]

Well, if anyone's interested, here's my Ramp fixture. All it took was:

Some angle aluminum stock
Drill Press
Files
Sand Paper
Propane Torch
Aluminum 'Welding' rod
6 hours of fitting and filing (I'm a perfectionist)

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Last edited by rchadwick on September 17th, 2007, 23:42, edited 1 time in total.

[rchadwick]

Here's two more pics. Sorry they are blurry, it's my crappy cellphone. Can't focus up close.

I have to admit, I used to be a 'Keep Everything Secret' kind of guy when it came to data recovery. In the scheme of things, helping each other only helps. People in the DR business won't close up shop because you didn't share with them. The average Joe isn't going to do a Head Stack Replacement because they found some info on the Internet. Even if I don't get paid for it, I hope some Grandmother somewhere gets the pictures of her grandkids recovered. I'm thankful that people here share as much as they do.

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