Travelstar Head stack replacement problems

[Stackman]

Howdy!

So I have here a Hitachi Travelstar 2.5" HTS541060G9AT00, which due to unmentionable actions is in need of a head stack replacement. To do this I have purchased THREE identical drives. On the first attempt I learned VERY quickly how opposing heads (there are a total of 3, with two facing each other) tend to stick togeather, thus effectively killing the head stack.

So on my second attempt I thought I learned a thing or two, but ended up once again with two heads sticking togeather. Now, before I open up drive #3 I thought I would put the question forth to the experts .. How does one prevent the heads from sticking togeather? Has anyone sucessfully performed a head stack replacement on these drives?

I have read the article on head stack replacement, but even with a plentiful supply of small drinking straws, have failed to see how a flattened, cut-up drinking straw can help in this instance. If it was only the hardware I was interested in (which I'm not) this drive would have been in the garbage long ago! I would really like to get my data off this drive!

Any help or comments are greatfully appreciated!

Thanks!

[tonyht]

Hi stackman,

I usualy just using piece of paper folded together to stop head not sticking together, remember the paper not touching the head.
this method can be use for 2&3 head harddrive. if you want to change with more than 3 head, its require your imagination to develop tools to do that.

enjoy head swapping (remember always slow and careful)

regards
Tony

[pepe]

Hi,

Should heads stick together, they can be separated. The shorter the time passed, the more chance U have to successfully separate them.

pepe

[Stackman]

Pepe: I have found once they stick togeather, any attempt to seperate them usually yields one of the head elements tearing off its respective arm, while still being stuck to the opposing element. Do you have a technique to separate them that has better results?

Tonyht: Thanks for the info! I have made a seperator out of a flattened and folded drinking straw, but it appears that in order to hold the arms apart far enough where the head elements can't stick, it bends the topmost arm so much that when you release it, the arm's position is no longer close enough to the platter (too high). Am I seperating them too much possibly, or am I missing something here?

Thanks!!!!

[hddguy]

the trick is to seperate the heads while in the stand, then remove them. i think a drinking straw will be to thick. We work from templates which are printed out and cut out and then used as a comb, each template is unique and is made from unique measurements of platters, gaps between platters and gaps between heads.

there are many ways to seperate heads, maybe you will develop your own technique soon enough after much thought

[qtonic]

I have found once they stick togeather, any attempt to seperate them usually yields one of the head elements tearing off its respective arm, while still being stuck to the opposing element. Do you have a technique to separate them that has better results?

When taking the heads out of the dead drive, I made no attempt to keep them apart since they are not going to be used. The comment above got me thinking though. In my case, the heads did come together, but they can be easily separated. They did not stick or rip one from the other.

Is the purpose of packing the heads to keep them from touching at all just because they are delicate, or is it because in some cases they stick and cannot be separated without breaking.

Thanks to anyone who can clear that up.

[dmarques]

When the heads stick together there's a good chance of destroying them, that's why you shouldn't let them stick together.