How to replace speaker binding posts?

rmiller1959
rmiller1959 Posts: 7
edited August 2003 in Troubleshooting
I have a pair of Polk Audio Monitor 7s that still sound great. Unfortunately, one of the speaker binding posts snapped off while they were in storage in the basement. I purchased a replacement directly from Polk Audio, but when I tried to remove the remaining piece of the post using pliers, all it did was spin in place. I removed the assembly in the back and tried to clamp what appeared to be the post hardware on the other side, but it made no difference. I presume these replacement posts couldn't be purchased unless it was relatively easy to remove and replace the old ones. I apologize if I'm missing something or being dense, but I'd appreciate it if someone could help me. I'd hate to discard two perfectly good speakers because I can't fix one small piece. Thanks!

Cordially,

Ron Miller
Huntingtown, MD
Post edited by rmiller1959 on
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,610
    edited August 2003
    A Chisel...and a hammer...Aim directly into the center of the Binding post and give the hammer a good ol swing. Honestly, I would think they would twist right off. Maybe some ol guy on here (Russ) ;) can help ya out! lol! JK Russ...lol
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • rmiller1959
    rmiller1959 Posts: 7
    edited August 2003
    ...because it won't twist off like I thought it would. That hammer and chisel idea doesn't sound too bad right now....

    Ron
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited August 2003
    F1 did an excellent blow by blow post of the replacement of the posts on his SDA's...

    I'll post, if search hits it...

    EDIT: Sorry, no luck. YOu should probably PM F1nut. He may remember the thread's title...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited August 2003
    He is away for the week, so response may be slower than normal.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited August 2003
    Hello Ron,
    To remove the binding post you would need to:
    1). remove the four screws holding the speaker's input plate onto the back of the cabinet.
    2). pull the input plate out of the cabinet, the crossover network is attached with plastic standoffs to the inner surface of the input plate. These standoffs use a latching mechanism that has to be "pinched" by a pair of needle nose pliers allowing the circuit board to come away from the standoff.
    3). when all the standoffs have been removed from the circuit board you can carefully separate the input plate and the circuit board. There will be a locking nut on the other side of the binding post that is usually held in place with hot melt glue. A pocket knife can be used to scrape away the glue and should give access to the locking nut. Once its removed the binding post shaft should pull out of the front of the input plate.
    Regards, Ken Swauger
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  • rmiller1959
    rmiller1959 Posts: 7
    edited August 2003
    ...either I don't have the right tools, or I damaged the broken binding post too much and can't work with it. The locking nut is practically welded to the spade terminal on the inside, and I don't have enough of the broken binding post left on the opposite side of the assembly to grip it and hold it in place so I can apply enough force to twist off the locking nut. It also appears that the locking nut is stripped and won't allow me to get a firm grip on it with the appropriately sized socket.

    I may have to resort to more dramatic measures, or give the speaker up for lost unless I want to replace the whole input assembly. At least I understand how it's put together and what I may need to do to get it apart. Thanks so much for the clear and concise instructions.

    Cordially,

    Ron
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited August 2003
    Hello,
    At this point it's probably best if you send the input plate/crossover network to me at Polk Audio, 5601 Metro Drive, Baltimore, MD. 21215 attention: Ken. You would have to remove the connecting wires from the tweeter and driver, allowing the entire assembly to come out of the rear of the cabinet.
    Regards, Ken
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  • rmiller1959
    rmiller1959 Posts: 7
    edited August 2003
    I'll do that this weekend. Thank you!

    Ron
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited August 2003
    No problem!
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited August 2003
    Hello Ron,
    I received the input plate and have replaced the broken binding post and checked out the crossover. The tweeter protection fuse holder was very loose and had intermittent contacts. I thoroughly cleaned the fuse holder with my favorite metal polish, Flitz and some Q-tips. Much better response on the spectrum analyzer in the treble response. I would highly recommend anyone with a speaker that has a tweeter protection fuse, on the rear of the cabinet, take out the fuse and clean off any oxidation on the holder's clips. Keep cleaning until all of the dark oxidation is removed, also do the speaker's binding posts and if you're really in the mood, take out all of the tweeters and drivers and use the same cleaning on the tweeter/driver terminals. If your speakers are more than six or seven years old oxidation has built up on any metal-to-metal contact surfaces.
    I'll send your crossover out today, Ron.
    Regards, Ken
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,494
    edited August 2003
    Another happy ending!

    I did have a thread about changing the binding posts, but it seems to have been removed for some strange reason????????
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • rmiller1959
    rmiller1959 Posts: 7
    edited August 2003
    Ken, I got the crossover assembly back yesterday, reinstalled it in the speaker, and voila! It works perfectly! Thanks so much for the work you did, and the time and care you put into it. I'm most grateful.

    Cordially,

    Ron

    P.S. Thanks for joining in, F1Nut! I hope you figure out what happened to your "posting" on binding posts - everyone says it's the definitive word on the subject!
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited August 2003
    You're welcome, Ron, I'm glad all's working well, once again.
    Take care, Ken
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  • Al_Swearengen
    Al_Swearengen Posts: 13
    Thanks to the forum archives and Ken Swauger's 3 step process. I was about to break those standoffs trying to get them apart.
    FKA: anton.chigurh (see profile page)
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