The 1984 Walkman
The Sony WM 22 put a tape deck in your pocket and taught the world to listen alone. Forty years on they mostly fail the same way, a perished rubber belt. This is a full teardown and the fix that brings one back to life in an afternoon.
Released
1984
Weight
280 g
Common fault
perished drive belt
Repair cost
under 10 dollars
Disassembly
Pop the battery door and remove the two visible screws
Lift the cassette door and unclip the front shell
Note the belt routing before removing anything
Lift the old belt off the flywheel and capstan
Clean the heads and pinch roller with isopropyl
Fit the new belt and reverse the steps
Do not pry the circuit board. The flex cable to the tape head tears easily and is almost impossible to source. Work from the shell side only.
Measure the old belt flat across before ordering. A belt 2 mm too long will slip and run the tape slow.
Sourcing parts
Square drive belts and pinch rollers come from specialist audio repair sites and from marketplace sellers who list belts by flat diameter.