How to change vacuum tubes on the VPI 16.5 ?

Steady the black metal hub it plugs into with one hand and withdraw the plastic tube with the other. It's quite easy as long as you pull in the direction of the tube's long axis - don't apply any sideways or lifting force. You need to take it off now and then to clean the velvet and check its condition.

Of course, I DID misunderstand the title of your post when I first saw it and looked out of sheer curiosity!

Chris

Are you replacing it with NOS tubes?

Does it clean better with NOS tubes? would be my second question....

Finally have you tried rolling other tubes?

Drmoss, For a second I misunderstood the title too and I have a 16.5!

Studio68, Since your question has been answered, permission to have a little fun as Cytocycle has begun?

I changed the tube on mine and now it sucks more than ever.

OK, I have a 16.5 and I also misunderstood the headline. I started thinking an EL-34 might be about the right size, then . . .

Serious advice on removal will not be repeated here. However, one caution is to adjust the replacement suction tube so that the vacuum slot is at the 185 degrees position when viewed from the outer end, not straight down (180 degrees). Also, the velvet pad should not extend more than 1/16" beyond the record. Otherwise, you will not achieve proper vacuum. It really is not difficult and should take only a few minutes.

Replacing it is easy. Rebiasing it is hard.