From the 246 Service Manual: [QUOTE]...
4-4-5 Take-Up Torque
Take-up Torque For Playback & Recording
Load a cassette torque meter instead of a cassette tape in the cassete holder, and run the deck in PLAY mode. Take-up torque of the right reel table should be about 40-50g. If not, adjust the trim pad R549 (Fig. 4-4-2) to read 45 g-cm. After completion of the adjustment repeat the STOP and PLAY mode operations 2 or 3 times, and then make sure the torque reading is within the limits. Back tension torque (left reel table) should be 2 to 4 g-cm. If the torque is still out of the limits, adjust the torque adjusting ring provided on the right reel table. The torque can be adjusted in three values as shown in Fig. 4-4-5. Turn the torque adjusting ring with the tab A pulling slighlity upward and place the tab on one of the three stepped portions having pawls to fix the tab.
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There you go. Not only is there an analog adjustment for Take-Up Torque, but there's also a physical adjustment of the "ring and tab" that affects BACK-TENSION torque,... (one must assume that the ring/tab is a spring damping mechanism). Obviously, these two adjustments work together/against each other.
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That's the word, right from TASCAM's mouth, but the proof in the pudding is still achieved by taking it apart for inspection and servicing.
/DA