How do I get these connectors out without doing damage?

[cjacek]

I'm doing some work on a cassette deck and need to undo the wires to the mechanism in order to get it all out. I'm left with these 3 connectors (see photos). They seem to have the locking mechanism below but I'm unsure. Is there a safe way to remove these? It's so damn close to the components, the PCB etc....I don't want to flex the board too much nor damage anything there while prying with a screwdriver.... I'd appreciate any advice that you can give. Thanks!

 

[Chili]

Pinch the sides. Might need needle-nose pliers to get in there.

 

[cjacek]

Thanks but I'm afraid I'll need a little bit more, as far as directions are concerned....

 

[Chili]

Those are Molex connectors. You should be able to squeeze the sides of the connectors to release the latches. I tried googling a pic of them so you can see what they look like, but Molex makes soooo many types of connectors, I can't find one that exactly matches what you have.

Here's something close:

 

[Chili]

Maybe the latching mechanism is the opposite direction, but you should still be able to squeeze the sides to release it. And like I said, you might need pliers to do it.

 

[cjacek]

Thanks, I appreciate the time you took. Yeah, the latching mechanism might indeed be opposite to the photo above. I really don't know. Maybe I'll wait for a few more people to chime in before I start working on that connector.... Again, thanks.

 

[ecc83]

You might need a small screwdriver blade to get side of the latches and prise them out a bit.

Don't worry if they break off. The latches are belts and braces and are really only needed for worldwide transit. Lots of gear uses unlatched jobbies, e.g. computer MOBOs (fans etc)

Dave.

 

[JLondon]

Squeeze the sides wiggle while pulling upwards. Wiggle a little side to side helps. LIGHTLY wiggle.

 

[Hammerstone]

I've usually found squeezing the sides by hand to be difficult, but if you have something to wedge in there like a knife blade or flat head screwdriver, things usually go a bit easier.

 

[miroslav]

 

[Mickster]

Chili has it right. The short sides of the connectors are the latching sides. You can see the tops of the latches in your photos. Squeezing the latch tops with your hand right near the upper end of the connector (not down low) and maybe rocking it back and forth a bit should work fine. I hate to mention this but if you're in there doing some "work" on this cassette recorder and you've never released these common types of connectors before...........are you sure you should be in there???

 

[Chili]

Chili has it right.

And if my suggestion doesn't work, Miro's is the universal answer for all things analog.

 

[cjacek]

Thanks everyone. I'll try what you suggest. Although miroslav's idea I'll have to consider only as a last resort.

 

[miroslav]

If you have a pair of basic pliers that can open extra wide....and then just pinch the very top of the tabs, while prying up with your other hand, they should come off easy.
Sometimes those tabs are a bitch to squeeze with your fingers and also pull up on them. They have hard edges, and you have to really grip them so they feel very uncomfortable and you end up releasing your finger grip a bit, and then they don't come off. ARGH!

The pliers solve the gripping.

 

[cjacek]

Thanks miroslav but, upon closely examining the connectors, it looks like they indeed have a latch at the bottom (the wide side) and it's not constructed in the way that you could "pinch" the top (at any side) to release the bottom. There are no latches at the narrow side, only the wide side. The only way is to perform micro-surgery and wedge a micro flat screwdriver down there and pull at the same time. No thanks. I'll try to do what I need to do but with the cables still attached to the cassette mechanism. Anyway, thanks guys.