Any Idea how to take these internal Apple SCSI CD drives apart?

[Juror22]

I have several of these CD-ROMs that have come from Macs that have been recycled in years past. They are various models, but fairly identical over a date range of a few years and they all have the same case design.

Since I have been going through floppy drives and refurbishing them and these appear to need some of the same care (definitely cleaning out the old grease and re-greasing the rails) and possibly checking and replacing the old caps before they leak and cause issues, I need to know how to disassemble the case. After removal of the front cover, I take off the bottom cover (four screws), then remove two screws in the circuit board, and then I'm stumped.

The screws on the bottom cover/circuit board take me nowhere - the circuit board is still firmly in place (I mean I can bend it slightly, but that's probably not where we want to take this... and there is a black plastic piece sitting atop that is , well, pretty immovable.

Here is a picture of a random one off the internet - mine is identical, other than being manufactured in March.



I am not asking anyone to go and trash theirs, but hopefully, someone knows the secret to taking these apart and just hasn't posted it yet.
I have not been able to find a take-apart document for this or anything similar online, although I did find something for an Amiga that showed springs holding its top in place, but I could not see anything like that on the inside of this case. There are two tiny, springy, black clips on the bottom as well, but dis-engaging those doesn't seem to have any effect on the immobile, black, plastic piece.

So that is the mission. Please, help me to take this (and its brothers) apart, without destroying it in the process.
My ultimate goal is to re-grease/re-cap one of these to place it in my fully 're-done', upgraded Q650.

 

[jmacz]

A few months ago I did a recap for a forum member on an external Apple 300i drive. I remember hitting a situation like you with a plastic piece that would not come off. I think I remember it being those two black clips but there was a certain direction you need to move them to disengage. But it’s skipping my mind as I repaired a bunch of stuff that weekend and I don’t remember everything. But I think it was the CD drive that had this issue. Do you have a picture of that part - maybe it will jog my memory?

 

[Juror22]

I think I remember it being those two black clips but there was a certain direction you need to move them to disengage.

Thanks, and great direction with the little black clips!

After reading your post, I tried focusing on them again, using a lock pick tool stuck between the plastic piece and the metal they seem to wedge against, while standing the CD upright (connector side down) and this allowed the inside mechanism (board and all) to almost literally fall out of the metal case. Very easy, once you know the 'trick' to it.

Thank you, so very much @jmacz !

 

[jmacz]

You are welcome!!