Can a rubberband replace a CD player drive belt?

Answer 1

The rubber in a rubber band is poor quality and will disintegrate in a short time. However I did just that in a CD changer in my component stereo system. I wanted to make sure the player, which had been stored for a couple of years, still worked. The drive belt had become too loose to work the mechanism, so I found a rubber band the right size and put it on. It works fine, and since I cleaned the lens at the same time it now tracks fine, again, as well. I should emphasize that this is a temporary fix until I can locate a source for a quality drive belt, as the rubber band will not last long and the rubber in a rubber band gets sticky and could damage the player if I leave it for a long time. Best to get a good replacement belt if you can find a source for one.