Abstract: A magnetic card reader for magnetic-stripe cards, has a drive drum that rotates in a forward direction to draw the card into the device and read data from the stripe, and rotates in a reverse direction to eject or expel the card and to write new data on the stripe. The drive drum has first and second removable resilient tires carried on it at positions axially spaced on the drum. A magnetic recording/pickup head is positioned below the drive drum at the position of the first tire. A floating adjustable vertical head support assembly mounts the head to the frame and permits up and down movement of the head, but not back and forth or sideways travel. This floating head support assembly can favorably comprise a leaf spring. An idler pulley is positioned below the drive drum at the position of the second tire to urge the magnetic card against it. The idler pulley is mounted on a spring-loaded idler arm so that the pulley can follow variations in thickness of the cards.