The reaction force decoupling system, as implemented in a tape drive, reduces the motion that is coupled back into the tape cartridge from the reaction force that is generated by the operation of the read/write head actuator. The read/write head actuator consists of a magnet assembly which produces a large magnetic field in an annular gap and a coil of wire which operates freely in the magnetic field of the gap. The magnet assembly is mounted to the base of the drive and the coil is attached to the read/write head carriage. When current is applied to the coil, a force is produced between the coil and the magnet assembly to move the read/write head carriage. The magnet assembly is disconnected from the base of the drive and mounted on dual flexures arranged in a four bar linkage parallel guide arrangement. The reaction forces that are generated by the operation of the read/write head actuator must deflect the flexures to apply a load to the base of the drive. As the flexures are deflected, the magnet assembly is guided to remain coaxial with the coil. At low frequencies, the same reaction force is still applied to the base of the drive through this apparatus but above the resonant frequency of this apparatus, the reaction forces are attenuated with the result that the servo loop instability is reduced.