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Bearing Oil for your turntable?

One tech told me he uses synthetic ATF (automatic transmission fluid) as it has what he considers to be appropriate viscosity (at the rpm a TT runs at, of course) and won't drain off. Just another thought.
 
fiddlefye, actually that makes perfect sense to me. I have a bit of mechanical background, which can be good at times like this.
 
I use a zoom spout/turbine oil for most of my tables and lubrication of olite bearings in motors and have had good luck, no unusual wear. This seemed best in tables that have a closer tolerance bearing, like Fairchild and Thorens, It was a closer match to the original oils. The zoom spout oil is more like a good gun oil, not thin closer to a 20wt.
And use a light synthetic like 0-30 I think for my Rek O Kuts, It seemed a close match to the original Rek O kut oil.
I always thought that 3n1 and WD40 were more a solvent than lubricant.
bob
 
fiddlefye said:
One tech told me he uses synthetic ATF (automatic transmission fluid) as it has what he considers to be appropriate viscosity (at the rpm a TT runs at, of course) and won't drain off. Just another thought.
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I did a LOT of online research into spindle oil a few month back when I was trying to address the speed instability of my Rega Planar 2 (turns out it has a slightly eccentric sub-platter). I found that by far, most people in the Rega community anyway (including Rega) recommend 80 weight hypoid gear oil. With the synthetic variety suggested for longer life.

I used 80w gear oil for a while, but last time I had it apart, ended up using Tri-Flo which seems to work well also.
 
Brett a said:
I did a LOT of online research into spindle oil a few month back when I was trying to address the speed instability of my Rega Planar 2 (turns out it has a slightly eccentric sub-platter). I found that by far, most people in the Rega community anyway (including Rega) recommend 80 weight hypoid gear oil. With the synthetic variety suggested for longer life.

I used 80w gear oil for a while, but last time I had it apart, ended up using Tri-Flo which seems to work well also.
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Man thats a high viscosity isn't it? I bought some of that once for a bicycle hub. I thought we were to stay with lower weight oils like sewing machine oils or something similar. Interesting because I have a fair amount of it at home.
 
Old_Tech said:
Man thats a high viscosity isn't it? I bought some of that once for a bicycle hub. I thought we were to stay with lower weight oils like sewing machine oils or something similar. Interesting because I have a fair amount of it at home.
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80 weight gear oil is very heavy; almost like soft caramel. Tri-Flo is lighter, but still thicker than sewing machine oil, which I understand is best for finer moving perts but too thin for main bearings.
 
Here's a question for the recent posters to this thread...

Thorens TD 124 and also TD 121... how many drops of oil do you put in them? It can't be too much.

In a general sense..do you want the oil to be (with the platter mounted) 25% up the vertical shaft, 50% up the shaft, all the way to the top? (let it ooze out so it's 100% full after platter is inserted)

?
 
Coytee said:
Here's a question for the recent posters to this thread...

Thorens TD 124 and also TD 121... how many drops of oil do you put in them? It can't be too much.

In a general sense..do you want the oil to be (with the platter mounted) 25% up the vertical shaft, 50% up the shaft, all the way to the top? (let it ooze out so it's 100% full after platter is inserted)

?
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I've always just used just a couple three drops in the well on all the Thorens I have, just enough to cover the well bearing. Plus I use a Q-tip to apply a thin film of oil on the bearing shaft before placing the platter back in the well. That way the walls of the well, the shaft and the bearing itself are lubricated from the get go.
 
I found that my bronze motor bearings had to be soaked in gasoline to get the oil out, washed in IPA, dried, and then heated in Mobil 1 10W-30 to about 150°F to make 'em absorb new oil.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2181038&postcount=16

The platter got a few drops of that same Mobil 1 as well. The results have been great. No more rumble, the motor stays cool, and the strobe marks don't even slow down anymore during an arm cycle.

Tom
 
ZebraBlvd said:
I've always just used just a couple three drops in the well on all the Thorens I have, just enough to cover the well bearing. Plus I use a Q-tip to apply a thin film of oil on the bearing shaft before placing the platter back in the well. That way the walls of the well, the shaft and the bearing itself are lubricated from the get go.
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This sounds exactly right. :thmbsp:
 
I have a SL-1200mk5 and when I ordered the hinge kit I just ordered the Technics oil right from them (KAB). Don't make the mistake I made, it came in a little dropper bottle and the top was sealed so I took a knife and chopped the tip off to open it, well a little splashed into my eyes, lemme tell you what! That stuff BURNS!!!! haha

couple drops every 2k hours, that little dropper will last me, well forever!
 
grumpy said:
Using motor oil from the end of a dip stick is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Do you have any idea how close the tolerance is on a TT bearing. Now lets throw some metal shavings from you cars oil in there. Think before giving piss poor advice like that !

And yes I will spend MY money however I choose.
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i TOTALLY agree with grumpy on this. WHY ON EARTH would you purposely insert microscopic metal pieces and shavings from your car's motor into your turntable bearing shaft????? those tiny metal pieces will completely ruin the bearing shaft.

whatever you do, DO NOT GO TO YOUR CAR, TAKE THE OIL DIPSTICK OUT AND THEN LET DROPS OF OIL INTO THE BEARING SHAFT OF YOUR TURNTABLE!!! DON'T DO IT.
 
5w-30

I saw a photo essay on an AR restoration over at Vinyl Engine. The fella documented the whole process it was very good. In the back of one of the shots was a plastic bottle of 5w-30 motor oil (virgin) he had used on the pivot and platter bearings.
 
I have a "precision oiler" from TheSource here in Canada with the following description:

"Precision oiler. Precision tip fits into hard to reach places. Ideal for electronic equipment, toys and appliances. Sticks to surface and will not wash off."

The oil has teflon in it and is fairly thick.

Do you guys think that would work? Seems to me the teflon might be good for older bearings that might not have seen oil in a long time?
 
I am going to jump into the fray

Regardless of what dual says or anything else, Sewing machine oil is absolutely the best bearing oil. It is a light machine oil made for many revolutions, does not collect dirt, doesnt turn to goo and in terms of "wasting money"..can anyone spare $2.99 ? http://www.amazon.com/4-oz-Sewing-M...1355437771&sr=8-1&keywords=sewing+machine+oil

The problem with motor oil is its too thick and is made to COLLECT CRUD, plus most have detergent additives which you don;t want in a turntable bearing.

Common sense. Think of what sewing machine oil is used in and what it does/lubricates and think of what motor oil does.

Sorry to be so adament, not intending to be but of this I know. Even 3 in 1 oil is not recommended due to its propensity to gum up.
 
My 1970's Technics 1200 Mark I still has the original oil container. I use it according to prescribed application but should I be worried that the oil is pushing 40? I know that oils can break down over time even if they're not in use such as the conventional engine oil change interval of 3k miles or 3 months.
 
I use NEW 30w motor oil,seems to work fine for me. Using oil from the end of a dipstick? Would you put used oil in your car?

Have fun,
1 Qt NEW oil cost $3-4.00. It will last for a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOG time.

Thanks for the laughs,:D
John.:music:
 
Rob: I don't concur, 'cause sewing machine oil usually has a pretty low viscosity - quite a good bit lower than the Renotac 342/343 oils used by Dual, so I would be worried about the long term effects a too light oil might cause...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
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