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Direct Drive Turntable Thudding Noise When Spinning

I like the idea of cutting a slot for a screwdriver in the ball. I might cut it at a slight angle i.e. not parallel to the shaft. That would allow twisting with a little bit of prying with the screwdriver.
 
Isaac C. said:
Thanks! I literally looked online everyday for 9 months before I came across It. I was watching videos on Technics 1100 tables and I saw it in a comparison video I thought thats what I want right there, so I started looking. So I just heat it with a blow torch and use a plastic pry bar or popsicle stick and see if it comes off? Would a heat gun potentially work, I have one that gets red hot? I'm just a little nervous heating it with a torch considering parts are non existent.
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A heat gun may work. It can't hurt to try it. You only need about 3 to 400 hundred degrees to expand the metal.
 
I got it out!!!!! No prying needed, I just heated it up with an heat gun on low and it just fell out after about 30 seconds! Thanks everyone!. My next question is where can I get a new bearing ball from? For now Im just going to rotate it so the flat spot isn't showing, but I would like to replace it if I can.
 
Isaac C. said:
I got it out!!!!! No prying needed, I just heated it up with an heat gun on low and it just fell out after about 30 seconds! Thanks everyone!. My next question is where can I get a new bearing ball from? For now Im just going to rotate it so the flat spot isn't showing, but I would like to replace it if I can.
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New Hampshire has several ball bearing manufacturers. Here's one https://nhbb.com/ I don't think they sell direct. You can also give these people a call:
Eastern Bearings Inc
32 Nimble Hill Rd
Newington, NH 03801
(603) 431-1441

No affiliation to any of these places, but at one time I got a box of bearing for my turn table from one of these places.
 
Now I'm having difficulty getting the shaft back into the bearing well. The part I heated expanded so it wont go back in. I tried heating then cooling it but it did not work. What else could I try?
 
Heat does nothing but temporarily expand the metal. As long as you were gentle with this and didn't bang it or bend it by force it should slide right back into place. You may need to clean the shaft or the bearing well as there may be debris or dried oil that is preventing from sliding easily back into place.
 
Well the bearing fixed the thudding noise for the most part, its basically inaudible now. All I did was rotate the bearing ball at the end of the spindle. I also gave the spindle and bearing well a nice polish. Speed is so much smoother now too.

For the spindle I wet sanded with 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, and finally 4000 grit for a mirror polish. Then I polished it with aluminum polish. The bearing well was polished with 4000 grit and metal polish.
 
I guess the proof is in the listening. Good work. Any clue to why it makes what sounds like a gear noise or are you tempted to just chalk it up to an artifact of this motor type?
 
infullview said:
I guess the proof is in the listening. Good work. Any clue to why it makes what sounds like a gear noise or are you tempted to just chalk it up to an artifact of this motor type?
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I have no idea why it makes that noise, its still there but not as loud, I noticed my mat makes it louder though. Before I did this I could hear it about 6 inches away, now I have to put my ear near the spindle to hear it. I think its just the motor design, the table has a rumble of 60db so its not the quietest direct drive turntable ever. I have a few more minor tweaks before I call it done though.
 
Congrats! Maybe, the shaft and bronze bearing it sits in, has a little too much clearance (wear). And noise is being generated. Try a little heavier oil on the shaft (maybe 20W-50). The heavier viscosity could reduce some of the bearing interface noise.

Good luck! :thumbsup:
 
I'm currently using 20w 3 in 1 electric motor oil which does not have the additives like the general purpose 3 in 1. I might try some excess 30w synthetic car oil I have. Do you think cleaning up the bearing well with 4000 grit was too much? When I reinstalled the spindle assembly it scratched the bearing well a bit because of where the metal expanded on the spindle. That's why I cleaned it up with some wet sanded 4000 grit and polished the spindle. Both the spindle and bearing well look smooth without any noticeable imperfections now.

I learn something new everyday, next time I'll check the spindle before scratching the bearing well.
 
Isaac C. said:
I'm currently using 20w 3 in 1 electric motor oil which does not have the additives like the general purpose 3 in 1. I might try some excess 30w synthetic car oil I have. Do you think cleaning up the bearing well with 4000 grit was too much? When I reinstalled the spindle assembly it scratched the bearing well a bit because of where the metal expanded on the spindle. That's why I cleaned it up with some wet sanded 4000 grit and polished the spindle. Both the spindle and bearing well look smooth without any noticeable imperfections now.

I learn something new everyday, next time I'll check the spindle before scratching the bearing well.
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Dont use car oil it has emulsifying agents which attract water, over months you can end up with a white watery oil mess depending where you live. Car oil is designed for a closed system, the oil you are using is designed for open bearings like a turntable, stick with what you have.
Chris
 
Isaac C. said:
I'm currently using 20w 3 in 1 electric motor oil which does not have the additives like the general purpose 3 in 1. I might try some excess 30w synthetic car oil I have. Do you think cleaning up the bearing well with 4000 grit was too much? When I reinstalled the spindle assembly it scratched the bearing well a bit because of where the metal expanded on the spindle. That's why I cleaned it up with some wet sanded 4000 grit and polished the spindle. Both the spindle and bearing well look smooth without any noticeable imperfections now.

I learn something new everyday, next time I'll check the spindle before scratching the bearing well.
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I don't think you did any damage by using the 4000 grit. You probably took off more old grime than anything else. The bearing well is going to center the the spindle and I'm sure there are other bearing sleeves in the top half of the motor. What's important is you've solved the thumping.
 
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