How to change the oil on a Gyrodec

[bretty]

Morning all,

I've been trying to find out about this, but as usual, Michell's literature is useless.

I think I noticed the deck playing a little slow a couple of times this morning, so I took the platter off to have a look at the bearing. I had a look inside the cylindical bronze bearing housing (that has the little 'thrust ball' in it), and it looks like there's no oil in it. The one part of the Michell blurb that I understood was that there should be 2mm of oil.

I know this may sound uber stupid, but I want to make sure I get this right. Where does the oil go? Do I literally pour it into the bronze bearing housing, by turning it upside down and pouring it into the well?

Also, what oil do you recommend? Michell say, if you don't use their own, then 0-40 motor is what to use. Any other suggestions?

 

[bretty]

Ok, I've re-read the Michell instructions a few more times and I get it. There is oil in it. The oil is in the aluminium spindle, right? The walls of the bronze housing have a light coating. I thought it would be weird to put the oil into the bronze housing, because surely gravity would make it pour out when the housing was turned the right way up.

So the oil goes into the aluminum spindle, that the bronze housing sits on top of, correct?

If that's right, then do you undo the little screw, or allen bolt (I haven't had a close look yet) at the bottom of the aluminium spindle to let the old oil out, and fill from the little hole at the top?

Man, I hate not knowing stuff.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Is yours a modern GyroDec Bretty? Newer ones have an inverted bearing, which means the bearing is up inside the housing in the platter, rather than down inside the housing in the plinth. If you do have a more recent one, the oil is poured onto the top of the cylindrical brass bit that sticks up from the platter that has the little hole in it - it then seeps down into the circular well below. You won't heed to put any oil into the bearing housing that's connected to the platter.

 

[floyd droid]

Ok Bretts. I had promised myself not to post on here anymore but i cant see you in a cufuffle can i. Right if you look at the bearing shaft there is a tiny hole in it. Thats were the oil feeds up and through from the well that the shaft is part of *. Ya know the bit you screwed in from the bottom of the chassis. Clean the well out and pour a couple of mill of oil in there. This will then lubricate the inside of the bearing sleeve. Dont lose the ball bearing thats in the bearing housing ffs. Clean yer belt and the groove on the platter that it runs in with isoprope. Check that the motor is pretty central to the hole in the chassis. All this helps. If the powers that be would give you my email we can keep in touch. But ive had enough of the sniping on here to be honest mate.

* its tother way around actually but you get my drift mate.

 

[bretty]

Ok Bretts. I had promised myself not to post on here anymore but i cant see you in a cufuffle can i. Right if you look at the bearing shaft there is a tiny hole in it. Thats were the oil feeds up and through from the well that the shaft is part of . Ya know the bit you screwed in from the bottom of the chassis. Clean the well out and pour a couple of mill of oil in there. This will then lubricate the inside of the bearing sleeve. Dont lose the ball bearing thats in the bearing housing ffs. Clean yer belt and the groove on the platter that it runs in with isoprope. Check that the motor is pretty central to the hole in the chassis. All this helps. If the powers that be would give you my email we can keep in touch. But ive had enough of the sniping on here to be honest mate.

Oh man, don't b*gger off mate. there's only a few decent blokes on here now and you're one of 'em. Who am I gonna bleat to?

See, why didn't Michell get you to write the instructions? That's clear as a bell mate. Cheers.

Could the problem be the belt? i've just looked at it and ran it through my fingers and it feels rough. Maybe a little perished. I've no idea how old the belt is. I'll get a new one, anyway.

Seriously, geez, you've been a massive help to me over the months and I'd hate to see you go. But if you gotta go, either msg me your email to my facebook (brett wilson: purple record on the gyro profile pic) or, if you aint on FB, chuck me an email to: my full name (above, in brackets) with a 'w' inbetween the first and second name@yahoo.co.uk. All one word, no spaces or hyphens or gubbins.

 

[Anonymous]

vinylengine is your friend.

 

[bretty]

Is yours a modern GyroDec Bretty? Newer ones have an inverted bearing, which means the bearing is up inside the housing in the platter, rather than down inside the housing in the plinth. If you do have a more recent one, the oil is poured onto the top of the cylindrical brass bit that sticks up from the platter that has the little hole in it - it then seeps down into the circular well below. You won't heed to put any oil into the bearing housing that's connected to the platter.

Hi David,

It has the inverted bearing, yes. Thanks for your answer. You had me confused for a sec there, but then I realised you meant aluminum cylyndrical bit rather than brass, and chassis rather than platter. Cheers muchly.

Between you and FD, I finally get it!

 

[Frank Harvey]

Sorry, I had to go through it in my head!

 

[floyd droid]

Emither sent bretts. Post up if you didnt get it mate and we will take it from there,ta.

 

[bretty]

Sorry, I had to go through it in my head!

Considering it's a Sunday, you did well to think it through

 

[Jason36]

Ok Bretts. I had promised myself not to post on here anymore but i cant see you in a cufuffle can i. Right if you look at the bearing shaft there is a tiny hole in it. Thats were the oil feeds up and through from the well that the shaft is part of *. Ya know the bit you screwed in from the bottom of the chassis. Clean the well out and pour a couple of mill of oil in there. This will then lubricate the inside of the bearing sleeve. Dont lose the ball bearing thats in the bearing housing ffs. Clean yer belt and the groove on the platter that it runs in with isoprope. Check that the motor is pretty central to the hole in the chassis. All this helps. If the powers that be would give you my email we can keep in touch. But ive had enough of the sniping on here to be honest mate.

* its tother way around actually but you get my drift mate.

Oh NO!!

Dont go Floyd Droid....I think a number of us on this site really appreciate your knowledge and input when it comes to this vinyl lark Dont let the few spoil it for the majority of us.

 

[bretty]

Ok Bretts. I had promised myself not to post on here anymore but i cant see you in a cufuffle can i. Right if you look at the bearing shaft there is a tiny hole in it. Thats were the oil feeds up and through from the well that the shaft is part of *. Ya know the bit you screwed in from the bottom of the chassis. Clean the well out and pour a couple of mill of oil in there. This will then lubricate the inside of the bearing sleeve. Dont lose the ball bearing thats in the bearing housing ffs. Clean yer belt and the groove on the platter that it runs in with isoprope. Check that the motor is pretty central to the hole in the chassis. All this helps. If the powers that be would give you my email we can keep in touch. But ive had enough of the sniping on here to be honest mate.

* its tother way around actually but you get my drift mate.

Oh NO!! Dont go Floyd Droid....I think a number of us on this site really appreciate your knowledge and input when it comes to this vinyl lark Dont let the few spoil it for the majority of us.

I know. That's how it goes, Jase. The good guys get chased out by the idiots.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Bretty. To change the oil on your deck, assuming it is the inverted type of bearing, first unscrew the retaining disc at the top centre of the platter. Put this to one side and now lift the platter off the brass bearing. Now lift the brass part off the stub, be careful not to let the little ball bearing drop out and get lost. Check that the male part of the bearing is properly screwed into the sub-chassis, they can work loose and unscrew themselves, lowering the platter position and then scraping on the sub-chassis causing speed variation. With a cotton bud remove any traces of old oil and drip fresh oil onto the top of the spindle, letting it dribble down the shaft and into the well. The well should be filled to about a third of its depth, any more and it will spill out onto the sub. Then simply re-fit the bearing over the shaft, check that the ball has not dropped out. Give the bearing a few spins to draw the oil up and over the ball. Then fit the platter onto the bearing and screw down the centre retaining disc - make sure that the machined side is downwards, don't overtighten ! Clean the drive belt with isopropyl alcohol using a piece of white kitchen towel to de-grease it. Clean the motor pulley by wetting a cotton bud with isopropyl and pressing it into the grooves of the pulley, whilst the motor is rotating, to give this a clean. This is how I do it when servicing decks in the shop. Cheers.