Technics bearing oil question

Hey guys & girls,
I was wondering today about what oil you use on your Technics turntables, and how often you use it. Mine says every 2,000 hours, and I have never oiled the bearing in my lifetime. I'm staring to think that it could use some.

What do you think?

Jake

 

If you spin it manually, is there any resistance?

 

I hadn't oiled my Technics turntable for a long time either. So I bought the Technics factory made oil thru Kab for $4.50. It is super easy to remove the turntable and place the 2 or 3 drops of oil.

The no. is SFW 010
Spindle Oil
$4.50

http://www.kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/index.htm

Dale C.

 

I tried removing it, and I had a hard time...blah.

 

no there isn't, I'm starting to hear a strange noise through the speakers that I think is the bearing.

I'll try the oil, but I also wonder if it needs to be cleaned out. Is this a bearing that can be taken apart?

Jake

 

Although I'm not sure of the recommended oil for the Technics, I would recommend flushing out the old oil, and at least run a flush of the new type oil to clean any remaining contaminants, then add the final amount. On some other turntables (including a vintage Rek-O-Kut B16-H), I have tried the Royal Purple synthetic oil (either 5w30 or 10w30) with excelent results. As for the Linn, I simply use the recommended "black oil" (but am tempted to try the Royal Purple on one of the "surplus" setups, to see how it works out).

 

Thanks. I'd like to clean out the bearing since I doubt it has ever had oil added to it since it was made (sometime since the late 70's early 80's) I just don't know how to take the bearing apart. Can anyone point me to a web site that may show me?

Jake

 

Any good synthetic motor oil of low viscosity should suffice for any bearing for any turntable. Don't believe all the crap about specially formulated bearing oil. Bearings of any type rely on the same principals - a cushion of lubricant to reduce friction. Some bearings are made from oil impregnated material (usually bronze) but even those require occasional lubrication.

Mobil, Quaker State, Exxon, etc. spend a small fortune formulating and testing oils encompassing all the different materials/metals that manufacturers use in drivetrain assemblies. If their oils are good enough to take a beating in an extremely hostile environment they should easily be good enough for a TT bearing.

I second cleaning out the old oil as dino oil does gum up over the years and dirt eats up bearings.

 

Are you saying one can use any good [low viscosity] synthetic oil used on automobiles for oiling let's say the shaft of the technics 1200MK3 turntable? Please let me hear from you. Thanks.