Platter bearing maintenance

[Lenco Heaven]

Bearing overview:

1. Bottom cap/Plastic cap
2. Bearing housing/Turntable spindle bearing
3. Bearing housing flange
4. Spindle
5. Spindle locking screw/Special screw
6. Felt washer/Felt ring

Materials you need:

1. Cleaning agent
2. Oil
3. Wooden stick
4. Bottom cap
5. Ball/Ball bearing Ø5mm.
6. Thrust plate

There are kits available or you can use your own alternatives and the old thrust plate/ball combination and
bottom cap.

Oil:
The type of oil is open for experimentation. Thick or thin, it's really up to you and the mechanical state of your
bearing. Some use standard 10W/40, others Mobil 1 or special turntable bearing oil. Bottom line is: find out
what suits you.

Cleaning agent:
Lighter fuel, isopropyl alcohol, methylated spirits, acetone and probably lots of others.
Caution! Please be aware that these fluids are potentially dangerous to your health and
highly flammable!




The tools you need: medium-sized flat head screwdriver and circlip pliers




Remove the felt washer:




Pull off the bottom cap:




Remove the spindle locking screw:




Pull out the spindle:




Remove the circlip, the thrust plate support disc and the thrust plate will come out:




This is what you'll have on the (clean) table:

1. Bearing housing/Turntable spindle bearing
2. Spindle locking screw/Special screw
3. Felt washer/Felt ring
4. Spindle
5. Ball/Ball bearing Ø5mm.
6. Thrust plate/Nylatron plate
7. Thrust plate support disc/Metal disc
8. Circlip/Seeger inside spring J12
9. Bottom cap/Plastic cap

Screw the spindle locking screw back in, close one end of the bearing with your finger and put some
cleaning agent in the bearing housing:



Close the other end with your thumb and shake it!



Pour out the cleaning agent and remove the spindle locking screw. Get some clean lint-free cloth, an
old T-shirt or something, wrap it around the wooden stick and clean/dry the innards of the bearing from
both sides. Don't forget the rims of the bushings.



Clean the spindle:



And the lodging where the ball resides:



The base plate of course:



OK, cleaning done. Put the thrust-plate and base plate back in. Thrust-plate goes on top of the
base plate:



Put the circlip back in:



Optional: put some loctite on the groove at the bottom of the bearing housing to prevent oil leaks
between the bottom cap and the bearing housing. Push the bottom cap back on until it goes no further:



A drop of oil in the ball lodging at the underside of the spindle. This makes it a bit sticky and prevents
the ball from falling out the spindle:



And place the ball back in its position:



With the spindle locking screw's hole facing up, pour some (approx.2ml) oil in the bearing:



Put something under the bearing because oil will leak out. Slide the spindle back in and continue
until the recessed part of the spindle is in front of the spindle locking screw hole. This might take some
force as the spindle tends to push back:



Wipe the spilled oil and screw the locking screw back in while holding the bearing like this:



Finally it's time to mount the bearing back in the top plate. Place the felt washer on the spindle
and soak it with oil:



Put the platter back on the spindle and start spinning some vinyl again! Let it run for a couple of
hours. Check to see if there's still enough oil in the bearing by removing the felt washer and squirt
some oil between the spindle and bushing. Don't put the felt washer back yet and repeat these steps
until you see there's still some oil left between spindle and bushing:





Terms in green are those used in the Lenco spare parts list.




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