by Ron Rich »
Sun Apr 17, 2016 3:01 am
Hi Mike,
RockOla used two AC and two DC motors in most models--the two AC are the turntable and write in motors.
On the turntable motor, several different "versions" were used. One had two oil "tubes", on had one oil tube ( to the bottom bearing), and one had no oil tubes. Obviously, the one with two tubes--just fill the tubes ! The one with one tube--fill it and look at the shaft that drives the idler wheel--you will see a bearing as it exits the motor--ONE small drop or 20 wt. here, AND--look around that shaft and you should see a small series of holes that encircle it. Under these holes, there is a large felt wick, which should be filled with 20 wt. If there is no tube for the bottom bearing, motor must be removed, turned upside-down , and the small encircling holes with the oil wick under them must be saturated.
On the AC write-in motor. Once again, (not sure) but I think there were different versions here too--I strongly discourage "messing with this motor". It appears to me that a drop of 20 wt. on both ends of the armature shaft is sufficient. A small drop at any point where a gear shaft sticks thru the casting, and a very slight coating of oil on the open gears is all I use--SOME of the armature shafts have oil holes with felt underneath, at either end, similar to the above TT motor.
DC Gripper motor--MOST of these (of any brand) have an oil hole drilled into the gear box, just at the point that the armature passes out of the motor, into the gear box--there is a large felt there that needs to be oiled. The basket DC motor does NOT have that hole. I strongly urge, if you wanna do it rit-er, no, write--no,---RIGHT, that you remove both motors, open the gear boxes, and examine them. If the grease is still moist, just re-distribute it onto the gears. If old and dried out, it MUST be totally removed and replaced ( I suggest a SLIGHT coating of graphite grease here), and of course, clean, re-oil the motor, check/replace brushes as needed.
As for the use of (graphite, or any type) grease--if you do so, all "old stuff" must be removed, then a very slight coating of new grease should be applied to anything that "slides", and all gear teeth.
HTS, Ron Rich