Phonoland

Hi Folks,
We have a Rock-ola Starlet that is behaving badly. The gripper arm will not pick up the record from the turn-table. If I switch off the service switch and turn the mech by hand, it works fine. What seems to happen is the gripper arm jumps slightly when the motor is turned on, so the top of the gripper misses the record edge. We have tried bending the rest plate down lower, but it still does it! Any ideas would be most helpful. Happy New Year!

I hate to tell you this, but you "done wrong" by bending it ! See if you can get it back to where it was --
Your problem is a typical RO problem--lack of proper oil, or or use of improper oil.
My suggestion, which has worked for me a "million times" is that you purchase a can" of SAE 20 wt. ND oil at a good, local (NON-"chain") auto parts store. Oil the whole "gripper arm assembly", especially at the side where the two gears (should) slip by each other. Then you will need to play MANY records, all the while addng oil, to work it in. Hold your finger LIGHTLY, downward, on the tip of the gripper, as it picks up records from the turntable--do both sides of the records, and sooner, or later it will improve --(this can take over an hour !)--one one side first--then the other. After you have it workng, play at least 100 records, and re-oil it again, then play at least 100 more.
In case you can not find a "good" autoparts store ("Chains" don't stock it !!), find a good hardware store, and you can get it as "3inOne" "MOTOR OIL-20 wt"--Do NOT use "Household" or "Multipurpose" 3 in One ! The correct "can" has a pix of an electric motor on it as of this date--Ron Rich

Hi Ron,
Thanks for the info. The arm stop is designed to be bent to align the gripper with the record rim. It was no problem bending it back. Our machine has not been used for most of '08, so what you're suggesting makes perfect sense. Can't say I've ever seen 3 in 1 other than the 'Multipurpose' though. We have many new records to load into the Starlet, so what better way to loosen-up the mechanism than to play them all + 'B' sides!
Regards,
James.

Hi James,
You are welcome--
Yea, it is meant to be bent--however, not too many times--nor to be done for any other reason then "alignment"--which was not the problem (and frankly, something that can not change "by itself").
As for the 3 in One "motor oil", if there is an "Ace Hardware" near you, they usually have it, and if not, CAN order it.
I probably should have said in the first reply to make sure to get the oil INBETWEEN the mentioned "two gears" as that's usually where that problem exists--be sure and get it worked into the center portion of the "gripper" where the springs are (hidden) also--
Enjoy the music--Ron Rich

Ok Ron,
All is now well with our machine. I had no joy with the motor oil, (we don't seem to have an Ace Hardware outlet here in the UK.)
I ended up using WD40, spraying between the gears with the flexible tube. After a few goes the gripper stopped jumping. As you suggested the gunge between the gears was acting like a kind of clutch, locking them together.We have played all the new records (both sides) and everything is now fine. Best wishes for 2009!
James & Barbara.

James,
I hate to tell you this--but spraying with WD-40 will gum it up worse. It will work for awhile, then REALLY jam up. You have to find the correct oil. BTW, 3inOne is now a WD-40 company product, so I would imagine any hardware store( "ACE" is a national chain hdwr. store here, in the USA) can order the motor oil from the WD-4o supplier --IMHO, WD-40 is best left as far away from a jukebox as possible! Good luck. Ron Rich