Problem with the tonearm of GE Portable

Hello!

I just got today a vintage GE Solid State portable recor player. Everything seems to work fine with it, but the tonearm feels hard (on the right-left moviment) therefore it doesn't move on the record as it supose to, it keeps playing the same "line" over and over (the record is fine and it happens, no matter what part of the record I drop the arm). Does anybody know /have any idea what is the problem? I also tried lubricating some of the parts. I'm wondering if it's missing some spring that would free the moviment (although I find it very unlikely)... Anyway... Thanks.

It sounds like either the change cycle drive is not disengaging from the arm, or the arm bearings are dry. Which record changer is this? GE used Milwaukee-Erwood and V-M before it bought Glazer-Steers.