Rock-ola 448 Sluggish

So I am almost done with my restoration of this Rock-ola 448 I picked up but had an odd question. Technically everything works but here is my situation.

Record selection works fine for the first record, but the arm is slow and actually stops and then moves again to completely pick up and place the record. The same thing at the end of the record, takes a few seconds after the cut off switch for it to pick up the record but then returns it without an issue.

I have tried to do repetitive pick-up and returns, once it starts to play the record I cancel it and it returns without any sluggishness, over and over. I did this with about 25 records and pickup and return worked as expected. Then I would select a record and let it play to the end and the sluggishness comes back.

I have tried replacing the gripper motor with one I know works fine and I get the same issue. Again if I do repetitive pickup and returns using the cancel button its fine, but let it play all the way and the sluggishness comes back trying to return it. And the sluggishness is only at the beginning of the process, once its moving the speed is fine.

I currently have the unit in my garage and the weather around here in NJ has been very humid lately which I am wondering if that may be the issue.

Also, I have taken apart the gripper assembly and everything moves fluidly without any stickiness.

Microswitches perhaps? Have you tried cleaning or replacing them?

The 3 red micro switches on the end of the gripper shaft cam? I have made sure they are aligned properly but will take a look at them again.
Thank you very much for the suggestion...

Ron Valkenburg

Ron,
In a situation like this, I would guess you have some type of "lubrication" that has turned to "glue" !
Pretty common when different types of lube are mixed ---
Ron Rich

Well problem solved...
Both motors I had were bad, go figure. Replaced it with another motor and everything works perfectly now.

Thanks for all the advice.

Ron Valkenburg

Ron,
Glad you found it--but very unusual for the motor(s) to act that way--did you "clean/re-lube" them ??
I would be willing to bet the gear boxes are full of "sticky stuff", and/or, the motor shafts/bearings are dirty, or dry--
Ron Rich

Well I know the first motor, the gears are spent. When you make a selection and it would hesitate, if you pressed up on the bottom of the motor shaft it would work. This is explained easily, as when I picked this up at the auction, the gripper motor was jumping off the gear because someone put the gripper gears in wrong and it would not move, but the motor kept running. The second motor I had I cleaned out completely but before I put it in the unit I noticed that someone modified it and drilled holes in the can, assuming for heat and I pulled a screw out of the motor.

So the third one was cleaned out and all is well....

Hi Ron,
Just goes to prove, that there just ain't no accountin' for what Rob's Gepetto friends, have done---
Ron Rich