Lenco bearing upgrade...

[NealG]

Absolutely rubbish weather today so I've had plenty of time to re-engage with my Hi-Fi. So much time in fact I even managed to fit Joels (from Lenco Heaven) bearing upgrade to my GL99.

The kit is only 17Euros and comes with the oil, cleaner, loctite, new thrust pad, ball bearing and end cap....everything packaged up neatly with all fluids in syringes. Great VFM.

Before the upgrade my platter took approx 55 seconds to stop from 33.3rpm now it takes a staggering 3min 35s ! That's some improvement and an indication of the reduction in friction / drag. The motor should be enjoying an easier time....

I need to let it run for a good 24hrs apparently and I hope it improves further, there are reports of +4mins for the platter slow down time.

Too early to tell on any sound improvements (if any) I'll need to live with it for a while but I think I've detected a slight improvement in Bass detail and attack...

Gets a thumbs up from me!

[Dave the bass]

Yup, thats what I found Neal. Major reduction in background/mechanical noise was my major finding. The only noise I find now is the actual roar of the pressing depending on the LP's heritage.

Glad to hear you're back on the scene (with a record machine... to para-phrase a hip hop classic).

DTB

[NealG]

Hi Dave!

After 24hrs the platter now takes 4min 28sec to slow from 33.3rpm....pretty impressive.

Listened a lot today and there is an improvement, albeit slight. Bass has better attack as I noted before and there seems to be some more clarity to the midrange.

[Shian7]

Ok Ok, I'm sold...... I'll get one ordered!

Cheers,
Mike.

[Dave the bass]

Originally Posted by Shian7

Ok Ok, I'm sold...... I'll get one ordered!

Cheers,
Mike.

Ha! Mike fell for it, Neal and I are on a hooooge commission (I'm buying a small villa on the proceeds and Neal's buying four Bentleys)

Nah seriously Mike it's worth it. Joel's very good and quick to deal with, the upgrade is easy to do. A clean work surface, screw driver and a bit of kitchen towel is all you need really.

DTB

[Richard]

Originally Posted by NealG

Absolutely rubbish weather today so I've had plenty of time to re-engage with my Hi-Fi. So much time in fact I even managed to fit Joels (from Lenco Heaven) bearing upgrade to my GL99.

You lucky chap I'm decorating scraping woodchip off a ceiling...

[Dave the bass]

Originally Posted by Richard

You lucky chap I'm decorating scraping woodchip off a ceiling...

Sounds like one hell of a party you there Richard

DTB

[Paul Barker]

Don't tell me Richard, one of the monsters has moved into a dingy flat and you are helping to make it nice?

[soulminer]

Hi Neal.

Just checked my GL88's run down time after a listening session. I have a sort of semi-Joel's kit on mine. Let me explain.

I bought a kit for a TD150 years ago and never got round to fitting it. That was back in the day when the kit was just the polished thrust plate. I thought I would try fitting it to the GL88. I removed the nylatron thrust plate from the Lenco bearing, placed the housing (with sintered bushes left in) in the oven for an hour or so and sweated all the old oil, grease and **** out. Then I left it soak in warmed, fully synthetic Castrol Hypoid gear oil for a couple of days. Then I glued Joel's (slightly smaller) TD150 thrust plate onto the bottom plate of the Lenco bearing with loctite, filled the bearing housing with more of the same oil and reassembled with the same old original ball bearing. Then I fitted the endcap back on with some loctite and a small jubilee clip to seal it completely. As the oil came out of the set screw hole whilst refitting the shaft, the shaft then bottomed out and I filled it up with more oil through the hole. Finally, I filed a touch off the end of the set screw so it couldn't bind on the shaft and screwed it home with a dab of loctite on the thread. I then refitted the bearing to the turntable and ran it for a few hours to let it settle and check for leaks. I fed a bit more oil into the top bearing over a few days until it would take no more and finally put the oil-soaked felt washer back. I did all this about two months ago.

Run down time tonight from 33 1/3 rpm was 5 minutes 18 seconds. It is all oil tight and silent, even using a stethoscope on the bearing housing.

Yours will probably get better and better as time goes by and it settles down.

I just need to stop building amplifiers now and build a nice plinth for it.

Cheers

[NealG]

Cheers Lee, it's now taking 5min 4s, not sure if it will have any more affect on the sound if it gets any better but it's sure sounding fine at the moment!