Hi Ken ~ Antique Electronic Supply in Tempe, AZ sells a 3.5 oz bottle of Rubber Renue for $5.95, part number S-C220. It's described as follows: Removes dead rubber from old rubber surfaces to clean and revitalize idler wheels, belts and pinch rollers.
If the rubber isn't too far gone (if it isn't rock hard), this will probably do the trick. You keep wiping it on the edge of the wheel and rubbing it off until the rag stops coming up black. It should restore the tack to the surface. A less graceful "repair" can also be accomplished with Belt & Drive Non-Slip (part # S-C10-8602, $5.75. This is basically a tacky coating that you paint around the edge of the rubber. I prefer not to use this except as a last resort. In the old days, Non-Slip was a quick and dirty fix. Neither of these products will address the next most likely cause of uneven running, which is dust and dirt getting in the following places: Motor armature shafts and bushings, idler wheel shaft and bushing, platter thrust washer and bearings (after removing the platter, you'll see a shiny metal washer around the bottom of the spindle shaft. Lift this out with a dental pick or appropriate tool, and you'll get to the caged ball bearings underneath), and don't forget to clean and oil the inside diameter of the platter hole, and the outside of the shaft that it revolves around. If this machine is a 3-speed changer, you may also have small wide belts that connect the armature shaft to intermediate rollers, or additional rollers all of which get treated with the rubber revitalizer. Some 3-speed changers have just the one idler wheel between the armature shaft and the inside rim of the platter. Don't forget to clean the inside rim of the platter, and be sure to avoid getting any oil on any of the rubber or it's drive surfaces, when oiling the shafts and bushings. It takes an hour or two to recondition these old turntables, and most of them will reward you with renewed performance. If the rubber is too far gone, there are sources for rebuilding idler wheels. Hope that helps. Andy Baron On Jun 27, 2006, at 9:17 PM, Ken & Brenda Brekke wrote: > Does anyone on this list know how to revitalize an old rubber drive > wheel for an electric phonograph turntable. My father would really > love to get his old Magnovox to play better. The turntable's speed > seems to vary a little. I was able to get to the drive wheel and > the surface seemed a bit hard. If I remember they should be softer > to grab the turntable better. Any help would be appreciated. > > Ken
