White lithium grease for the rails.
That's what I have been using for the last many years.
It's good for slow moving parts, metal against plastics.

Silicone grease comes in all "shapes and sizes".
Some harden over a period of time - from days to decades - others turn liquid and starts running away.

I am not familiar with the stuff from Biltema. Perhaps it'll be fine. You can test it and see if it still works fine ten years from now.

Martin

Nasty stuff! Don't get it on your fingers.

Martin

Martin what products do you currently use then in terms of brands?

The one I have been using for the rails for the last couple of years is the TF2 from Weldtite.
It's a (mostly) green 40oz tube.
Fairly cheap, but I'm sure other brands will work just as fine.
A good cleaning off of the old grease is just as important.

Martin

Hi All,

I need to refurb the tonearm lower8ng mechanism on my 4002...there’s an excellent video from Beolover on youtube detailing how to go about this. I wanted to check the right grease to use for the solenoid, piston and the pivot point on the lower arm. Martin, would ordinary lithium white grease be ok, like they use in RC model cars, or do I need to find a PTFE grease? Also, what are your thoughts on using sewing machine oil for the lower arm pivot instead of grease?

And then while I have it open, I’ll use some sewing machine oil in the top bearing of the dc motor (can’t hurt I figure...I think the bottom bearing is inaccessible so will leave that alone) and then some sewing machine oil in the platter bearing as well. Or should I use white lithium grease in platter bearing as well?

Please let me know if you think I’m making any mistakes?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Ryan

For the pivot points I use the same sinter oil (spindle oil) that I use for infusing bronze bearings. 

It evaporates slowly.

Sewing machine oil works fine too, but most evaporate fast, days rather than months or years.

DC motors - bearings are sinter bronze and must be infused (vacuum) with the right spindle oil.

No sewing machine oil here - and don't just add a drop - it must be infused into the bearing metal material.

Refer to how Beolover does it.

The platter bearing is also sinter bronze, but there the oil cannot escape as easily, so adding a drop of spindle oil will do here.

No grease for the solenoid!

Preferably nothing at all.

Just clean.

If it binds and you MUST do something, you can add a small amount of spindle oil - only a very thin film (distribute a drop by wiping a finger around inside the cylinder).

The white lithium grease is only for the carriage rails. - And mainly for both of the newer tangential series decks, where metal and plastics work together.

Where bronze works with metal use spindle oil (as in the bearings)

In decks where the carriage is close to vibrating when moving, you can use a little white lithium grease or silicone grease to dampen it, but

in these cases the ideal repair would usually be to replace the carriage bushings.

Martin

@Dillen, you wrote:

"In decks where the carriage is close to vibrating when moving, you can use a little white lithium grease or silicone grease to dampen it, but

in these cases the ideal repair would usually be to replace the carriage bushings."

This is exactly what happens with my Beogram 4500. It vibrates and creates a noise every time it returns to the starting position. I have tried to clean the rods and applied some white grease but it does not completely remedy the problem unfortunately.

Can you describe what these "carriage bushings" are and how to replace them? Is it the entire white plastic part that holds the arm assembly as it moves along the rods you mean? Has this part become worn where it rests on the two metal rods?

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Your deck has no carriage bushings. It was BG4002 etc.

Is the small hook at the carriage "foot" for the string and spring about to break off?
Has the position of the main circuitboard been adjusted correctly?

Martin

The small hook is fine. No loose parts.

Regarding position, do you mean the "Positioning of PCB 1" in the service manual? What do these related switches actually do?

When I slide the arm along the rail, it does not feel perfectly smooth but it is difficult to tell if it is the plastic gears and wires that creates a slightly uneven resistance when it moves sideways.

Maybe I need to clean everything more thoroughly and see if it makes any difference. Not sure that I dare to actually remove the carriage though but that would make it easier to clean and see if anything is stuck somewhere.

Anyway, thanks for your suggestions!