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Spindle/Bearing Lube

I have a Nottingham table and the bottle of oil that came with my table is about empty. What does anybody use for oil? I see people on AA saying to use motor oil and synthetic stuff but the oil that came with my table is thicker than motor oil and it is red and smells like standing right beside a refinery. Do different tables take different oil? What oil would people suggest and where do you get it? Thank you.
motdathird
shersta
140 posts
 
Based on your description, it sounds like automotive manual transmission fluid (which makes sense). I wonder if Nottingham will tell you what "weight" the oil is. If they do, you might be able to pick up a bottle of good, synthetic gear lube (Motul, Redline, etc). A quart of the stuff at your local automotive or motorcycle performance shop would probably set you back about 15$ and you'd have enough lube for several lifetimes. And if you have a car with a manual transmission, pick up enough change your transmission fluid--good gear lube makes a big difference.
jbello
115 posts
 
Audiophile Systems in Indianapolis will provide you with more of the red stuff.
theduke
372 posts
 
I've owned various incarnations of the AR turntable from the early 70's onward. They've always included a small plastic vial of oil. In the owner's manual, the recommend #10 weight, non detergent, machine oil.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Different bearings DO require different lubricants. Just because some oil works best in an AR (or any other TT) doesn't make it the right oil for a Nottingham.

There's no upside to guessing. Like Rlxl and Jbello suggested, ask your Nott' dealer or the USA distributor, Audiophile Systems. http://www.aslgroup.com
motdathird OP
77 posts
 
Thank you to everyone who responded. The dealer I bought my table from went under and I have had zero luck with ASL before. Maybe another Nottingham owner will pipe up or I guess I could ask another dealer. I think that nondetergent oil would be a must.
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