NEW Garrard Turntable Platter Spindle Bearing for LAB 80, Type A, Zero 100 and more
Precision Idler Wheels for Audio Turntables
Brand new drop-in replacement complete self-lubricating platter bearing system for many Garrard changers. Replace lost balls, scratched thrust washers or simply upgrade the complete bearing for better performance.
The original bearing was designed mainly with record stacking in mind; a typical application of the era requiring a robust system to support records being dropped onto the platter. This multipoint thrust bearing system (as opposed to single point typically used today) was common and used by many manufacturers but in terms of audio performance however this design showed some drawbacks – the metal to metal contact between the hardened steel washers and ball bearing, rarely a good idea in hifi audio, required constant lubrication by the user and caused unwanted friction noise and rumble that can be heard during softer passages. In addition these bearing balls, being loose within its cage, eventually get lost during service. And even if they are replaced they will degrade over time due to the mating scratched surfaces.
Our platter spindle bearing solve all these problems:
- by eliminating any metal to metal contact within the system.
- by being self lubricating (thanks to the MoS2 solid lubricant embedded within our bearing itself) without the need to add any lubricant by the user.
- and no more lost balls due to a contained ball bearing system.
- Balls with Cage: High Precision G5 grade steel balls for near perfect roundness and surface finish made specifically for AudioVault.
- Bottom Thrust Washer: Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) filled custom made thrust washer with solid lubricant properties for extreme low friction and high wear resistance mating perfectly well with steel. Includes alignment groove for a smooth and quiet playback experience.
- Top Delrin Thrust Washer: Recommended and Maintenance-free. To be used if lowest noise and no lubrication is preferred at the cost of minimum wear. Typical usage: “Audiophile” mode.
- Top Steel Thrust Washer: To be used if lowest wear is preferred at the cost of constant lubrication and some background noise. Typical usage: “Changer” mode.
- Low cost drop-in replacement; simply remove the old bearing and replace with this one.
- 1x self-contained balls with cage
- 1x MoS2 filled Bottom Thrust Washer
- 1x Top Thrust Washer in Delrin
- 1x Top Thrust Washer in Steel
- 1x Damping Ring
Note: Platter spindle and shaft shown in pictures are for demonstration purposes only and are not included in this kit.