VPI Cuing arm falling too fast

the oil seems to be available at hobby stores - used in RC car suspensions.

Exactly, for the precision it is silicone oil, it costs much less than that sold by tonearm manufacturers.

Having replaced it in several vintage arms that I own, I can suggest buying the 300,000 / 500,000 cst for a normal descent the 1,000,000 cst for a very very slow descent; beyond that numerical value nothing is found, only fat but not good for the lifter.

Is this: https://i.postimg.cc/g2J8KGYn/IMG-20190831-123401.jpg

My lifter bacame wonky, so I got a repelacment from a friend who works on VPI's.

Put the new one on, and put a record on. Instinctively, I cue the arm and drop the lever... THE STYLUS SLAMS DOWN ON THE RECORD! 

A close inspection reveals the replacement isn't hydraulic, but a cheap cam mechanism. Did VPI slip in some budget cuttting in some runs?  I have to carefully lower the lever slowly to prevent another crash.

I’ve had issues with my cueing devices as well. My issue was it wouldn’t raise high enough. VPI sent another one, supposedly new, and it had the same issue. Their "fix" is to send out 1/8" high dots to apply to the curved arm rest part. Not the best "fix" IMO.

@stringreen

Not busy enough to post a forum that supposedly has a fix but too busy to type 3 words...........also, Audiogon is my choice for "search and find" as you mentioned.