VPI Scout Rubber Washer Issue

Well, if you are sure you are not overtightening then maybe you should try cleaning the washer since it may have accumulated some sticky residue. You could also try some baby powder on the washer (to act as a release agent). The weight of the record should not make a difference to the washer unless the label area is thicker than the rest of the record when compared to "regular" weight records (a 180 gram label?).

Is the washer tight around the spindle? Mine is pretty tight, so it doesn't slide off very easily.

Autodexr

My last turntable was a VPI mk4 and it also had a washer.
I was told at the time (3 years ago) by VPI that the washer was NOT to be use with any 180 gram or 200 gram records. They are too thick and do not bend very easy. If tighted up too much you could crack the record around the hole, I have one it happened to. The washer is made for regular weight vinyl only.

Hevac1,

Thanks for the warning! I always thought the thicker records required too much force to flatten with the clamp and washer. Fortunately I have not cracked any thus far. It certainly would be nice if this information was published somewhere, like the TT manuals.