VPI rimdrive squeaks

Rateourmover, I have my super scoutmaster rimdrive reference table sitting on a symposium ultra shelf, and I use the symposium point pods below the motor assembly. Symposium made be 2 sets, each consisting of 2 pods, one on top of the other, which fit exactly between the rubber feet, and raise the rubber feet off the symposium ultra surface. I did this because the rubber feet were moving slightly with the rimdrive and creating a slight movement in the motor assembly and the table. The point pods eliminated the movement problem, and in fact improved the sound, with better PRaT.

Hiendmuse...isn't that odd....VPI changed to the rubber feet on the motor assembly from the solid metal original ones to allow the motor assembly to slightly rock so as not to transmit any out of roundness of the rim drive to the platter. You're saying the pointed solid feet are an improvement?

Rateourmover,

If all else fails, try oil/grease change on both platter and rim-drive spindle.

No Stringreen, I'm not using pointed solid feet. I'm using flat plates made by Symposium Acoustics, which mate beautifully to the bottom of the motor assembly above and the Symposium Ultra shelf the plates sit on below. These plates made a real improvement, and eliminates movement that the motor assembly had using the rubber feet. I tried both the original rubber feet and their upgraded rubber feet. Both types of rubber feet were problematic in my motor setup with lateral movement, which was transmitted to the turntable.

I said I'd report back what effect my changing from black belts to the (new) rust-coloured ones had.

It almost entirely eliminated the Squeak ! It's not achingly quiet but is a very significant improvement. If it had been like this from new, instead of audible from up to eight feet away, I may not have noticed anything amiss.

This result invites speculation. Here's mine.

VPI have always produced a certain look of kit. Many people like it (I do) and many don't. The new rust coloured belts are strangely at odds with their usual brushed steel and black theme. Could it be that black compounds couldn't be made squeak-free for all installations ? This would also explain why VPI made me think the squeak was mine alone and therefore of my doing - because they didn't then have a solution available. When one was developed they couldn't let me know of it without the glaring contradiction...

Only a theory, of course. Allowing it may be true - what do YOU think YOU would have done as VPI when faced with apparently random squeaky installations and suspecting the rim-platter interface was the problem ??