VPI Rim Drive vibrations

Some Canadian garage business tried the rim drive approach and it failed miserably.

There were numerous revision/upgrades in the first year all of which resulted in excessive motor noise, erratic speed, and overall poor performance.

I had updated my plinth feet to TT Weights brass Soundpoints before adding a single motor rim drive flywheel so never heard of this issue before.

In order to help seat your belt in the flywheel track, place a round toothpick or other small diameter object (small drinking straw etc.) between the flywheel grove and belt. Run this around the flywheel circumference a few times. Make sure you keep the belt even to the grove as you navigate around the circumference. You should be able to seat the belt evenly in the grove. I use a small diameter wooden cylinder I borrowed from the kids.

I also see you have the brownish rim belt for the flywheel. Does your flywheel make any noise when it touches the platter? Regardless of the contact pressure, my flywheel makes a high pitched noise. I have tried a few things to reduce/remove the noise but cannot eliminate it.

Maczurak, I did try to seat the belt with a round polished pin - it made the wobble less visible but still...No, there is no noise at all.

I hope to receive 4 TerraCone for VPI SSM Height-adjustment hardware Point-receivers from Eden Sound in the next few days and will post an update.

Macauak....That's what Harry told me....didn't work. The cure I noted above is the only way to completely solve the problem that I know of. The increase in purity, dynamics,
soundstage, etc. is magnitudes better than stock.

Krell303,

My belt must have an even diameter as I really don't have any wobble issues once it is seated using the above method.

Stringreen,

When I received the single motor flywheel rim drive, I had already replaced the VPI feet and plinth so this issue was new to me.

When I have some free time, I will have another go at the rim drive belt noise.

Just thought of this. I have the Super Platter and the rim drive contacts the stainless steel. I will try changing the height of the rim drive so it contacts the acrylic instead as see if this eliminates the noise.