What kind of lube? (That's what she said)

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I have a Championship Sprint which has one wheel that doesn't spin as freely as the other one. I broke them down and there is some kind of gummy substance on the plastic sleeve that the wheel spins in. Should I be using anything special as lube? I'm thinking like a dry graphite might work best but does that last? Also, where can I get it? Other ideas?
 
You can get a tube of graphite at Lowes or Home Depot near the lock section.

What color is the gummy substance? My guess is it is a white lithium grease and if so then you can buy that at most auto parts stores.
 
It was kind of yellow and there wasn't much of it. It was just enough to seem a little bit sticky but not too much. Is it better to use that stuff or something dry? I just don't want to have to re-lube every month.
 
I use white lithium grease on gears and metal-on-metal contact,
but for those atari cone & shaft wheels, graphite is recommended.
 
I am guessing the yellow substance was old lithium, now contaminated with years of abuse. I have seen it look this way on other applications.

Lithium is great for staying where you put it, graphite is really only good for an enclosed space, unless you want to reapply constantly.

Have you taken apart the other wheel to see what it looks like? If someone lubed it themselves the lube may be your problem. It is not unusual to need no lubrication if the sleeve is made of certain plastics or brass.
 
Those sleeves are Thompson's bearings.....basically, a big Nyliner. Atari recommended "a light film of silicone grease".

Edward
 
I think the problem with the bad wheel was a cracked plastic sleeve. Hoping I can fix it with tape from the outside since the sleeve doesn't spin, the wheel turns inside the sleeve. Both of them had the lube. Will the Lithium stuff last a good long time?
 
Are you sure the sleeve is cracked? They come with a curved split down the side. Anyway, I just replaced the sleeves on my APB. The grease on them had hardened into a very sticky mess. I used a spray silicone lube. Seemed to work fine.
 
radio shack

Ive been using this lube ive picked up from radio shack for my joysticks and its worked great. Maybe it would work for this. I was like $3 for a tube of it
 
Definitely cracked, came out in two pieces. I might try that stuff from Radio Shaq since I have one close. Hopefully they'll ship out my sleeves and steering wheel holder thingy quickly. This machine will be looking good once I have those all replaced and the cap kit done.
 
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