1030 Rotor disassembled

[kanikune]

I've had some time extra noice in my watch and I have concluded it's from the rotor.
Ok, I embraced myself today and finally took off the rotor from my 1030. Put the caseback back together and the extra noice was gone.
Everything went well, I was able to take off two screws without destroying the whole thing. Here's bottom of the rotor after lift-off. As I took carefully grip of the bearing part of the assembly, I could easily feel a wobble in the bearing.



I was also able to disassemble the rotor assembly, too. I did that in the small zip-lock bag, as I didn't want anything to fly away.
The bearing seems to be ok.




What is weird, the axle seems to be ok too.




Of course the reason can be the axle, which propably needs to be replaced, but I started to wonder, could the bearing have been installed wrong way in? Now that I look to the pictures, seems that the bearing have been there correctly - the jewel is more on to the rotor side.
I suspect, that the bearing will eventually needs to be replaced too, how to know, when it's time?
Any input more than welcome.
Thank you for your time.

[kanikune]

Found ebay-picture, where this bearing differs from mine. Here the jewel is deeper in the bearing. Are there supposed to be two jewels in this bearing?
Is this bearing missing the "upper" jewel?

[kanikune]

Continuing the monoloque.. I was checking more to this situation. When placing the bearing on the axle, it feels quite snug. No extra play.

Also tried the bearing, as I think it is placed wrong. This is wrong, right?


Also cheched on the locking star. This is lower side of the star, I presume? No wear.


I would bet this to be topside. Guide rails for the pin? Has taken some damage from the services.


I got better shot from the axle. Seems to be good.


As I disassembled everything, there was no grease anywhere? I read from somewhere that dried out rotor starts to wobble. Could this be so easy fix, that only cleaning and greasing is needed?

If not, I started thinking - maybe the locking star could be loose? It felt tight, when I was disassemblying, so I guess not.

I also would be interested of the amount of the grease to be used, when lubricating this mechanism?
Thanks
K

[Ironstark]

The play you have detected is the lower (non jeweled) bearing. It is brass (plated) and this wears when working with the rotor axle. The axle on the 1030's is (very hard) steel, hardened the old fashioned way.
This is where the wear usually occurs. There is very little you can do but replace the bearing.
You are right in the picture with the bearing upside down, is wrong. The jewel should be towards the top facing up when fitted onto the upper automatic bridge. The ebay picture does appear to be missing its jewel.
When it comes to lubrication, for rotor axles its always "be generous".

[kanikune]

Thank you so much for the reply! Makes my troubleshooting much easier.

[dysondiver]

dont know anything about bearings in watches , but the close up pics are great.
good luck sorting out the wobble

[rmfnla]

I salute you for having the cojones to tackle such a job!

[kanikune]

Update. As a non-professional I was able to source a factory-sealed rotor bearing, which is now heading to Finland..
I thought this is all the way obsolete movement, but that part box is stamped for the year 2005.
Is there any logic? Rolex still provides the most stressed parts for all movements?

[kilyung]

I thought I read that Rolex supports watches for up to 25 yrs or until inventory runs out?

[Rikki]

When you get the new parts use HP 1000 or 1300 as lube no grease it will not alow the axle to spin freely as the HP will. Rikki

[kanikune]

I greatly appreciate your tip. I was having 8300 ready for the job. I guess I have to change my game plan :)

[kanikune]

New update. The seller now replied that they can't get the part any more. If someone happen to have sealed part 1030-7004 for reasonable price, I'm willing to do business.

[kanikune]

As I wasn't able to get the new part (rotor bearing), and I finally got the hp1300, I decided to put the rotor back in, to test how it behaves properly lubricated. Rotor got better, but as I was checking the overall condition of the movement, I was socked to see things like that from the microscope.
(I started checking if everything is oiled properly, because the amplitude was around 220.)
I guess full ovehaul is needed.
Any thoughts, are those particles from rotor grinding to case or..?

To look for the brighter side, I was able to assemble the rotor assembly (!), though I was scared of putting the locking spring to the orbit..

[Rikki]

Looks more like salt water crystal or something like that metal would be darker unless it's a lighting issue. Watch should be completely serviced if it's running like that dirty it should run much better when properly cleaned and oiled. Rikki

[kanikune]

What I looked the microscope feed, the particles indeed looked like white ones. I just wonder where they got there. I doubt this movement has been submerged into the ocean :) Hopefully this is not cleaned with sea water..
The running graph in the timing machine was quite straight.

The seller had taken pictures from this watch caseback open. I wonder if the photo session has been in dusty environment?
I don't have very high faith in, how "well" the previous owner had this serviced before me.

[kanikune]

As my watchmaking "learning" evolves, new ideas come to mind. I noted before that I feel that the crown stays quite up when scrolling the crown down.
Maybe the stem is not in right length and is grinding the mainplate every time the watch is wind?