BASIC ROTOR MAINTENANCEHow to properly oil your rotor valve and linkage components

Rotor NomenclatureStop Arm Retaining Screw

Stop Arm

Rotor

Removable Bearing Plate

Valve Cap

Long S

pin

dle

B

eari

ng

Short S

pindle

Bearin

g

Roto

r Po

rt

Roto

r B

ody

Sto

p A

rm

Shaft

Bearing Shoulders

Importance of Oiling

Lessens the effect of wear on bearing surfaces

Prevents corrosion Fills space around rotor body in casing to

give valve proper compression Keeps linkage lubricated and prevents

binding

Types of Oils We recommend Hetman Synthetic Medium

Bearing & Linkage oil for use on the: Long spindle Short spindle Thumb lever or paddle hinge rod Mechanical linkage

We recommend Hetman Synthetic Light Rotor or Rotor Oil for use on the: Rotor body

We recommend Hetman’s because it is compatible with all other oils and comes in varying viscosities to match each instrument most accurately Piston oil is too thin to properly lubricate a rotor

How to Oil the Long Spindle

Using the Hetman medium bearing and linkage needle oiler, place a couple drops of oil on the long spindle This is the space

between the stop arm and the casing

We recommend doing this at least once per week More if playing

extensively* Pictures show trombone rotor, however, these methods can be applied to any rotor : trombone, trumpet, french horn, or tuba.

How to Oil the Short Spindle

Using the Hetman medium bearing and linkage needle oiler, place a couple drops of oil on the short spindle This is done with the

valve cap off We recommend doing

this at least once per week More if playing

extensively* Pictures show trombone rotor, however, these methods can be applied to any rotor : trombone, trumpet, french horn, or tuba.

How to Oil the Rotor: Step 1

Using Hetman Synthetic Rotor oil or light Rotor oil, place six drop of oil inside the tuning slide tube that leads to the rotor when inserted in the outer tube. We put oil inside the

inner slide tube instead of dropping it in the outer tubes to keep the slide grease from mixing with the oil and gumming up inside the rotor.

* Pictures show trombone rotor, however, these methods can be applied to any rotor : trombone, trumpet, french horn, or tuba.

How to Oil the Rotor: Step 2

Now insert the tuning slide (while keeping the oil in the tuning slide tube) and, once inserted fully, turn the horn so the oil inside the tube drops down to the rotor and move the lever to disperse the oil throughout the rotor body.

We recommend doing this at least once per week More if playing extensively

Note: It is important to do BOTH steps of this process to the tuning slides on the F and the Bb sides of the double French Horn to ensure the entire rotor body gets covered in oil.

How to Oil the Mechanical Linkage

If you have mechanical linkage, then there are a few places that need a drop of oil as well. If you have string linkage, DO NOT oil

the string or the screws holding the string.

Place a drop of Hetman Synthetic medium bearing and linkage oil any place that has a mini ball or any other pivot point in the linkage.

Since there are many types of mechanical linkage, it will be important to look for the parts that move when you depress the lever to activate the rotor. Then place a drop of oil there.

Also, place a drop of oil where the lever’s hinge tube meets the post. You can find this by looking for the

lever’s spring, this surrounds the hinge tube

* Pictures show trombone rotor, however, these methods can be applied to any rotor : trombone, trumpet, french horn, or tuba.