[hollowstate]

Strange you should mention carb & choke cleaner, which is exactly what I used to clean it, a by-product of my other hobby! I did remove it first, too. Just before hitting the hay last night, I thought I'd try packing the bearings with some new grease - what could it hurt? In the worst case, I have plenty of carb cleaner... But it worked! Evidently, this unit depends on some amount of 'tackiness' delivered by the grease. There is only a tiny amount of play now, which I think is caused by the tolerance between the drive balls and the holes drilled in the outer shaft. I really don't think wear is an issue. Again, Thanks for your help!