Model C seat and rail issues?

[old wobbler]

I have a 2003 model "C" Concept 2.

When it arrived I ordered and changed the seat rollers as after each row I had lots of black rubbish where the rollers ran and the seat wobbled like mad. The old rollers seemed fine but 3 of the 4 bearings inside were well past their prime as bearings.

All was fine for the first week after install but with about 6 weeks on and the tracks are starting to pick up black rubbish after each row. Its like running over small bumps on each traverse on the seat.

I cant see to see where this rubbish is coming from. I can only guess its from the seat itself. Any body else had this issue?

Also the seat seems to have a wobble on it across the width of the rail. I can lift the seat about 10mm from the rail on one side of the roller and virtually nothing on the other. Could this be wear on the rail or more likely back to the seat and an issue in the seat frame?

Would I be better off just replacing the whole seat assembly?

[Joebasscat]

The black rubbish you are referring to is a combination of dirt and sweat. Might also be something else that new rollers give off. Anyway your rail and seat rollers need to be cleaned regularly. Like after each usage to avoid the accumulation you are experiencing. My experience has been that new rollers after time produce less and less. I use Windex and it works extremely well to combat this issue.

[Ombrax]

The solution is a bit of a pita, but as Joe said, before every row spray some window cleaner on a few paper towels and wipe the rail and the rollers. It's a bit of a hassle but only takes a minute and gives you a much smoother row.

[drluvguru]

I've been noticing something similar on my Concept 2 Model C. After a few weeks, there's a noticeable buildup on the rail and a slight wobble that seems uneven. I'm going to start cleaning the rail and rollers with Windex like suggested, but I'm also curious if this might be due to some wear in the seat frame or the rail itself.

[Carl Watts]

You need to wipe the slide and rollers before every row with a damp cloth.

[SirTwent]

Windex has been great for maintaining a clean slide for me but when I got my new (to me) erg I used barkeepers friend and the slide was quite shiny!

[Carl Watts]

Windex has been great for maintaining a clean slide for me but when I got my new (to me) erg I used barkeepers friend and the slide was quite shiny!

Chemicals are not needed. The black is fine partials of the 304 stainless rail and any dust that settles on the rail.

I basically couldn't use the rower unless both the rail and rollers were spotless.

[Joebasscat]

Windex has been great for maintaining a clean slide for me but when I got my new (to me) erg I used barkeepers friend and the slide was quite shiny!

Chemicals are not needed. The black is fine partials of the 304 stainless rail and any dust that settles on the rail.

I basically couldn't use the rower unless both the rail and rollers were spotless.

I agree to that. Has to be clean for sure. I drape a towel over the rail and the fan when not in use to cut down on dust accumulation and what not. Seems to work well. That with the wipe down routine keeps the accumulation to a minimum.

[natacornis]

The wobble in the seat is often linked to wear either in the seat frame or the rail. Since you've already replaced the rollers, it could be the seat frame or the bearings inside the seat that are causing the uneven movement. If one side of the seat lifts more than the other, that could indicate wear or misalignment in the seat frame or even damage to the rail itself.