"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:fXJxb.334160$HS4.2853565@attbi_s01...
A friend of mine says that the gyros inside ride on some sort of a "ruby
bearing" -- and that they eventually wear out. Sometimes the rotor (or
whatever) even falls right off the bearing. When that happens, everything
just stops -- like mine did.

Or something like that. Either way, it's just more money...

Little wee tiny ball bearings. The lube dries out from all
the air going through the instrument, cold weather hardens it,
airborne pollutants get through old/cracked/nonexistent filters
(cigarette smoke is a bad one) and bearings can't take it anymore.

Dan