Tom, I;m sorry to hear about your trouble. Regarding the bulge issue, the O-Ring may just need to be rolled slightly to seat uniformly in the machined groove. I machine grooves and install o-rings quite a lot. If you take your index finger and gently follow the perimeter of the o-ring, it should enter the groove and stay there. Now if the groove is'nt machined to the proper size both width and depth, no amount of fussing will fix it. The bulge should not be there after you try this. If it remains, contact VPI.
Rim Drive Mod or how to make it even better
I was going to just add this post to a previous post regarding the VPI rim drive, but this is important and I want all those who use the new drive to know this. I just spoke to Harry W who told me that if you use sorbothane, or soft felt, etc, under the feet of the motor/flywheel assembly, the sound is even more improved. Don't use it under the turntable itself...only under the motors. I tried it and it REALLY works.