The secondary sheave is not in perfect alignment with the drive sheave by design. Rather it is set 1/2 a groove off. When the ropes are installed the offset must be kept in mind and the ropes must be installed accordingly. For instance, if standing in front of the machine looking down to the secondary sheave, the secondary sheave will be either 1/2 a groove over to the left or to the right. If the sheave is set to the right, then the first rope will be Installed in the first groove on th left side of drive sheave, will go down to the secondary sheave moving over 1/2 of a groove to the right, go around the secondary sheave, then back up to the drive sheave moving over 1/2 a groove to the right and into the 2nd groove, down to the 2nd groove on the secondary sheave again moving over 1/2 a groove to the right. Other ropes will follow suit: IF the secondary sheave is set to the right but the ropes are installed starting with the first groove on the right side of he drive sheave, the armature will be pulled over toward the brush rigging. The bearings in that machine are babbit with no means to hold the armature in any specific place. There is some significant end play. Since this problem started soon after the ropes were replaced, I would suspect the ropes were installed backwards.