Question re Teac MT-2ST encoder roller tire

[js at cimmeri.com]

Recently acquired a Teac MT-2ST SCSI 
cassette tape drive and am
attempting to recondition it.

Although it does have direct drive 
motors on both reels (no rubber bands),
the design is still plagued by having a 
rubber roller "tire" on its encoder
roller which has turned to a very sticky 
goo for half its length on my unit.

Thankfully, Bitsavers not only has the 
service manual for this unit, but
also photos!  This photo shows the 
encoder roller and tire:

http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/teac/MT-2ST/photos/2.JPG


The tire appears to be 1 cm wide, 1.5mm 
thick, and ~1/4" tall (for
the 1/4" tape).   The tire is inset into 
the metal roller wheel.

Has anyone successfully attempted 
replacing this tire, and if so, how
did you do it?

I've removed the tire -- half of which 
was pure goo -- and am thinking
maybe to fill the tire inset void with 
an elastomeric caulk, smoothing it
out to meet the outer edge of the rest 
of the roller.

A really short rubber band about the 
size of a pinky finger would work
nicely also.

Thank you-
-John