FOR GEARHEADS ONLY

by Mike Selinker

Solution: CERECLOTH

In each set of gears, one gear is replaced with a five- or seven-letter palindromic sequence to make a new word or phrase.

COONSCITATIONS
OVATIONRESERVATION
PEACHPEACE PIPE
CAWEDCORNROWED
TEXTSTENEMENTS
OREADBANANA BREAD
LEVEREDLILY-LIVERED
STOOGESTONEHENGE
STROMSTOREROOM
REMORASREMORSELESS
STORIESREPERTORIES
INFERINTERPRETER
EMBROILEMBROIDERED
SIMOUSSYNONYMOUS
POSSESPOSITIVITIES
MALIKMALIGNING
SUPERBSUPERSEDES
PARADEDPARALLELLED
MICROBUSMICROBREWERS
BREAKINGBREATHTAKING
AKINSASSASSINS
BILLINGBEST-SELLING
OKIESOKINAWANS
BUSTERBETA-TESTER
CROSSINGCROSS-INDEXED
PRONGPLAY ALONG
PAREDPREFERRED
FEELERPOTATO PEELER
CORDATECORROBORATE
ELEGIAPARAPLEGIA
MAGNUSMAGNETITES
RUSHYRUSTICITY

The middle letters of each palindromic sequence spell:

A SIN MAY HELP PROVIDE WHAT WAXY FABRIC?

The sin is SLOTH, and exchanging the S for a palindromic sequence makes CERECLOTH.