rolling stock axle lube?

[cujo600]

Hey all,
We have a varied mix of different rolling stock, some high quality and some not so much. Regardless, we dig all of them and they suit our needs right now.

Some of our cars don't roll very well, almost as if the brakes are on. Some roll awesome, like one small bump and they will roll half way around our layout.

Short of replacing the lower quality trucks, is it possible to lube the ends of the axles where they insert into the trucks? What kind, if any, lube is good for this? I was kind of thinking of a graphite based lube. I don't want to make a mess of the tracks, of course.

thanks

 

[ICG/SOU]

Get a truck tuner (Micromark Truck Tuner), and use it before you start adding lube. I've found that some trucks can be tight, and the groove the axle point rides in could be bigger. I'm also a fan of Intermountain wheelsets because they have such fine axle points and roll well. I'm also liking Accurail's metal wheelsets, but they only come in 33" wheel diameter.

 

[kenw]

the truck tuner is good.

an actual lube that I have used with huge success is Slick 50 spray lube with teflon. It has the viscosity of WD40, so it is very, very light. Now, I know better than most the caveats of lube oil with teflon: Basically that it does nothing in most cases.

however, the the case of plastics it actually works by leaving the teflon particles in the microscopic grooves in the plastic truck frame. It is an incredibly light oil and as such, you need to use no more than a micro drop. Eventually the oil goes away and the teflon is left behind to do the lube. In theory by then the axle and frame have seated anyway and the irregularities have been polished away.

I've been using this for at least 15 years and it is still working without re-lubing and more importantly, no damage. The oil is plastic safe.

Since it comes in a spray, I have to spray a small amount in the cap, then use a needle to touch and transfer the drop to the frame. It isn't handy, but this method also ensures you don't over do it. More is NOT better.....

I do have some dry teflon powder that is absolutely stellar in an application like this, but it is incredibly difficult to work with and I generally don't recommend it.

 

[Selector]

You would want something that is not going to attract hairs, dandruff, insect parts, lint, and other particles that tend to accumulate in sticky fluids, and at the same time, it should be compatible with the plastics around the area that the oils, if used, could migrate to and begin to damage over time.

I use Dexron III - Mercon automatic transmission fluid on all my engines, mostly steamers. So far, using a magnifier, I have not noticed it accumulating crud around the pins, busings, and bearings on my steamers. Yay! And, of course, it is a superior lube. Plastics and paints safe, too.

If you are leery about ATF, or any of the other Labelle's and Hobby-Lube products for some reason, how about a silicone lube? Turtle Wax used to market such a lube, but you have many owners of treadmills in their basements or garages/utility rooms that need to spray under the slipping tread about twice a year, and the product is a silicone spray. A drop of that to the journals of your rolling stock should be good.

Also, in the lubes department of your hardware store, are spray cans, usually smallish, of specialty lubes that claim to be safe for plastics and paint. Give them a shot on marked test cars and see for yourself. Stick a piece of masking tape under a car frame indicating the lube and when it was applied.

Lastly, any 'dry lube' containing either molybdenum or graphite should be good. Just note the substrate or base that is used to keep the dry lube in suspension during delivery. If it is an oil, it would mean wanting to know if it is safe for paints and plastics.

-Crandell

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

On the tight trucks the truck tuner tool will be your best bet. I avoid the use of graphite primarily because it ALWAYS works it's way dont to the rail heads and makes them slicker than oiled glass. If a wheelset is tight in a truck now it will still be tight after the lube is applied and it will return just as soon as the lube is gone. The cause of the tightness, a burr, dirt, cat hair, etc must be removed for the axle to truly turn freely.