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I need to clean some wheels on diff engines what the best way to do that? and i need to lube some of my engines and i have diff ones i have walters, Life Like and Tyco i am new at this so not sure how to oil them they are all diff looking under the shell
I use a (meths) alcohol soaked cloth layed on the tracks with one set (diesel ) of wheels on the cloth and the other set picking up power. Run your controller up a little and let the wheels spin on the cloth while holding the loco with one hand. Works brillantly.
Steam loco's are the same depending on the drivers/power pickup just do one set of drivers at a time, or power pickup maybe from the tender.
I use the same method that Ken does for loco wheel cleaning. If the steam loco has wiper blades for the power pickup on the drivers, an alcohol soaked pipe cleaner works well. Be gentle and don't forget to clean the contact face of the driver wheel.
Some, like my 4-8-2 Bachman, have a brass (of all things) leaf spring on the tender wheel axles for pickup that corrode and must be cleaned and even burnished. Don't forget to clean these axles good while your at it.
I oil the axles where they are making contact at the bushing and any pivot points with a very small drop of plastic safe oil. The only greasing I do is at the worm drive gear. Only a small amount of grease is required or you will sling the excess all over the place. Wipe the old grease off first.
