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lubricants for axles and side rods?

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Phippsburg Eric

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have found wear on a couple of my high use locomotive axles to the point where the axles needed replacing. I would love to avoid that in the future.

I have been using 3in1 oil. it tends to collect dirt which compounds the wear. Is there a better material?

how about teflon dry lube? such as one with the 3in1 name on it? any one have Spencerian with this type of stuff?
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#3 ·
with all the moisture around the loco, I would think dry lubes would cake up and not be good.

A real heavy oil would be my choice and routine "cleaning" with some mild solvent and reapplication.

I tried dry lubes and any moisture made them cake and then still I got grit and moisture.

Greg
 
#4 · (Edited)
Hans from Aster USA told me I should be using 90w gear oil for the Challenger, especially when pulling a heavy load. He says the 90w tends to stick a little better to the rods and valve gear as they are flying all about.
You are correct about the lube picking up grit, much easier to pick up grit on a ground level layout (such as my own). I didn't used to trim back the ground covers that would encroach on the track and brush on the loco and rolling stock. Of course the rain makes the dirt / sand bounce up onto the ground cover and it lays in wait for an unsuspecting oil covered loco. I use a string trimmer before every live steam run on the ground layout.
I've since replaced the drive pins and bushings on my C-16 and Frank S.
 
#6 ·
I've been using the Zoom Spout turbine oil for years, and haven't noticed any problems with axle wear on any of my locomotives. Recently I bought some lubricating oil from The Train Department in the little needle spout bottle. It's noticeably thicker, green-colored oil, which seems to do a better job of staying where it's needed instead of dripping everywhere, and of course the needle spout makes applying the oil more precise too. I've only steamed with this stuff a couple of times now. I'm liking it so far, and I trust Jason to sell a quality product, but I guess the long term results for remain to be seen for me and my locomotives.
 
#7 ·
I've always felt that we in live steam over lubricate our little beasties and this flood of oil picks up dirt/grit. Lubing before every run is too much. I use steam oil to lubricate wheels and valve gear. I only lubricate every second run so as to not have oil all over the running gear.

Once a year I put my locos in a pan of mineral spirits and brush the spirit over the running gear so that the old oil and grit are washed away. Try it and see the amount of grit that comes off the running gear. Re-lube and away you go.

My .02 cents.

Mike McCormack

mocrownsteam
Hudson, Massachusetts
 
#9 ·
Many years ago, when I knew where to take oil out, and where to put oil in, on my car, I used to keep the 'empty' oil containers and then turn them upside down and drain the oil to keep for my locos.
Mainly 20-50 grade, and it seems to be doing just fine on my locos.
I haven't noticed any problems with worn out parts, but then I haven't really looked, but nothing bad seems to have happened over the last forty years or so.
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada
p.s. I would add that it is just as much to do with the materials used on the locos that will cause the wear.
 
#13 ·
Yep, sticky is good, you want a little bit but for it to hang in there. You will have to periodically clean ANY oil off to wash out dust and grit.

I'm more concerned with wearing out bearing surfaces than occasional cleaning.

Greg
 
#18 · (Edited)
Very useful and varied information from those that own and regularly run Live Steam locomotives. The layouts may be the same, but the exposure to heat, water and steam is more severe on LS than electrics, there fore would require a different lubricant.
Along the same lines, when I first got into LS Jason advised me to coat the piston and valve rods with a bit of Steam Oil before and during a long run so the seals are lubricated from both sides. I have religiously done it since with no seal failures.
 
#19 ·
I have been using 3in1 oil.
Click to expand...
The red can is a general purpose oil for freeing up rusty bolts. You should be using the blue can "turbine" oil, sold for lubricating fan motors, etc. Like myself and Richard:
I've been using the Zoom Spout turbine oil
Click to expand...
but I can see that auto oil would be a good alternative. Lots of rotating parts in an auto engine.
 
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