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| joef |
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   Registered Member #3 Joined: Wed Dec 08 2004, 09:01PMLocation: Portland, OR Posts: 2112 | Steve: I generally completely clean the drive train of any new locos of lubricant and start over with the ATF. Any existing locos, when I pull maintenance on them (every 1-2 years), I'll completely clean the drive train as with a new loco (and thus remove all the lint and built-up gunk from regular operation) and then relube them with with ATF. Joe Fugate http://siskiyou-railfan.net - 200,000 hits and counting!  In video ... | ||
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| retired |
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  Registered Member #567 Joined: Sun Dec 10 2006, 02:56PMLocation: Hudson, NC Posts: 9 | This may seem idiotic, but I need help on this: Is there any possibility that someone can post a picture of a steam loco (upside down) and identify where specifically, lubrication should be applied? I read info about this and seem to get more confused as I read. Some info says to check lubrication of drive gearing (even before the loco is ever run) - I can just see the results of my disassembling my steam locos to get to the drive gearing - parts loose, with where they go, unknown. Of course, one could say that if you can't maintain it, don't buy it, but I am a steam loco fan and want to use them and keep them operating. Thx in advance. Richard | ||
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| joef |
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| Registered Member #3 Joined: Wed Dec 08 2004, 09:01PMLocation: Portland, OR Posts: 2112 | All I can say is you learn by doing when it comes to loco maintenance. Get yourself a digital camera and take lots of closeup photos while you disassemble the loco. Also go to the store and get yourself some mini-ziplock bags and then number several of them. Take a closeup photo of the loco before you remove anything. Then remove the first part, number a baggie, and put the part in it. Take another photo. And so on, taking photos and putting each part in its own bag numbered in sequence. Then you will have documented the complete disassembly process and not lost track of any parts. Do this a few times and you'll quickly build the confidence to maintain your locos. If you like steam and don't know how to maintain them, the only way to really learn them is to find an expert and have him tutor you (difficult) or just be very methodical about how you take one of these puppies apart. Joe Fugate http://siskiyou-railfan.net - 200,000 hits and counting! In video ... | ||
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| joef |
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| Registered Member #3 Joined: Wed Dec 08 2004, 09:01PMLocation: Portland, OR Posts: 2112 | As to lubrication, most locos come from the factory over lubricated. Your best best is to completely disassemble and clean all the moving parts of all lubricants, and then re-lubricate the parts properly. I use Synthetic automotive transmission fluid (ATF). Buy one bottle and it will last you a lifetime. The stuff is made to not cake up with age and is perfect for model lubrication applications. Lubricate all the gears in the gear train with just a single drop of the ATF and then run the loco briefly with the shell off and check that the lubricant has lightly coated all the grears. If the lubricant is getting on anything but the grears or has coated the entire gears completely you've used too much lubricant. Also put a very tiny drop on each wheel where the siderods attach, and put a tiny drop on the cylinder rod. That should do it. Joe Fugate http://siskiyou-railfan.net - 200,000 hits and counting! In video ... | ||
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