I’ve received conflicting opinions on whether axles that rotate in plastic trucks should be lubricated or not.[%-)] I’ve been advised to lubricate the axle ends with Labelle 107 Oil (plastic compatible), and I’ve been advised that plastic trucks do not need to be lubricated at all. Does anybody have a definitive handle on this?[?]
Keith
I think it all comes down to opinion.
I myself never had a problem by not lubricating anything, but then again, I didn’t have a basement empire, or anything even resembling a “large” layout. Though I would imagine that cars that have a lot of mileage per session (scale or not…) might need a little oil to keep them running smoothly.
Plastic compatible oil will not cause damage but it may lead to accumulation of dust/dirt that may gunk up. You may want to investigate using a small amount of dry graphite lubricant in the axle pocket.
Keith,
Unless there is a pickup against the axle, I look for good spin on the wheel. If the wheel spins freely for a few seconds is good enough for me. One axle may need lubed but all others on the same car may not. I use LaBelle 108 (Light), and presume 107 is even lighter, which would be fine. I can understand the logic that plastic trucks shouldn’t need lubed- in a perfect world. I’ve always used light oil and never experienced gumed up trucks, then again my track is unbalasted if that is a factor. Never tried graphite, but sounds interesting. Try different methods, but my advice would be to look for a desired spin per axle, then oil if necessary.
Good Luck,
Rich F.
Opinions are like… well, everyone has one. I lube all axle ends. I use a special synthitic oil [plactic safe] in a needle oiler [as not to get too much] and the first thing I do is oil the axle ends of all rolling stock. Then I use a little on the coupler knuckle. This stuff is slick [ask Jim Apitz]. Will make the wheels fly with less resistance.
My postwar cars get oiled pretty frequently, and always after they’ve been sitting on the shelf for a while. Otherwise, they just have way too much drag for some postwar engines to pull them.
I’ve never had a need to oil plastic trucked cars. The ones that have a copper wiper against the axle generally get a little dab of grease every once in a while, but that’s it.
I agree with Ben – totally
you can lubricate them i have the plastic farm trucks ill try to post a picture but my HH was an outdoor display forever and when i moved it for the first time squeak city sounded like a real truck when parking while backing up and i used 3 in one multipurpose and it nipped it in the butt some will have small lubrication wells too just incase the one ill show u does. ill use a toothpick to point out my wells
on the trailer there are no wells but ill point out the points to keep a eye out for and oil and hopefully u can get a refrence point from there just be sure to wipe down good and let dry very well before any indoor runs i dont recommend having oil in the wells during runs either.
the most effective way to do the truck get some thumbtacks and cardboard and papertowels make a "runway"sutable for your truck and oil it on those towels. when you fill your wells go ahead and drive or push it like a normal everyday truck operating turns reverse forward the whole 9 yards on top of the towels you pinned down. dry real well and should be good to go just keep an eye on your roads for drippings
I also agree with Ben I oil my car after they sit I use something called tri-flo it safe and has a needle point , the 3in1 is ok just do not use to much it leaves a white residue , I have to use a hairdryer to remove it off my American flyer wheels and couplers,
Chuck
I use a medium weight, plastic safe conductive oil. It certainly does no harm in small amounts, and in two rail where the axle ends are the power pickups it helps a lot. It also helps on the axles or wheels where there is a brass wiper for power pickup. The cars roll better with a little lubricant on the axle ends. I operate S gauge trains, medium oils work better than light in S gauge, I have tried both.
If the axle journals are metal and the truck frame is polyacetal (POM, brand names include Delrin, Duracon, Celcon, etc.), no lubrication is required below O scale. Lubrication is of course acceptable. This combination is self-lubricating and was introduced by the Lindberg Line in the 1960s and has since become the industry standard.
Some styrene truck frames (Roco and Liliput) and nylon bearings (Tichy Train Group) require lubrication.
