Help! I need to lubricate my Athearn GP-38 but I’ve never done it before. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Jeremy
First, lubrication should only be done when needed, for example, when the mechanism is torn down for cleaning or repair, or if it starts to make more noise than usual.
Most important, you’ll need light oil and grease marked “plastic compatable.” The lubricating properties are the same so this is the only type I use, even on my all metal locomotives. Other types of lubricants can cause certain plastics to soften or even crumble over time, so save yourself headaches down the road and use compatable lubricants. Second, use the lubricants sparingly, no more than a drop on each bearing surface, and if possible, apply it on the side away from the wheel. There are bearing on each axle right beside the wheels. The same goes for the motor, only a drop on each bearing and on the side away from the armature. The bearings on the worm on top of the truck should be accessable without disassembly. A drop of oil on each of these.
Another part to lube, but only if you disassemble the trucks, is the gearing inside the truck. First, clean out all old lubricant and crud in this area, spray tuner cleaner works best for this. The gears are just sitting on the stubs, so be careful they don’t fall out and get lost. After it drys, a drop of oil on each gear where it sits on the stub, and a light coat of grease on the toothed part of the gear. Make sure everything stays in place when you reassemble it.
Sometimes during reassembly, having a parts diagram helps:
http://www.hoseeker.net/assemblyexplosionAthearn/Assembly%20Explosion%20Athearn%20GP38-2.jpg
Here’s a really good tuneup guide for older Blue Box Athearns which will help to illustrate Tom’s advice:
http://www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_TuneUp.html
I believe it’s still useful for the newer RTR versions.
There are two lubricants that I’ve found work very well for plastics. LaBelle oil and Wahl’s clipper oil. One more note. Too much lubrication is as bad as none at all. I usually add one drop (and only one drop) of oil to a truck’s gears and to the worm gear bearings…chuck