I have a Proto 2000 GP38-2 that needs some lube in the gear towers. All my other Proto 2000 locos have removable plates on the bottom of the trucks. I see no such plates on this one. How do I open up the gear towers to lube them?
This has always been a curiosity of mine - don’t take this personally Jeffrey - why do people find the need to want to lubricate the slippery engineering plastic gears ??? I can see an absolute minimal amount on the steel / bronze points, but the material the gears are made of shouldn’t require any lubrication.
One of the first things I do during heavy maintenance is dis-assemble the trucks and wash out any lubrication in the gear box. I have no problem experiencing gear noise on any of my engines. If anything, I’ve found the lubrication that WAS in them has migrated out to the axle journal and will ultimately prohibit electrical pick-up.
If you got gear noise, packing it full of grease will probably quiet it up for now, but you’re looking for “issues” down the road.
Now where’s my flame retardent suit ??? [;)]
Mark.
I’m not interested in the gears. I’m interested in getting to the bearings, and to do that, I have to get the bottom of the trucks off. The only other loco I have that has these kind of trucks is a Kato RSC 2, I can’t get into them either.
If you’re referring to the axle “bearings”, I wouldn’t be putting any lubrication on those either. Those bushings are made from oil impregnated bronze and don’t require lubrication. Also, those bushings act as a very important link in electrical conductivity and the presence of a non electrically conductive lubricant is going to be detrimental.
If you are determined to lubricate them, you need to use an electrically conductive grease. Even then, expect some migration to the wheel surfaces which will in turn will be great for attracting dirt.
Mark.
I agree with Mark, especialy when comes to the wheel bearings. All any lube in that area will do is attract dirt and fluff or fuzz. It’s better to just keep the wheel bearings clean.
Ok, so how do I get the bottom of the trucks off?
Jeffery, the covers pop off just like the old P2K covers, they just look a little different.
I know they pop off, I just can’t figure out how to make them pop off.
I use a small flat screw driver. Squeeze the side of the trucks as you pop off the cover as the cover holds the trucks together.
Mark - HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THAT WE DON’T NEED TO SMOTHER OUR LOCOS IN OIL! - Oh yea, just kidding. If fact you’re probably better off disassembling the trucks and cleaing all the oil out of them. While you’re at it check the gears for flash and clean off the mold parting lines. That is typically where the noise comes from. I recall reading about people who used toothpaste to clean the gears. Just remember to clean off the toothpast and perhaps use a drop or two of Labelle oil.
Dave - Obviously Jeffrey is a very visual person (hence all the posting of pics) maybe you can take a pics of the trucks in questions and post it. You know, a picture is worth a thousand words.
I’ll give him a few minutes. Jeffery I’ll post some pics if that will help you, let me know.
Pics may help. I’ve looked at this thing from every angle and I just can’t figure it out.
OK, check back in about 10 minutes or so, I’ll go rip one apart.
I’ll be here.
I’m just uploading them now.
OK Jeffery, this is what you do…
1st slightly lift up on the cover so the sides of the truck can pop off.
Now that the sides of the trucks are removed you can now see the little tabs holding the cover on. Slightly pry open the tabs doing one side at a time and the cover should pop off.
Thanks. That’s just what I needed.
Cool, it gave me a chance to use that Macro feature on my camera that everybody was talking about, lol. .
Well, wadda ya know - those things don’t even HAVE any bronze bushings on the axles !!! Slippery plastic against slippery plastic !!!
Now Jeffrey - put that oil can down !!! [;)]
And Dave - Get that gunk cleaned out of those gear boxes !!! [xx(] [:D]
Mark.
Mark, thats factory Proto gunk, lol. Don’t worry, after I pulled the cover off I thought the same thing. [censored]