Which Gearbox Lube to Use??

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I have a Rivarossi 2-8-8-2 that I have opened up to check the 2 gearboxes.

I need to relube them.

They have metal to metal gears.

On hand I have Labelle 102, Hob-E-Lube HL656 Moly Grease with Molybdenum and Penn Reel Lube.

Are any of them appropriate?

If not, what should I look for?

Thank you

Tanked

2

Tanked–

I recommend the LaBelle gear grease. It works metal to metal, metal to plastic or plastic to plastic really well. And you don’t need very much at all, maybe a drop or two. Works like a charm for me.

Tom [:)]

3

From solely a mechanical standpoint with respect to those metal gears, the moly-lube would be the best in the long term. However, if its base is an oil that is not compatible with plastic, and you can’t seal the mechanism from oozing or spreading grease, it would be safest to use the grease that Tom recommends and for the reason he states. He has lots of engines, fine ones, and has found how to take care of them so that they would last.

-Crandell

4

Folks:

I’ve been using Labelle 106 lately and I like it a lot.

(Ggh, had the number one off)

Woodland Scenics says their Hob-E-Lube moly grease is plastic compatible:

http://www.woodlandscenics.com/items.cfm/StandardHob-E-Lube#HL656

Be sure to clean out the old grease residue. Grease is essentially an oil held in a molecular “sponge” of soap, and released by heat. That hardened gunk is mostly the soap base.

(Moly greases and Teflon greases have additional dry lubricant, which is carried in the grease base.)

5

For some years I have been using LaBelle 102 gear oil with a puff or two of LaBelle 134 and LaBelle 108 oil for lubrication.

http://con-cor.com/lablubes.htm

Rich