After leaving my layout hardly touched in way too long because on never ended health and stress problems, I was sitting at the desk watching a couple model train videos on youtube and just decided why I am I watching somebody else's trains when mine are collecting dust... and got up and and went to my own trains.. First a dusting with my compressor and air gun.. Then hand cleaning the rails with rubbing alcohol.. and was amazed how my junk was on rails that haven't doing anything. Still need more cleaning though... Ok to the point.. Most of my remaining locos (most of my better ones had to be sold to pay bills a few years back) but the remaining ones are in need of service, only 2 out of 7 where capable of getting going and running around the track.. and 1 of the 2 god sputtery after a while.. very sad. In the past I've use various types of light grease on the truck gears and worms.. and axle points. But I seen a video on youtube recently saying to leave the trucks dry, no grease.. and use oil on the motors bearing and bushing by the worm gears. So I'm wondering want people are doing in the way of lubing locos? I've heard of Labelle 108 oil, never used it though, is it as good as I heard?.. if anybody has any suggestion where to buy it in Canada (cheaply) let me know.. thanks
I use Labelle #102 light gear oil and also Singer brand light sewing machine oil that is plastic safe. Any full service hobby shop should have Labelle including some venders here. I do sparingly oil the truck gears.
Wahls or Andis Clipper Oil...plastic safe...cheaper then Labelles...works the same. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ch-alias=aps&field-keywords=wahls clipper oil Small drop on ONE axle gear thru bottom of the truck. The oil will migrate thru the entire geartrain...all the way up to the worm gear...as the locomotives is moving.
I checked the websites for various store, Walmart, Canadian Tire, etc. none had any of the oils your recommended.. So I take a run to the hobby shop tomorrow or 1st of the week and see what that have. Even if the price isn't as good, it will still be cheaper then paying shipping, probably. I have some old shock oil left over from my RC car days.. but doubt that would do anything good in the end..
LaBelle's is likely only found in a hobby shop, or hobby supply mail order. I've stuck with their items for many long years.
Pick up either the complete Labelle N scale lubricating kit 0430-001002 or the individual items it contains: gear oil #102 (0430-000102), grease with PTFE #106 (0430-000106) and light weight oil #108 (0430-000108), and you'll have everything you need. http://www.con-cor.com/Labelle.html
2¢ worth ... I misread "brush" at "motors bearing and bushing" at thought, Whoa! NEVER oil brushes - that's how my brother and I, as kids, would get H0 slot cars to smoke, and die after a lap or two. Generally, never oil bearings; grease them. However, that's bearings, as in ball-bearing and roller-bearing - many of the "bearings" in models are technically journals, and those are good to go with oil. Tiny drops of oil - from the point of a toothpick! I just ran a pink eraser over my tracks to clean them. If they were really dirty, I'd prefer TrackBrite, but lacking that, I'll use an extremely fine emery cloth.
Back in my RC Cars days I used Trinity "Comm Drops" for motor break-in and cleaning, goes right on the brushes and commutator. Makes for a good breaking in, still have the bottle in the closest although its 25 years old now I guess.. Not sure if it's a oil exactly what it is. They never like to tell you that stuff so people won't go find it under a generic name.. For track cleaning, cloth rag and rubbing alcohol, briteboy and a pad dragger cleaning car (made by Model Power I think) is what I use.
And the idea that you don't have to lubricate truck gears/bushings is nonsense. I have seen the powder and wear resulting from not lubricating supposed self-lubricating gears. Some peopole think that plastics like Delrin or engineering plastic don't need lubrication but it's silly. I agree with the lubes mentioned in this thread. I have used Labelle for over 40 years and it works very well. I know there are products supposedly good for commutators/brushes but I never put anything there since, eventually, the substance is going to clog the spaces between the commutator plates and generally gunk things up. Doug
Got the Labelle 108 this afternoon, the hobby shop 5 minutes away of course did not have it and had to go across the city, taking a detour because a of a big fire.. but 2 hours later I was home and had it. Just finished cleaning and oiling 2 of the locos that won't run, they seem happy now. Had a bit of cat supervision while working on them Took at look at a few loco when I was at the store, not good selection at either.. and the prices at the store across town were even worse then I remembered.. There was one Atlas that had $179 tag on it! Thank for the advice, the Labelle 108 wasn't cheap ($10) for the tine bottle.. but I figure it'll last me a long time.
