Gear Lubricant?

Your LHS train guy has probably never used it.

 

It's a fantastic lubricant.

To each his own; i use Bosch Purple grease a product designed for very fine gears that are operated in in high torque environments such as in Bosch power tools. A single application seems to be good for 10 - 15 years in model RR applications.

 

jackson

And I usually use Labelle 106. I've used Red & Tacky, seems OK.

Just a suggestion from a forum sponsor...Have you tried Excelle Lubricants. XL has both a gear oil that has a heavy viscosity that is recommended for oiling the exposed gears like diesel trucks, etc. They also offer a white grease for the enclosed gears like gearboxes.

Both are synthetic, plastic compatible, conductive, and they will not throw off in use. see more at www.megasteam.com. We are proud to carry their great line of lubricants that are made expressly for model trains. And, they are manufactured right here in the USA! 

Red & Tacky, works well and was tested & recommended by Jim Barrett in his Backshop article a few years ago.  I have used it and does the trick.

 

Jack

I have used Red N Tacky for years/years with great sucess.  It made the "growl" on my PW 2343 power unit less noticeable. I use it in all my PW "geeps".  I have used labells 106 and after awhile it makes a black nasty mess all waded up in one spot. Wouldnt use anything but R N T.  JMHO 

Here is my "whisper"(relatively) quiet 2333:

 

I use Red & Tacky for gears and I use EX lubricants for everything else.

PJB,

I started using, Red-N-Tacky over thirty years ago. I used it building street rod engines. It worked so good back then, that I started using it on all of my prewar Std Gauge. Performance and benefits were noticed immediately. Years later I noticed others started using it on their trains. I've yet to hear of anyone having complaints with any of Lucas' products. Ten years ago I started using their Gun Oil also. It's a lighter oil with the same features as, Red-N-Tacky. Most negative comments come from those not familiar with it. I agree with, Rob. Maybe your LHS train guy is one of those.

I use Red N Tacky on the Drive gears, CLP on everything else.

Leaning to setting a graphite powder for some locations, I tire of cleaning the accumulated drek off eventually.

I bought an MTH lube kit about 4 years ago when I got my first Premier diesel engine. The grease in the kit looks and smells an awful lot like Red & Tacky? So I got a tube of Red & Tacky at Home Depot for about $5 (full size grease gun cartridge) that will last several lifetimes, my grandson's grand kids will probably still be using the same tube if it lasts that long.

Thanks for all the helpful advice!  Peter

I'm wary of "tacky" lubes because they retain dirt and foreign matter, if not in a totally enclosed gearbox. Ordinary oils and light grease are entirely adequate for typical model trains. Use "plastic compatible" where appropriate.

Just do a Red N Tacky search. It has been discussed at length on this forum.

 

Gilly

I don't know if I would use Graphite anywhere Russell. I was a locksmith by trade in another life and it makes a mess and gets on everything!

As far as I know graphite stains. Once its gotten on something, it never will clean off completely.
If anybody knows a way to remove graphite stains, I'd like to read about it.

Does this Red N Tacky adversely affect plastic?

Ray

No, not at all.

Lionel recommended using a molybdenum grease in the gearbox of my 783, so after buying it, I bought a tube of Hob-E-Lube 656 by Woodland Scenics:

 

http://woodlandscenics.woodlan...ow/Item/HL656/page/1

 

It's worked great.  When I bought my NIB 18009 Mohawk, it sounded like a bowl of spare parts in a blender.  But after loading the (mostly dry) gearbox with the Hob-E-Lube, it's quiet and smooth.  Now I use this stuff on all my internal gearboxes.  It even made a huge difference on my #41 US Army switcher.

 

The fact that you're conscientious to PM your equipment, probably regardless of what lubricant that you use, will, most likely, result in a life time of enjoyment without parts wearing out. 

This is to C W (or anyone else that can answer). Just seems like you do a lot of maintenance and repair on these sort of things and mentioned graphite in this post.

 

I think I remember reading that graphite was recommended for lubricating the lobster claw couplers as opposed to any kind of oil, or even anything else? Am I remembering that correctly or is a fine oil ok or stick with graphite for the lobster claws?

 

If graphite is the recommended lube, what is wrong with oil and why is it not recommended for the couplers? Is oil actually harmful to them?

 

 

 

rtr12

couplers need a dry lube, oil will cause them to not operate correctly, it will gum them up eventually.

Ray

hello guys and gals.....

 

I use Red & Tacky in my 1300 dollar sunset 3rd brass engine, enough said....

 

Tiffany