Got my Big Boy today. I see there is nothing in the owners manual on how to repack the gear box. There are no screws to remove to put grease into either gear box. I do not believe in lubed for life. I want to be sure there is grease in the gear boxes. Also, my Nickle Plate berk there is no mention of servicing it's gear box either. I assume red&tack grease would be okay to use.
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I watched that video too, gear box lube was not mentioned in that video.
Feet,
Send Alex M a email and ask him where and how to grease the gearbox. He posted a tread about taking his Big Boy apart just to see what made it tick.
JohnB
I posted the same question to Alex's thread.
Lubrication Chart is not very accurate. It shows oiling in the wrong places. The non-driver wheels are fixed to the axels and therefore do not rotate on the axel. There is not much value to oil the inside of the wheels as shown. I would assume that all the non-drive wheels need oil on the outside of the wheel between the wheel and the bearing housing area. Oiling the inside will only leave extra oil. The internal area of the drive wheels and the frame look like they need oil. Did anyone get answer on greasing the gear boxes?
Buzz
I would also like to know about this. Maybe an email to Lionel is in order although they probably will say that they lubed the gearboxes at the factory.
Bob C.
Mike showed in the video all the best places to oil. All the wheels are fixed to the axles, if you are talking about the drivers he is oiling them correctly. The wheels are solid to the axles, but he's not oiling where the wheel meets the axle, he's oiling where the axle goes into the brass wheel bearing. A drop on the axle will flow both directions and the bearing will hopefully wick it in.
I would also like to know about this. Maybe an email to Lionel is in order although they probably will say that they lubed the gearboxes at the factory.
Bob C.
I haven't contacted Lionel yet about lubing the gear boxes. If they lubed them at the factory they did not do a very good job.
Lionel does not recommend adding grease in the manuals( not sure why/MTH does) The majority of my Lionel items especially diesels have been extremely lacking of grease. I grease every new loco after a brief test run.
I suspect the main reason is to keep the production work area as well as the loco free of excess grease. As we all know it only takes a little grease one hand and its all over everything.
There are two screws holding each gearbox cover on. This is nicer than the typical grease port screws, you can actually tell how much your putting in with a removable cover.
Photos provided by forum member Trainrails from the Bigboy Parts Diagram thread:
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