Spring Clean

[Steve]

I tend to leave a few items of stock out all year round so once a year i drag them into the garage for a good clean-

After being out all winter the wheels tend to suffer
1)

I find the quickest way to clean the wheels is to place them in my bench drill
2)

I left the spindle rusty
3)

Wheels were cleaned with a massoth cleaning pad.
4)

Once the wheels had been cleaned the moving parts where greased
5)

Screws oiled to help against rust
6)

Wheels put back in wagons
7)

All stock clean and greased ready for a trial
8)

Testing
9)

 

[whatlep]

Pity you cant clean the wheels on motorised trucks like that!!!
Hope someone is going to say "Oh Yes you can" and tell us how to do it!

Easy peasy. Turn your loco upside down. If you have skates, connect those to the rails using crocodile clips/wire and use a small amount of LGB/Massoth abrasive pad to clean the wheels while the wheels are driven. If no skates and you have an LGB "universal socket" feed the loco via the socket and clean in the same way.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I have to admit that I'm wary about greasing moving parts that are exposed - grit and dust and all that.

Yerst, grease in enclosed geraboxes

But for axleboxes I use graphite or very light oil.

3-in-1 is a bit off limits for me, it can have nasty effect on some types of plastic.

However, for bikers, it's obviously OK

 

[Steve]

I have to admit that I'm wary about greasing moving parts that are exposed - grit and dust and all that.

Yerst, grease in enclosed geraboxes

But for axleboxes I use graphite or very light oil.

3-in-1 is a bit off limits for me, it can have nasty effect on some types of plastic.

However, for bikers, it's obviously OK

It would never go near the bike would make a right mess of the back wheel

 

[nico]

nice on steve
i put my locos on the stationary rollers and hold a Massoth abrasive pad to them

 

[nicebutdim]

Be careful with the 3in1, some plastics are affected by it over a long period of time. It makes the plastic go brittle and/or slimy to the touch and eventually melts it. I'm not sure if LGB or other firms plastics are affected by it.
I use LGB's oils and greases. Although a little pricey you do only need a very small amount and it lasts a long time.

 

[mike]

nice tip steve, well worth the effort, look after your rolling stock, and it will look after you

 

[CoggesRailway]

Love seeing dirty to shiney transformation. Nice.

 

[funandtrains]

Pity you cant clean the wheels on motorised trucks like that!!!
Hope someone is going to say "Oh Yes you can" and tell us how to do it!

Easy peasy. Turn your loco upside down. If you have skates, connect those to the rails using crocodile clips/wire and use a small amount of LGB/Massoth abrasive pad to clean the wheels while the wheels are driven. If no skates and you have an LGB "universal socket" feed the loco via the socket and clean in the same way.

or you can buy a Kadee wheel cleaning brush which has a brass wire brush for each wheel and you just connect the wire to your controller turn up the power and hold it to the wheels.