LGB ball bearing wheelsets...service advice

Brixham

Brixham

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Recently I acquired some rolling stock with ball bearing wheelsets.... However, even though there isn't much wear on the wheelsets treads, the ball bearing part runs roughly, as if there is no lubrication, maybe they've been cleaned out ( traces of Work of the Devil Fluid 40 underneath the coach ) and left.

Now some feel like they have off round balls

I have nothing to loose by trying to clean them out....my plan is to flush through with IPA ( Industyrial Propyl Alcohol )..not beer,
let them dry out and add a sparing drop of oil.

Advice taken..about the wheels I mean

I'll try the worst set first.

Malcolm
 
Well, in theory, they should not have rusted??

Sounds like a plan.. They may just need running? - If there is some tarnish, or muck, it will hopefully loosen, and running will improve.

Kill, or cure, might be to run with a little brasso in them.. You would definitely need to flush them through, thoroughly, afterwards,
 
I have one that the wheel on one side has sized up and will not move. It had been out on the caboose of my Playmobil train in the front garden for over 10 years. I replaced it with another one. I use it to supply two flashing red LEDs on the back of the caboose and the lights in the coaches. There is also a wire to the loco so in theory there are eight pickups on the train.
 
Update
I took the worst performing wheel, and span it as hard as I could...it stopped going round after 2 seconds

Holding the axle vertically, I flushed through with IPA until it starts to drain through the back of the wheel....it doesn't need much, within a few turns it freed up considerably, now rotates as if the balls are round, so left overnight for the ipa to drain/dissolve
Today that same wheel spins for over 20 seconds.

Oiling? I'm tempted not to..even with a light machine oil.

Malcolm
 
I've had some with the same problem. I think Greg is correct about the ball bearings being carbon steel. I had left some rolling stock outdoors, but covered. Moisture still finds it's way in, however. As has already been pointed out, flushing with some sort of electrical cleaner, etc., then blowing it out with an air hose helps. Finally simply running them seems to finish the job.
 
Brixham said:
Update
I took the worst performing wheel, and span it as hard as I could...it stopped going round after 2 seconds

Holding the axle vertically, I flushed through with IPA until it starts to drain through the back of the wheel....it doesn't need much, within a few turns it freed up considerably, now rotates as if the balls are round, so left overnight for the ipa to drain/dissolve
Today that same wheel spins for over 20 seconds.

Oiling? I'm tempted not to..even with a light machine oil.

Malcolm
Click to expand...
Was that Greene King IPA.
 
I prefer to flush away ipa in another manner.
A beverage establishment at the Llanfair gala seems to have my brand of choice, not always the version I prefer

Malcolm
 
It usually works relatively well, since the inner and outer races are usually SS but the balls are carbon steel. The reason is that your cannot have metal to metal under extreme pressure with the same metal. It causes galling and metal transfer and destruction. For similar reasons, you will see that the worm on a motor and the worm gear it contacts are normally different metals or materials.

For example, in the "prime mover" gearboxes, Aristo used ceramic balls, and metal races. (very smart by the way, since it is not recommended to have high currents through ball bearings, the point of contact is too small, i.e. the exact reason they are low friction makes them unsuitable for high currents)

Greg
 
I have often wondered about ball bearings and for that matter roller bearings. Real electric trains are returning the current that is going into the hundreds of Amps back into the rails trough the bearings of the wheel sets???
Especially when they are lubricated, will the constant mini-arcing not destroy them very quickly?
 
Lithium based grease or ball bearing grease from a bicyclist store?
Could that be a option?
Indeed blow it dry with air
For general degreasing i use some more aggressive stuff, from the car industry, i don't think that would do those small bits any good?
Hope this could help.
 
Oil is better in our smaller ball bearings, grease can add too much drag.

Blowing with air (and I have done it) carries a warning from BB manufacturers: if you spin a BB at very high speed with compressed air AND the bearing is completely dry, it is POSSIBLE to "burn" the bearing.

Just a warning, it can be a temptation to spin the wheel really fast.

Greg
 
Trains and More said:
I have often wondered about ball bearings and for that matter roller bearings. Real electric trains are returning the current that is going into the hundreds of Amps back into the rails trough the bearings of the wheel sets???
Especially when they are lubricated, will the constant mini-arcing not destroy them very quickly?
Click to expand...
Real electric trains have earth return brush gear on the ends of the axles.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Oil is better in our smaller ball bearings, grease can add too much drag.

Blowing with air (and I have done it) carries a warning from BB manufacturers: if you spin a BB at very high speed with compressed air AND the bearing is completely dry, it is POSSIBLE to "burn" the bearing.

Just a warning, it can be a temptation to spin the wheel really fast.
Click to expand...
I bought some of those small bearings(7mmx3mm(x3mm hole dia))....jzeees they are really small, how the heck i want to get lithium grease into them after decreasing......
Oil would be much better yes.
And yes they are getting hot, to hot to handle, when spinning with air.
But blowing dry or spinning with air?

With best regards
 
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