LGB Trackcleaner problem

[steve parberry]

Top tip put a few drops of smoke fluid on the cleaning wheels before use stops all the bouncing and helps it clean much better

Try it and see

 

[nicebutdim]

Avoid adding any extra weight over the cleaning axle, it will destroy the drive gear.

 

[TerrySoham]

Just tried the smoke cleaning fluid idea (see others posting). This did NOT stop the vibration.
I stick by my earlier comment - the design is flawed!

 

[bunnyrabbit03]

I find that mine works ok on track that is semi dirty but finds it hard to clean track that has been neglected for a few months.
The front cleaning section does 'hop' and bounce a bit. I have rewired it so the cleaning wheels rotate in the same direction as the motor wheels but this has not got rid of the hoping and bobbing action. The rail has what could be described as a dash dash dash....cleaned surface . So many passes have to be made to completely clean the rail surface.
And yes I have tried new cleaning wheels as well a weighting down the front in an attempt to stop the uncontrollable 'bobbing'.
Having said this, it is quicker than going around and doing it all by hand....as long as I do not leave the rails for many months

But does the cleaning motor not have to run in the opposite direction to the drive motor for the loco to clean properly? Mine does not bounce at all and also leaves no 'zebra stripes' on the rails. Maybe I am just lucky

 

[TerrySoham]

Mine must be a late "Friday afternoon" model - in fact so it's so poor it must be a "Saturday morning" one!

 

[beavercreek]

But does the cleaning motor not have to run in the opposite direction to the drive motor for the loco to clean properly? Mine does not bounce at all and also leaves no 'zebra stripes' on the rails. Maybe I am just lucky

It was worse when the motor ran in opposite direction and...it couldn't get up my incline!

 

[nicebutdim]

But does the cleaning motor not have to run in the opposite direction to the drive motor for the loco to clean properly? Mine does not bounce at all and also leaves no 'zebra stripes' on the rails. Maybe I am just lucky

The wheels still spin a lot faster that the drive speed, mine cleans fine with the cleaning wheels rotating in the same direction as the drive wheels. Mine used to bounce like a rabbit on speed, but after my unfortunate (or fortunate) experience with a damaged screw which required a new cleaning axle and wheels it is very smooth, perfect cleaning. I wonder if some of the axles are slightly out of true, resulting in the bounce. It is an expensive fix though!

 

[beavercreek]

Uh oh.........
I think I will put up with the wobbles if that is the case.!

 

[KeithT]

I run mine in the opposite direction after several passes, that largely cancels out the stripes.

 

[KeithT]

Am I the only one that finds the LGB rail cleaning loco is poorly designed? In fact I am totally dissatisfied with it - it suffers from excessive vibration causing it to derail (so it has to be watched all the time rather than left to do the job) and it only cleans the rails in patches so that, even after many cicuits of my layout, uncleaned areas remain.

I believe the this design suffers from " Emporer's new clothes" syndrome - everyone extols it's virtues even though it doesn't do the intended job.

Terry
That sounds v odd, as if the axle is out of centre. Have you checked that the two square plastic blocks which house the axle bearings are pushed down equally into the frame? You need to remove the 5 screws holding the base cover in place to check.
Or, has one plastic backing disc become chewed and is worn offcentre?

 

[stockers]

I agree that Terrys experience is an unfortunte one. Mine is like a tin of Ronseal paint - does exactly what it says on the pack. i do get a bit of zebra stripping but it still seams 'clean' from an electrical point of view.
Beavercreek - they are not designed to go uphill - the blurb specifically says so.

 

[KeithT]

The other remedy to reduce the bouncing is to juggle the forward speed in relation to that of the cleaning wheels using the pot' on the cab roof.
Flat out on both motors will give uneven results.