A well travelled Kato U30C

[mecgp7]

I was tinkering with some U30C chassis recently and I took apart the trucks from one of them. I was amazed to see that the phosphor-bronze cups that the points of the axles sit in were worn completely through. There were holes in each of the cups.  Funny thing is the loco ran just fine. The cups had been lubricated.

Has anyone seen worn out axle cups before? How far would a loco have to travel to wear them out?
CG

[mmyers]

I've seen E units with the cups worn through so it should be the same deal. The E's were running 8 hours a day on a museum layout. Those are KATO's "frictionless" trucks. Friction increases just a little as the axle wears through at the tip.  Keep them lubed. I use CRC2-26 on mine. railzip will work too. Both are conductive lubes.

Martin Myers

[u18b]

Has anyone seen worn out axle cups before? How far would a loco have to travel to wear them out?
CG

I know a guy named Victor -who wants and Atlantic- Miranda who has done it one purpose.   

[peteski]

I've seen E units with the cups worn through so it should be the same deal. The E's were running 8 hours a day on a museum layout. Those are KATO's "frictionless" trucks. Friction increases just a little as the axle wears through at the tip.  Keep them lubed. I use CRC2-26 on mine. railzip will work too. Both are conductive lubes.

Martin Myers

Don't get me started on misuse of the "conductive lubricants" terminology!  Conductive lubricants should actually conduct electricity (which means they need to have high concentration of either metallic or carbon particles). Neither of the ones you mentioned is conductive.  They improve electrical contact by preventing metal from oxidizing (not by conducting electricity). I don't know why people insist on calling these lubricants conductive.

Here are few conductive lubes:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/CHEMTRONICS-Silver-Conductive-Grease-1UYE2
http://www.nyelubricants.com/products/elec_conductive.shtml
http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/greases-and-lubricants/conductive-greases/carbon-conductive-grease-846/
http://www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=70125587

[randgust]

So,Pete... is Atlas 'Conductalube' there under some other name?

[DKS]

Don't get me started on misuse of the "conductive lubricants" terminology!

Indeed, likely one of the most abused terms in all of model railroading.

Here's a simple test: place the tips of a test meter (set on continuity, or resistance) into any lubricant claimed to be "conductive." Place them as close as you like. See for yourself just how "conductive" they are.

[Robbman]

Indeed, likely one of the most abused terms in all of model railroading.

It's abused in other realms too... dielectric =/= conductive

[peteski]

So,Pete... is Atlas 'Conductalube' there under some other name?

I don't have it handy and I don't have the specs sheet but Conducta lube cleaner's label does not mention that it conducts electricity. It is sold as a cleaner and lubricant.  It doesn't appear to be a conductive lubricant.

[u18b]

I think the focus of Conduct a Lube is that it is volatile.  It dissolves crud- loosens it up.  That's why it works well on commutators.

[mmyers]

Since I'm wrong on the conductive lubricant statement, do any of you have any ideas to fix CG's worn out bearing cups? May be some one has some spare parts to share? I'm all out.

[ns737]

kato has replacement trucks.

[AVR Mark]

There was quite a while when the U30C and C30-7 trucks were unavailable. At that point you had to be resourceful. Therefore I decided to see if the Atlas SD-7/9/24/35 truck (or parts) would fit. The Atlas SD9 truck is not as tall as the Kato truck and won't work. The Wheel Wiper 535306 is a different story. It fits into the Kato GE truck perfectly except for one minor (or maybe major) problem. The Kato GE U30C truck goes together fine with the Atlas SD wheel wiper and rolls freely just like with the original wheel wiper. The problem is that the contact (the part that sticks up to touch the Contact Strip) is too short to reach to Contact Strip and also isn't offset quite right. The answer could be to cut the contact off the old Wheel Wiper and solder it to the new Wheel Wiper. Of course it is much easier (but much more expensive) to just buy the Kato truck. The Wheel Wipers from the Kato SD40/45 trucks won't fit the Kato GE U30C trucks. The Kato C44-9 truck's Wheel Wipers also will not fit the U30C trucks.

Mark

[mmyers]

kato has replacement trucks.

They sure do and the new trucks fit the old 1991 models too. Now I can get trucks to fit those bargain mechanisms I bought a few years ago. Thanks for the heads up.