Lubing Gears/Tracks
10-11-2014, 06:16 PM
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Lubing Gears/Tracks
So I looked at the faq guide and it says to pull out the gears and use compound? Could i not use silicone grease and do it that way instead? What brands do you guys recommend to use? Also, how often do you recommend to perform this kind of maintenance for it?
Thanks for all help!
Thanks for all help!
Last edited by BludoTheSmelly; 10-11-2014 at 06:20 PM.
10-11-2014, 06:53 PM
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I use white lithium grease on the gears with a light oil on the gear bushings. Don't lube the tracks! They don't need it and it only gums up the hinge pins. If you feel you just have to, use some powdered graphite.
Herman
Herman
10-11-2014, 08:52 PM
#3
Herman, have you ever tried this? I just ran across it and haven't tried it but the tube allows for very precise application, and the grease that comes out seems to be of good quality. If you think it looks promising I'll take some video so you can see consistency and whatnot.
10-11-2014, 10:58 PM
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All good ideas from the people above. I believe, it is not a huge matter exactly WHAT you use, just use something! I do not believe you have to take all the gears apart to lube them. Only if I had the gearboxes out for some other reason would i do that, and even then, I'd just hose them off with brake cleaner (and cover the motors). They are relatively, low stress items and all the stress is on the gears themselves. A drop of lube, put on the shaft and turn the tank sideways, to go in the bushings and allowed to run in, should be just fine.
Since the gears spin, obviously, you need a lubricant with a lot of cling, because the gears are going to be trying to throw off anything you put on them. That means most oils are out, for the gears. (For the bushings yes, a drop of oil). So I use some kinda grease on the gears-automotive car grease will suffice if that's all you have-and cling it has, plenty of it. It will make a mess inside your tank esp if you use too much. I put on enough to light coat the visible section of each gear. If you can see the gleam of the grease on it that's probably enough-a match head size grease on each gear to start, then run the motors, spread the grease. Examine the gears to make sure you have good coverage, if not apply a little more, wipe off excess, you're done.
However you do it should leave a light but visible coat. Wipe off excess that was thrown off, on the gearbox bars, and inside the hull (lots of people make a simple grease shield for behind the gearboxes, can be made from a piece of cardboard for a temporary thing, or a piece of hobby store plastic with a hole cut for the wires to go through.)
The gears are not very stressed parts, like say in a car transmission, and look what they use in those - heavy gear oil or ATF. So you don't need a lot of lubricant, or some exotic expensive lube, just as long as you use something, and use it when the gears need it (they look dry or the grease is dirty). And the lube MUST have cling to stay where you put it for a while. And remember to keep the gears and the lube clean as you can, and wipe off or clean off old dirty lube, and/or replace it as it gets flung off or attracts grit, which it probably will.
Since the gears spin, obviously, you need a lubricant with a lot of cling, because the gears are going to be trying to throw off anything you put on them. That means most oils are out, for the gears. (For the bushings yes, a drop of oil). So I use some kinda grease on the gears-automotive car grease will suffice if that's all you have-and cling it has, plenty of it. It will make a mess inside your tank esp if you use too much. I put on enough to light coat the visible section of each gear. If you can see the gleam of the grease on it that's probably enough-a match head size grease on each gear to start, then run the motors, spread the grease. Examine the gears to make sure you have good coverage, if not apply a little more, wipe off excess, you're done.
However you do it should leave a light but visible coat. Wipe off excess that was thrown off, on the gearbox bars, and inside the hull (lots of people make a simple grease shield for behind the gearboxes, can be made from a piece of cardboard for a temporary thing, or a piece of hobby store plastic with a hole cut for the wires to go through.)
The gears are not very stressed parts, like say in a car transmission, and look what they use in those - heavy gear oil or ATF. So you don't need a lot of lubricant, or some exotic expensive lube, just as long as you use something, and use it when the gears need it (they look dry or the grease is dirty). And the lube MUST have cling to stay where you put it for a while. And remember to keep the gears and the lube clean as you can, and wipe off or clean off old dirty lube, and/or replace it as it gets flung off or attracts grit, which it probably will.
Last edited by Marc780; 10-12-2014 at 08:00 PM.
10-12-2014, 12:02 PM
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Rule of thumb (who ever that is) is to clean them every year at least. More often if used in a dirty environment or they start looking nasty. Gear covers are excellent to help to keep them clean. Also you might want to cut a section of thin foam to go between the gearbox and the hull at the output shaft to keep junk out. I have not tried that spray, I still have a LOT of the regular lithium grease to use up first.
Herman
Herman
10-12-2014, 02:46 PM
#6
"Rule of Thumb" - you may not use a rod that is bigger in diameter than your thumb to beat your wife. I believe the Brits take the heat for that little gem. 
Thus endeth the trivia lesson for today.
Thus endeth the trivia lesson for today.
10-13-2014, 07:55 AM
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Most sprays, even some "100% silicone" spray I bought, have propellants/diluents that can harm plastic. I never use spray lubes directly on models...just spray into a jar (or the cap), let all the solvents/propellants evaporate for a few hours, then use a brush to apply the remaining lube.
10-13-2014, 04:34 PM
#10
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I never tire of saying this because gearbox / TU lubrication is the best place for pro-active PM to really pay off for a RC Tank owner.
Close off the TUs from the outside world and both "OIL & LUBE" them. Seal the hull seams (M4 etc...), Cover the holes for the TU output shafts, Cover the TUs (keeps grease & oil in and wires & debris out), "OIL" the shafts. bushing and bearings with machine oil (NOT WD anything, penetrating oil etc...). I use singer sewing machine oil or Prolong (if I can find it). Work the oil in by turning the drive sprocket by hand (NOT Driving). Running the motors is also a fire hazard!!!! Remove excess oil from corner of TU bay with a Q-tips. "LUBE" then next with while lithium grease spray (do not use a brush, the hairs can fall out). Spray liberally with the red spray extension tip. Then work it in by hand. I use clear cover whenever possible so ic an monitor the lube ad TU condition. I relube before each Danville and do a thorough cleanout once a year. My original Tamiya TUs in my Panther lasted me 4 1/2 hears of hard battle. Keep the grease and oil in and the dirt and wires out.
Close off the TUs from the outside world and both "OIL & LUBE" them. Seal the hull seams (M4 etc...), Cover the holes for the TU output shafts, Cover the TUs (keeps grease & oil in and wires & debris out), "OIL" the shafts. bushing and bearings with machine oil (NOT WD anything, penetrating oil etc...). I use singer sewing machine oil or Prolong (if I can find it). Work the oil in by turning the drive sprocket by hand (NOT Driving). Running the motors is also a fire hazard!!!! Remove excess oil from corner of TU bay with a Q-tips. "LUBE" then next with while lithium grease spray (do not use a brush, the hairs can fall out). Spray liberally with the red spray extension tip. Then work it in by hand. I use clear cover whenever possible so ic an monitor the lube ad TU condition. I relube before each Danville and do a thorough cleanout once a year. My original Tamiya TUs in my Panther lasted me 4 1/2 hears of hard battle. Keep the grease and oil in and the dirt and wires out.
Last edited by thecommander; 10-13-2014 at 05:04 PM.
10-13-2014, 09:49 PM
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Excellent point Chiefsonn and one it is easy to forget! I have seen petro oil just eat the plastic axles of some 1/24 scale tank i gave my nephew. I thought I'd put a drop of oil on the axles. when he went to play with it on Xmas day the wheel fell off! So yeah, keep the petro based oils far away from your plastic parts!
Silicone spray might seem the logical choice, but like the other person mentioned, it too has a petroleum base so-No to that stuff. I just bought me a bottle, of that silicone shock oil they use for the r/c cars. At the hobby shop a bottle of this stuff is $5 and it is, 100% silicone no petroleum, as far as i know. I use it on my tank road wheels, a drop or two from the back of the wheels once in a while.
While we are on it, also i happen to have, some 100% silicone grease that i keep around, for my Benjamin PCP marauder airguns and my PCP airgun hill pump (its called diver's grease) it is hard to find, i get it from Amazon, but nothing else will do for my airguns, so that's what i have to buy.
And since i have it around anyways might as well use it on the plastic tanks too...All the other silicone grease you find, in the auto parts or anyplace else, is in reality only like 10% silicone and the rest of the ingredients including the carrier and the thickener: Petroleum. So i should actually just use that grease on my gears instead of what i've been using (TW25b...)
Silicone spray might seem the logical choice, but like the other person mentioned, it too has a petroleum base so-No to that stuff. I just bought me a bottle, of that silicone shock oil they use for the r/c cars. At the hobby shop a bottle of this stuff is $5 and it is, 100% silicone no petroleum, as far as i know. I use it on my tank road wheels, a drop or two from the back of the wheels once in a while.
While we are on it, also i happen to have, some 100% silicone grease that i keep around, for my Benjamin PCP marauder airguns and my PCP airgun hill pump (its called diver's grease) it is hard to find, i get it from Amazon, but nothing else will do for my airguns, so that's what i have to buy.
And since i have it around anyways might as well use it on the plastic tanks too...All the other silicone grease you find, in the auto parts or anyplace else, is in reality only like 10% silicone and the rest of the ingredients including the carrier and the thickener: Petroleum. So i should actually just use that grease on my gears instead of what i've been using (TW25b...)
Last edited by Marc780; 10-13-2014 at 09:54 PM.
10-13-2014, 10:06 PM
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Commander you sure know how to lube the gears! I hope you don't mind, i have a file for tank tips and photos and even pdfs (I use Pdfcrowd.com to make whole web page to a pdf if the infos reall good like yours)and i saved your very neat setup into my "How to" folder for model tanks. The ears are bathed in it. I should think the gears probably have almost not wear at all, you would only need to change motors once in a while? That is an awesome lubrication setup you got there.
I just finished making a "grease shield" of one piece of styrene, painted gloss black, and held on to my hull brace, of my HL King tiger. I did lube the gears and ran them, from curiosity-and man, you can see the grease flying off those gears like dirty rain. I cannot question your gear sealing method because it looks neat, and no doubt whatsoever, those gears are as well lubricated as they could possibly be. I just drive mine on pavement and floors, i hate to clean it and i hate to replace parts.I see some youtube videos where people take their tanks into dirty water up to the upper hull level! You wont catch me doing that-changing parts, esp electronics gets old fast.
Commander do the motors ever get too hot from sealing them like that? I am not going to tell you what to use since it works for you...but after 30 years in automotive I have seen every lubricant in the known world...canned lithium grease works fine for you and that's great, although it may not be optimal, it's awful light, very low shear point and not a lot of cling
I am not saying what i use is better but its just different, since i happen to have it around and seems more or less good enough for the intended use its what i use (usually i grab the first grease i can find and use that, i am sloppy like that). I often use this expensive gun grease called "TW25B" it is SUPOSED to lubricate in "the pores of the metal" so they claim, you can work it in, let it set, wipe it off and will keep lubing. I just apply to the gears and don't wipe it off.
I just finished making a "grease shield" of one piece of styrene, painted gloss black, and held on to my hull brace, of my HL King tiger. I did lube the gears and ran them, from curiosity-and man, you can see the grease flying off those gears like dirty rain. I cannot question your gear sealing method because it looks neat, and no doubt whatsoever, those gears are as well lubricated as they could possibly be. I just drive mine on pavement and floors, i hate to clean it and i hate to replace parts.I see some youtube videos where people take their tanks into dirty water up to the upper hull level! You wont catch me doing that-changing parts, esp electronics gets old fast.
Commander do the motors ever get too hot from sealing them like that? I am not going to tell you what to use since it works for you...but after 30 years in automotive I have seen every lubricant in the known world...canned lithium grease works fine for you and that's great, although it may not be optimal, it's awful light, very low shear point and not a lot of cling
I am not saying what i use is better but its just different, since i happen to have it around and seems more or less good enough for the intended use its what i use (usually i grab the first grease i can find and use that, i am sloppy like that). I often use this expensive gun grease called "TW25B" it is SUPOSED to lubricate in "the pores of the metal" so they claim, you can work it in, let it set, wipe it off and will keep lubing. I just apply to the gears and don't wipe it off.
Last edited by Marc780; 10-13-2014 at 10:17 PM.
