Model Railroading > Oil in truck sideframes?

In regard to HO scale freight car truck sideframes, does anyone add oil to make the car roll better? I personally believe that with a set of quality metal wheels it is unnecessary------what's everyone else's opinion??

P.S. I DO NOT use oil, but I've heard of some that do-----hence I'm trying to figure out if others find this beneficial, harmful, etc...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/15 14:50 by CSX_ENG.

The oil just picks up dirt.

CSX_ENG Wrote:Way back Lindberg made all plastic trucks that rolled free in fact sometimes too free. No oil was ever needed but they went away as plastic wheels were found to cause problems. The new plastics are even better rolling from what I have seen but metal wheels are a must I am told. Mine are San Juan ON30 by the way.
-------------------------------------------------------
> In regard to HO scale freight car truck
> sideframes, does anyone add oil to make the car
> roll better? I personally believe that with a set
> of quality metal wheels it is
> unnecessary------what's everyone else's opinion??

I can't see oiling the trucks as being of any benefit.

Jim

Try graphite powder. Kadee makes a fine product in that regard.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

+1 for graphite powder. Most hardware stores should carry it near the door knobs/locks as well. Just a dab'll do ya!

-Ryan

I would think that there is a problem with the brand of trucks if they dont roll free. I do know for a fact Accucraft ON3/30 trucks are crap and am changing them out with San Juan ones. One good thing about them if you are on a grade or your layout isnt level they stay put. Even emmit scale sounds of brakes squeeling at times.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can't see oiling the trucks as being of any
> benefit.
>
> Jim

When I put together a fleet of coal hoppers I found some did not roll as well as others.  A friend provided the tool for clearing out the axle pockets on the side frame.  I went through my entire fleet and was amazed at how much extra plastic "burrs" I removed.  It improved the way they rolled greatly.  I suggest you try that first, it made a huge difference for me and eliminated derailments caused by wheels not rolling freely on long trains.

The Reboxx exact socket tool is  what you used (and I did too) to "cone" out the inside of my trucks to accept metal wheelsets.  I've never had any issues with cars rolling freely-in fact, I think sometimes having one "Sticky brake" car comes in handy to hold the train in place on a grade!
Here's a link to the tool-which I don't think cost me much more than about $10 about 10 years ago!
http://www.reboxx.com/Tools.htm
As far as oil in the journals, I'd avoid it, unless you are running some kind of museum-type high mileage layout...and santafedan could answer if he uses it or not on the display layouts he works on (at the bank and museum)...but I don't think at this scale and weight it is necessary.

On handfull of poor rolling cars that I had, I found that the axles were too long in the truck frame, thus binding up.  A few swipes with a "fine" file on the axle end removed enough material to cure the problem.  On another car, I found an axle end with a metal burr of unremoved "flash".....a couple of swipes with the fine file fixed that. 

I appreciate everyone's responses but I've amended my original post, which is :

 I DO NOT use oil, but I've heard of some that do-----hence I'm trying to figure out if others find this beneficial, harmful, etc...

I use oil on O gauge, Usualy dont on HO unless i get a bad actor.

DrLoco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Reboxx exact socket tool is  what you used
> (and I did too) to "cone" out the inside of my
> trucks to accept metal wheelsets.  I've never had
> any issues with cars rolling freely-in fact, I
> think sometimes having one "Sticky brake" car
> comes in handy to hold the train in place on a
> grade!
> Here's a link to the tool-which I don't think cost
> me much more than about $10 about 10 years ago!
>

Yep, that's the tool...works wonders.  I used an incline on the layout to test how well the cars roll and there was a BIG difference after using this tool.  Thanks for posting the link, I'm sure others will find it beneficial.