Large Scale Central

Aristo's Electralube Use - WARNING

Problem Solving
#1

Aristo-Craft’s Electralube Legacy!

A long time ago I had used Aristo-Craft’s Electralube to lubricate the axle tips on many Aristo cars. Shortly thereafter a whole bunch of truck journal boxes cracked or broke off in pieces! I had reported this on the Aristo Forum more than a decade ago with the ultimate outcome of Aristo changing their plastic material to Nylon for trucks parts. But that leaves a majority of cars out with the public having the old type plastic trucks with Aristo since having gone out of business.

Well recently, I discovered another one of my cars that suffered long term damage due to Electralube usage.

For more info., see new vignette hosted for me on Greg E’s web site, title:
“Aristo’s "Plastic [In]Compatible ELECTRALUBE Legacy”

-Ted

#2

Its a shame that Aristo didn’t verify the safety of the lube before printing that on the label. Me, I would not have even thought of using that stuff in the journal boxes, but since it says so on the label, I am sure many people have.

Fortunately, Gilbert makes replacement side frames for the Aristo Bettendorf trucks.

https://glxscalemodels.com/aristocraft-3d-printed-replacement-parts/freight-car/

#3

Thank you David,

That’s good to know Gilbert has replacement Aristo side frames and other parts.

Accordingly, I added a reference in the “vignette” to Gilbert’s web site for his 3-D printed side frames.

-Ted

#4

Ted Doskaris said:

Thank you David,

That’s good to know Gilbert has replacement Aristo side frames and other parts.

-Ted

Sitting on quite a few bettendorf side frames personally. I find no use for them because of my interests of the hobby we all share on LSC!

#5

I have used Bachmann light lubricant for years on my journals and never have had problems.

#6

Thanks for the warning Ted! I do not have Aristo-Electralube, but I do have a tube of Aristo-Lube. Flipped it over to find out it contains a petroleum product. Removed that from my train workshop.

#7

It’s the only thing I ever got from Lewis (free), and not only did it hurt plastic, but it somehow interacted with it’s jar and ate the bottom of the jar off… was not long term plastic compatible with it’s own container.

Too bad, as it was one of the few affordable conductive lubricants, but it would have caused issues on wheelsets anyway, because you don’t want anything conductive near the insulator that insulates the wheel from the axle (unless you are battery power and don’t ever put your cars on track power).

Greg

#8

I learned a long time ago, probably in these hallowed halls of learning, to avoid Aristo Electrolube. For the last forever, I’ve been using Mobile One gear lube for my journals. Mobile One makes a synthetic grease, that I think is plastic compatible. I’ll have to look that up, when I run out of Hobby-lube grease.

#9

Yes Steve, I researched this before and all the mobile 1 synthetic greases are plastic compatible.

#10

In the UK a well known railway model company called Peco market a product called “Power Lube” for a similar purpose as Aristocraft’s. It says it can be used with most plastics. Well, I’ve had a little bottle, bought 10 + years ago, stashed upright on a glass shelf for very occasional use with my Bachmann Galloping Goose #1. I hadn’t used it for a little while, guess what ? Yep, the fluid seems to have eaten through the bottom of its own plastic container and all leaked out and evaporated without trace. Bottle not cracked, just a bit has seemingly dissolved causing the leak.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif) (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)

#11

Oh my, what a mess. Fortunately I don’t have any of the lubes mentioned here.
Mine are all Bachmann and LaBelle.
And my G scale so rarely has a chance to run any more that it can be multiple years between lubrications.

#12

I have a bottle of the Aristo stuff, in my track maintenance tool box. I use it on the rail clamps when I reinstall or replace them. So far it hasn’t dissolved the bottle it came in, but maybe I should see about putting whats left into a glass jar. I have only, and now will only, use it on the rail clamps, its intended purpose.

#13

David,

Lubricating rail clamps can be a use for Electralube, but it’s intended purpose is stated on the bottle label as “Aristo-Electralube Plastic-compatible electrically conductive lubricant for locomotives, rolling stock and accessories”. I suppose rail clamps, though not specifically stated, could be considered as an accessory.

-Ted

#14

Ted, when the gentleman I spoke with at St Aubins suggested that I buy some, He said it was for putting into the rail joiners to maintain conductivity. That is what I used it for, and only for that. I have to admit that I don’t remember reading the label. I still use it for rail clamps, and it works at keeping water and gunk out of the joints so they keep conducting like they should.

#15

Forrest Scott Wood said:

Oh my, what a mess. Fortunately I don’t have any of the lubes mentioned here.
Mine are all Bachmann and LaBelle.
And my G scale so rarely has a chance to run any more that it can be multiple years between lubrications.

I will add a caviat about Labell. Don’t use the Fine grade lube, I have had three drive axles on three different models have their gear slip on the axle from the Fine grade oil getting in-between the axle and the gear breaking the friction adherence. So yes Labell but Medium grade lube not Fine grade.

#16

Forrest Scott Wood said:

Oh my, what a mess. Fortunately I don’t have any of the lubes mentioned here.
Mine are all Bachmann and LaBelle.
And my G scale so rarely has a chance to run any more that it can be multiple years between lubrications.

I will add a caviar about Labell. Don’t use the Fine grade lube, I have had three drive axles on three different models have their gear slip on the axle from the Fine grade oil getting in-between the axle and the gear breaking the friction adherence. So yes Labell but Medium grade lube not Fine grade.

#17

Ok Guys. What “conductive” lube do you recommend that is plastic compatible?

#18

None, why do you need a conductive lubricant? Please be specific, and we are talking electrically conductive.

(I do know of some possible uses, but I don’t think it’s worth the downside)

Just to evoke some thinking and discussion… this can be fun…

Greg

#19

Ummmmmm…nahhhh. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)

#20

So after reading through three times and still not coming up with a direct answer. I need to ask if Aristo-Electralube is conductive or not and will it work if used in rail joints where track power is the norm ? Do you have a definitive answer on this or do I use the Silver conductive grease mentioned on your vignette Ted. Thank you for an answer