Guys I use KD couplers on my rolling stock, which is left outside 24/7, the obvious answer to the question that I am about to pose is, " well take them indoors".
Ok. So is ther any form of lubrication that I can use on them to keep them loose. I have tried the KD graphite. It didn’t last a week.
Thanks in advance.
Try a shot of silicone spray into the draft box. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Thanks Joe. The draft boxes are loose enough. It’s the jaws that become tight.
In the draft boxes, they recommend dry lubricant, since oils and greases will gum up a bit and make them not work properly. The jaws on the other hand, the 2 parts ride on the metal trip pin. The pin is “fixed” in the one part, and the other part swivels on the pin. So when the pin rusts, the jaws get stiff. So I would think the silicone, or a drop of penetrating oil, might do the trick.
In moist climates, dry lube will not keep things from rusting.
If it’s really wet, then you will need something that has more “staying” power than just silicon spray.
Greg
Greg, yea, but they have already become stiff. So they have already rusted a bit.
Kadee plastic is tough.
Spray with a bit of the “liquid wrench” which will usually break down the rust, flush with combo cleaner lube, then heavier lube to retard rusting.
Greg
Oh, gawd…not liquid wrench. Unless you have spare couplers.
I spent considerable time once “loosening up” Kadees on a friend’s railroad…and the equipment is NOT left out doors…but it does run sometimes in Seattle area liquid sunshine.
He now has a regularly scheduled maintenance to oil them with plastic compatible oil, top and bottom pivots of the trip pin.
When the rust get sufficient in the sliding jaw portion, and expands, it will most likely split the jaw.
BTDT.
TOC
Dave (OCT) speaks with experience. My added experience is go to the auto parts store - even Walmart – and buy a quart of Mobil One synthetic oil. It is both plastic compatible and works to free up mechanisms with a little manipulation. This quart will last you likely a year. It works out to about $50+ aquart if you bought LaBelle synthetic in the same quantity. As to the cost of LGB’s packaged oils…gasp.
Your choice of the oil’s viscosity is not critical as the highest number will never be reached from heat.
Use the synthetic. The dirt-on-the-couplers saga as a continual concern is not crucial in comparison to keeping the couplers functioning. My experience is lubing, and lubing, and lubing, hundreds of rolling stock journals, loco gears and side rods — and couplers, even hook-n-loop connecting surfaces.
Meanwhile, the continual irritating sound of metal, or plastic, axles rotating inside plastic rolling stock wheel journals is so easily remedied with a drop of synthetic in the journal. Ooooooh came the crys of the fear-of-dirt-in-the-journals group. No problem. Look! The axle virtually seals up the journal. Hmmmmm went the approving response.
Wendell
I don’t think oil alone will recover something already rusted, but notice I said oil afterwards.
Greg
I had to go look, as I use other stuff for automotive. LW does make a silicone spray, plastic compatible, but the LW I am used to is liquid, and it will eat the skin off yer fingers. NOT for plastic.
I use oil (Plastic Compatible) and work it back and forth, back and forth, adding more oil to flush out the dissolved rust. Then keep it lubed.
TOC
Oh, and the best “penetrant”? Acetone and auto trans fluid. What we end up using on Limey Limos all the time. Cheap when you mix it up yourself.
Again, NOT plastic compatible.
Guys thanks for all of your input and help.
It is now obvious that the iron trip pins have expanded through corrosion within the Jaws. I will remove the original pins and replace them with brass rod, as I don’t use them for magnetic uncoupling.
Wendell I will certainly use mineral oil in the journals.
Without proper knurling, new brass rod trip pins will work loose.
Since the jaw is keep closed by the spring…use a proper diameter brass nail, pressed in from the top, cut to length, and the head of the nail will keep gravity from pulling it through the jaw and body.
Even if you have to run a slightly bigger drill bit through by hand to get the brass nail in, the couplers are dead for resale value anyway, so doesn’t matter.
Lots a luck getting the old pin out without shattering something.
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I used a pair of pliers to put some sort of knurl marks into a steel rod that I used to replace a cut off trip pin. It worked. You just need something on the top part of the pin so it bites into the plastic and holds fast.
For years now, I have been putting a drop of “PLASTIC COMPATIBLE” oil on the top and bottom of all Kadee couplers, and they don’t show any signs of rusting or plastic problems. Yes I have been using “Lucas” synthetic gear lube, rather than LaBelle for a number of years. The reason I chose Lucas was that it matched the Mobil product, but came in a container that was easier to use to refill the small LaBelle applicator.
Every Kadee conversion get the oil job now…and every time a car in the fleet comes in for maintenance, they get it too…
As far as lubricating the draft gear box…I never have lubed them. As long as the mounting screws are not over tightened, they work well without it.
There are over 350 cars in our active fleet…