# Squeekie Truck on my USAT F3



## jr747 (Feb 7, 2008)

Just recently, the front truck on my USAT F3 started squeaking when I run it. Do any of you know where I should lubricate and what to use? Is it pretty easy to do?

Thanks.


J.R.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Plastic compatible grease. Be SURE you put the bearings/bushings back in right! 

Check it first, put it on it's back and try to turn the wheels on each axle in opposite direction, axle by axle... you might find you have a problem, order or repair the axles... 

Also, check the back to back gauge, that can go out. 

You can lubricate the bearings in the side frames with oil without taking anything apart, I use a heavy oil. 

See my site under MOTIVE POWER..... USAT... F3 for a bunch of tips and assembly instructions. 

Regards, Greg


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## COFFEEBREAK (Jul 27, 2009)

My MTH Hudson has a squeek in the sound effeccts I greased the heck out of those wheels & drive rods until I learned that it was supposed to squeek. lol 
This has nothing to do with your problem tho ....... SORRY

Ed


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

"mmm Oil Me mmmm" said the Tin Man 










-Brian


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## jr747 (Feb 7, 2008)

Greg,

How can turn the wheels by hand? Are you able to do that? What's the back to back gauge? I went to your website and read about the truck disassembly for the USAT F3. It was very thorough. What grease do you use to lubricate the bearing in the sideframe? I've always been a little afraid of taking my engines apart thinking I might not be able to put them back together correctly. Is it hard to disassemble the trucks?

J.R.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Usually when you hear a squeak out of the usa locos you are done, what i mean by that is you should turn your loco over and apply power to the pickups and look at the wheels? i bet you will find they wobble if so the only fix is to replace them and your squeaking issues will go away.........







9.99 a pr.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By altterrain on 17 Nov 2009 10:17 PM 
"mmm Oil Me mmmm" said the Tin Man 










-Brian 

HMMMMMMMMM Rust away said the TERRA former..........







And then i planted a tree. No relation to this topic mind you


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By jr747 on 18 Nov 2009 07:32 PM 
Greg,

How can turn the wheels by hand? Are you able to do that? What's the back to back gauge? I went to your website and read about the truck disassembly for the USAT F3. It was very thorough. What grease do you use to lubricate the bearing in the sideframe? I've always been a little afraid of taking my engines apart thinking I might not be able to put them back together correctly. Is it hard to disassemble the trucks?

J.R.

If you can turn the wheels, that means you have the "cracked axle" syndrome, which is actually an axle slipping inside the cracked housing.

Back to back gauge, well, check my track and wheel standards page, that's controversial... easy way to do it is get the $10 Aristo gauge...

I recommend heavy oil, not grease on the bearings in the sideframes, again, you can apply it without disassembling anything. Grease is inside the motor block on the gears.

There are 2 sets of bearings... the ones in the sideframes that the tips of the axles sit in... they take the load and engine weight.

Inside the motor block, there are bearings on the inner sides of the axles, which basically locate the axle in relation to the gear on the motor.

Do what I said first... try turning the 2 wheels on a single axle with your thumbs, if you have a problem you will find out immediately... they should NOT turn.

If you have a problem, then you need to replace or repair...

If not, lube the axles with heavy gear oil..

Regards, Greg


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Not intending to hijack this topic but since it seems the squeaky truck issue is pretty well answered and I don't see any other USA train F3 discussions I would like to jump in and ask a question. 
I just got a Southern AB unit from Charles Ro and see something I don't like, mostly on the B. The side grills don't sit really flat and tight to the body and if you attempt to smooth them down they just sort of bow and pop out in another spot. I contacted usat and they said the grilles expand and contract differently than the plastic body and suggested I create some slack on the flanges that hold them to the body. Sounds like it may work but before i take my new engines apart I wanted to ask others opinions. I was also contemplating using some fine green wire I have to try and secure the window screen material to the supports behind the screen possibly. Anybody else had this issue and/or fixed it?

Thanks!


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## rocketrider (May 6, 2008)

I routinely use the conductive grease on the ends of the axles of the USA locomotives. I was wondering though if the sueaking might be casused by the pilot on the front of the F-3 periodically dragging on the rail?? I have found this to be the case on one of my F-3's that I corrected by filing a small amount of the pilot off.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

SRW

I have found that this is temperature dependent. I notice it more in the winter than in the summer. 

It is a little bit annoying, but anything you do might lead to bigger problems. Just remember that most of us live by the 10' rule. If you can't see it from 10 feet away, it isn't that big of a problem. Most people visiting your layout will not be close enough to see it. This is especially true when the train is moving. 


Chuck


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Just a note, and I am definitely not the "forum police"

[*]Try to avoid jumping on a thread with a completely different question.[*]Think of the forum as a nice database of information for others, the title of this thread has nothing to do with your question.[*]Do not be afraid of starting a new topic with the right subject.[*]You will see the wisdom of this when you try searching the forums for information you need, and cannot find a thread subject that makes any sense.[/list] 
OK, off soap box....

This is a very common problem, I have 11 F3s and many have this. The only solution is to CAREFULLY unbend the tabs inside, remove the grill, trim some off the end and reinstall... its just too long. You really cannot "tie" it down anywhere, because there are only the few slots to hold it down, and anything you do will show. Remember, be very careful when straightening the tabs inside to remove it.


Regards, Greg 



Posted By SRW on 13 Jan 2010 09:14 AM 
Not intending to hijack this topic but since it seems the squeaky truck issue is pretty well answered and I don't see any other USA train F3 discussions I would like to jump in and ask a question. 
I just got a Southern AB unit from Charles Ro and see something I don't like, mostly on the B. The side grills don't sit really flat and tight to the body and if you attempt to smooth them down they just sort of bow and pop out in another spot. I contacted usat and they said the grilles expand and contract differently than the plastic body and suggested I create some slack on the flanges that hold them to the body. Sounds like it may work but before i take my new engines apart I wanted to ask others opinions. I was also contemplating using some fine green wire I have to try and secure the window screen material to the supports behind the screen possibly. Anybody else had this issue and/or fixed it?

Thanks!


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Thanks for the answer to my F3 grill problem and I apologise for coloring outside the lines...My bad.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

The grill problem is most noteable when it is cooler, i have this problem with my pa's and e-8s and my USA trains 4 bay hopper cars the walk ways look like a rubber road. just warm them up they will be fine.....Ok im out of here i see the coppers comin he he he........


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

No problem, just a suggestion... and it really helps starting a new thread, you may get more participation... meant as constructive criticism... no more... 

But, since we are here already: 


Yeah, I played and played with mine... trimming a bit off each end was the best solution. I tried to "scrunch" them up and make them shorter, bu I saw I would destroy the grills. 

Regards, Greg


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