Recommended Oils
The user assumes all liability for these products, use at your own risk. We cannot be held responsible for damage or liability caused by improper handling, use, installation, or maintenance. Due to the nature of the product and age of equipment, we are unable to guarantee against failure.
Some common journal oils are shown below:
Chevron CPS No. 233803 "Journal bearing oil,"
Texaco Product Code 674 "Journaltex" HD-57,
Unocal Product Code 04907 AAR-963 oil,
Valvoline M-963-84 "All year car oil,"
Interlube Journal Guard
PB&J 100 has been shown to work but requires pad restraints on large axles due to tackifiers rolling the pads when cold
(AVOID PBJ 460 in cellars because it is too sticky and will tear the pads).
Proper pad fit maintains contact with the journal surface on the axle and maximizes pad service life by reducing excessive pressure.
Use the diagram to the right and the list below to collect the data we need to ensure a good fit.
1. Height: clearance from the floor inside the journal box up to the bottom journal surface of the axle (not at the end collar). This is the space where the pad would sit and corrrect sizing is critical to pad performance. The pad should tuck in behind the collar so it doesn’t wear prematurely.
For steamers, please also measure the gap between cellar and axle as fitted because this adds to the distance we need to fill. I’ve seen over 1” variation in cellar heights due to large gaps and remade cellars within one locomotive so it’s not a one-size-fits-all arrangement. Nearest 1/8” measurement is fine.
2. Width: maximum wall to wall width inside the box (perpendicular to axle), again nearest 1/8” measurement is fine.
2a: Is the bottom surface of the journal box flat across most the surface, chamfered edges of 1” or more, or continuous curved U shape like Symmington, or something different that requires a shape other than rectangle? For steamers does it have bumps in the casting for cellar pins, oil fill pipes etc? Please provide dimensions for these.
3. Length: On cars the nominal length of the brass bearing will do, or for steamers measure cellar inside length (along axis of axle).
3a. Does the axle have a collar/knob machined on the end as shown in the diagram below? Some axles are just machined straight all the way out like steam locomotive drivers, street cars, some diesels, and Muley trucks.
Pad Prep for Installation
Before installation, pads must be thoroughly saturated with journal oil! Fully immerse pads in a clean container of oil, squeeze multiple times until air bubbles stop rising, then keep pad fully submerged for at least 2 minutes before removal to allow expansion to reduce air re-entry. Pads will continue to absorb over time so it is recommended that they be submerged at least 48 hours after this process before installation. Due to variation in equipment dimensions, pads occasionally require shims or other restraints to achieve optimal fit and prevent excessive shifting.
Pads typically go in easier if you jack up the box, safely remove the wedge and brass bearing, and carefully let the box down. This provides several precious inches of additional clearance to “turn the corner” with the oil soaked pad to tuck it back into the box. If you are uncertain about this process, contact me and I can send a reliable process. Please note that jacking up a journal box presents serious safety risks and must be performed safely to mitigate risk.
