EXTENDED RELUBRICATION PERIOD FOR RAILROAD ROLLER BEARINGS

At the present time, railroad roller bearings, with rotating axle end caps operating in interchange service, are relubricated every forty-eight months with Grade B grease, which is to AAR Specification M- 917-64. Field inspections have indicated that over-lubication has caused an increase in the number of bearings being set out due to overheating. These inspections indicate that relubrication can be extended beyond the present four-year period. Some of the Grade B greases are not stable and not desirable for extended relubrication. With the simulated service mechanical stability test as a requirement in the proposed AAR Grease Specification M-942, this problem should be eliminated. Laboratory tests have been made by the author's company on a grease which meets the proposed AAR Grease Specification. The tests confirm that bearing fatigue life can be increased and that bearings will operate satisfactorily under cold conditions as well as normal service. These requirements are also desirable for extended relubrication. This paper will describe the changes that have been made in the past for relubrication of freight car roller bearings and then will outline why relubrication can be extended beyond the present four-year period if the proposed AAR Grease Specification is adopted.

• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Lubricating Engineers

  838 Busse Highway
  Park Ridge, IL  United States  60068
• Authors:
  • Jones, H M
• Publication Date: 1976-7

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 336-44
• Serial:
  • Lubrication Engineering
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: American Society of Lubricating Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Freight cars; Journal bearings; Journal boxes; Lubricants; Roller bearings; Specifications; Vehicle maintenance
• Old TRIS Terms: Freight car maintenance; Hot boxes
• Subject Areas: Maintenance and Preservation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00147834
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Railways
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 16 1977 12:00AM