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Most of the last generation of CLW gearboxes that I see work just fine.  The gearbox contains a metal worm, probably steel, and a plastic axle gear, probably Delrin that reported self lubricates.  

Occasionally I find one or two gearboxes that are very stiff which I have attributed to a cracked axle gear.  I have seen this symptom with the Weaver gearbox of similar design.  Yet that may not actually be case with the CLW. The CLW gearboxes case halves are riveted together  unlike Weaver so actually checking is not exactly easy. As of late I have been able to loosen the CLW mechanism with light grade Labelle oil.  I am starting to think that the notion of self lubrication is somewhat overstated.  Now thinking that both Weaver and CLW gearboxes could benefit significantly with a light grade plastic compatible lubricant, instead of running dry.  Curious to hear the experience of others.IMG_1506IMG_1507

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IMO, self-lubrication is largely a myth for such a gearbox.  The mesh between a worm and worm gear exerts a significant amount of pressure on the gears.  It's one thing to run a couple of meshing spur gears together without significant lube, but the forces acting on a worm/worm gear are many times what the spur gear will experience.

Put some lube in there.

Here's what happens to worm/worm gear boxes without proper lube!  This was from my Weaver Reading G2sa.  Sadly, the damage was done before I got it, I ran it for a couple of hours and it stopped running.  Only then did I realize that the gearbox had obviously not been lubricated!

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One of my mentors who is very well published sent this to me:

Yes!   Drill that rivet out of there!  From memory, use two #43 drills, one in a vise and one in the drill press.  One will rotate the rivet, the other will cut its head off.  Assembly then slides apart.  Use LaBelle 107 Teflon grease or equivalent.

Re-assemble with 2-56 screws and nuts.

Weaver did not age their gear material, so all of their gears shrink and split.  There was a time when they would replace them for free.  NWSL and CLW aged their Celcon before cutting, to minimize shrink after pressing.  CLW might be the best O Scale gearbox ever - although early production All Nation units give good service.

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