I acquired this nifty drawbridge in a collection lot. Finally had a chance to check out its motion....
Could hear the motor 'grunt' when activated.....but no motion.
Removed the 2 screws to the pier covering the works...
There was brown sticky, yucky old grease all over the gear train...bearing points, gears, axles, etc. Experience has taught me that such crud, over time is the 'bane of the train'....gear train, that is. In trying to use the pinky-poke to force some motion of the gears I discovered that the real culprit in the no-go was the motor/gear itself....frozen solid...or so it seemed. I removed the little DC motor from its cradle and confirmed that the armature wasn't going to spin at all. Again, there was this brown gunky old grease slathered on the motor gear and over the adjacent motor bearing/shaft.
So, I washed the motor in mineral spirits. Lo and behold, the shaft spun freely, applying a few DC volts it ran beautifully. I applied a couple drops of LaBelle 108 to both motor bearings. Then I removed the rest of the gear train assembly, washed it in mineral spirits followed by a hot detergent bath and thorough forced air drying. Reassembled the works....Voila! Born again!
HOWEVER....
I'm left with the question of applying fresh lubrication. Yes? No? If so, what and where?
The large original instruction sheet sez nothing about maintenance...specifically lubrication. I've searched several publications on accessory maintenance, etc., and am not finding either a similar experience, nor any manufacturer's recommendation.
I've had several of the old Marx wind-up toys that had stamped metal gear trains similar to this accessory. I learned that you're far better off to NOT put lube...oils, grease, etc....on those simple mechanisms. I'm wondering now whether the old brown grease I encountered and its overabundant slathering, was factory applied, or was the former owner(s) misguided attempt to.....who knows what?....quiet the mechanism? (It's a real grinder, believe me!!)
Appreciate any expertise/comments re lubrication, or not, for this drawbridge.
Thanks!
KD
