Don’t overdo it, but…………

“Grease the Gears”

“Oil things that spin” (there are exceptions to this, as noted below)..



Oil should be a very light oil (like sewing machine oil, or hair clipper oil) , not something heavy like 3-in-1 oil, or motor oil !

Grease should be a quality light grease, not something like Vaseline or automotive grease.

Both products should be identified as “Plastic-compatible” as well.

Most hobby shops will carry appropriate grease and oil for model railroad use.

Personally, I like black Moly-Grease, which has molybdenum in it, but there is also good quality white grease containing Teflon available.

Most Steam engines:

With the engine upside down, remove the small metal plate that covers the main gear on the rear axle. If there is hardened grease in there, clean as much of it out as you can with a toothpick or small screwdriver. Then use a toothpick to apply a decent bead of grease to the exposed gear on the main drive axle. Don’t pack the opening full with grease, however.

One at a time, use your finger to draw each drive-wheel a bit away from the frame. Then allow a single drop or two of oil to reach the axle behind each wheel. (This is where a needle-tip oiler is very helpful!) Repeat for every wheel.

Finally, apply a couple of drops of oil where the main motor armature spins in the rear brush bracket. (There should be a small felt wick insert in that spot, to hold some oil in place, but they are frequently missing. Replacements are available.)

Do not oil couplers, linkage, or axle tips. They need to be clean and dry, and oil will simply collect dust and dirt.

Most Diesels:

The above is related to steamers. Diesels have comparable locations, but are not quite as easy to access.

Again, don’t overdo it. I’ve seen too many engines dripping with oil!

Turn your engine upside down.  Diesel truck sideframes have two small holes marked as “OIL” spots. Ignore them on dummy frames….do not oil dummy trucks.

For the powered trucks, you can apply 2 or 3 drops of oil to those OIL holes. Keep the engine upside down for a few minutes; this will allow the oil to seep down around and into the armature bearings. 

Remove each sideframe assembly (just two small screws hold each one on.) This will expose the axle gears. Apply a bead of grease, as with steam engines, and replace the sideframes.

Finally, apply a drop or two of oil behind each wheel, just as described above for steam wheels.

There are a few engines which have a different construction, such that the lubrication method is different, but the above covers the majority of American Flyer engines.

You’ll find appropriate grease and oil in my Lubricants section of the AF Parts Catalog.