Mean Streak... Squeak Squeak Squeak

Can anyone tell me why mean streak is so squeaky? I know part of it is due to the fact of the oil needed but what else?*** This post was edited by Jeffrey Spartan on 10/9/2001. ***

*** This post was edited by Jeffrey Spartan on 10/9/2001. ***

Trim Breaks threw the ride.

-------------
"Your to old for Jr. Gemini." "I am 4! Only I am just dressed as a teen for halloweekends!"

Wrong.

The squeak is caused by unlubricated metal rubbing against unlubricated metal, namely the wheels on the track in the turns.

-----------------
Jeff
Webmaster/GTTP
Watch my grass grow: http://www.sillynonsense.com/subdivision/

Then whats the nosie at the top of the first hill, besides the clicking, jeff? ;)

-------------
"Your to old for Jr. Gemini." "I am 4! Only I am just dressed as a teen for halloweekends!"

The trim brake dosn't squeek, its more like a "che che che, why did we stop going down the 1st hill, why are we now rolling back." kind of noise.

--------------
2001 Force-275 Magnum-454
I rode Gemini more than once during a day.

Wood coasters such as Mean Streak have steel wheels with a cylindrical face rolling against the track steel. Those wheels are mounted in such a way that they always point straight ahead. When the train goes through a curve...as Mean Streak does over practically its entire length...the road wheels have to slide diagonally across the track steel, rather than following along. The result is a metal-on-metal slide which tends to be rather noisy. It also tends to waste energy, and to wear out the parts (track, wheels) due to the friction between metal parts. Of course, the usual solution to reducing friction between metal parts is to add lubrication...grease, graphite, oil, water, PTFE, molybdenum disulfide, whatever...to allow the parts to slide freely. In the absence of lubrication, you'll get loud, annoying screeching noises.

That makes sense.

If you notice, there are squeaking noises in the same spot and the same pitch every time you ride of certain points of the track. So, it must have something to do with the wheels on the track.

And the lack of lubrication doesn't help either!

-----------------
Force Laps: 387
VertiGo Shots: 32
6/11/01: Gemini 100

RideMan

You forgot vaseline.

-------------
I was super before Superstew was cool!

*** This post was edited by Superstew on 10/9/2001. ***