Heljan O Gauge gear spares

[21C123]

I see the class 33 gears are moulded together and appear to have a smooth shaft. I guess they won’t split now.....

 

 

Roger

[Hal Nail]

38 minutes ago, 21C123 said:

I see the class 33 gears are moulded together and appear to have a smooth shaft. I guess they won’t split now.....

 

 

Roger

Does look that way but oddly the other type (35, 47 etc) look like they have the splines still. I was going to get some of those but held off.

 

Wrong way round for me as I already had some ultrascale for my 33 but that's sods law of course.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

On 11/03/2021 at 07:05, Hal Nail said:

https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/news/article/view/id/360/?fbclid=IwAR3bMFPhPhP5-GiHd3yhQ2p2QvUWcPzwWKTXIUUNmIhbLuk2XEROz41HZEo

Strange isn't it that plastic gear sets are still required when Heljan's management denied that the problem was still present (in a GOG Gazette interview, roughly two years ago). Said mgmt had been challenged, by various GOG members, that over a 12 year production run (don't quote me on that, in précis and not verbatim) the problem had existed AND still does as older models failed, some still not run, stored in their boxes.

 

What's worse, the GOG was set up, by those such as the late, great, Jack Ray et al, to manage, liaise with, negotiate with, secure quality supplies from, the trade and manufacturers (in short so as to buy and supply chain manage as the scale/gauge was about to die), the GOG, re D&E GOG modellers, who'd purchased defective Heljan products? Failed to engage and did nothing. It's barely been mentioned in the mainstream press too. I wonder why that is?

 

Imho it has to be third party metal gears from now on. IF Heljan have modified certain sets, but deny the problem? How can they be trusted?

Edited March 12, 2021 by CME and Bottlewasher

[Hal Nail]

42 minutes ago, CME and Bottlewasher said:

IF Heljan have modified certain sets, but deny the problem? How can they be trusted?

 

Gears get raised every time Ben does an interview, often with the implication all models are at risk. In saying the problem was addressed, I have always thought he is referring to the fact they redesigned the drive chain so it isnt perpetuated in later models. This in response to people being potentially put off purchasing locos that havent got an issue.

 

In terms of the affected models they have at least supplied replacements over the period (free initially) and it seems may even have re designed them 10 years on.

 

They could have dealt with this better but I dont think it is accurate or fair to keep suggesting they havent done anything about it.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

On 12/03/2021 at 14:58, Hal Nail said:

 

Gears get raised every time Ben does an interview, often with the implication all models are at risk. In saying the problem was addressed, I have always thought he is referring to the fact they redesigned the drive chain so it isnt perpetuated in later models. This in response to people being potentially put off purchasing locos that havent got an issue.

 

In terms of the affected models they have at least supplied replacements over the period (free initially) and it seems may even have re designed them 10 years on.

 

They could have dealt with this better but I dont think it is accurate or fair to keep suggesting they havent done anything about it.

Hi HN,

 

That's your interpretation. BTW are you a friend of BJ's?

 

In your view of the issue, tbh, you've made an assumption.

 

People are free to purchase models as they see fit, from whom ever they wish (I have a small fleet of Heljan locos, in most aspects they're excellent). It is up to Heljan to manage their marketing and quality control as they see fit also - we can vote with our feet and wallets. For the time being freedom of speech is still a divine right in the UK, I've endeavoured to be truthful and factual - merely stating the facts.

 

To be fair to BJ, the matter of faulty gears was, largely, before his time. The only interview Ive read was the one that BJ did in the GOG Gazette. There were aspects within his answers that were factually incorrect - I'm not sure how well briefed he was by his company or if he'd done his homework or not.

 

Sadly the fault went on, for 12 years (+/-). One wouldnt expect such from any other considered purchase or product. Although a certain white goods manufacturer had similar issues (in terms of time scales and dealing with/acknowledging such) with their various owned brand tumble dryers, the implications of which are considerably more severe than a model loco's gear faults. The facts and the outcome thereof are plain to see, for those who have eyes and ears, in both cases.

 

The matter of faulty gears remained unresolved for many years, enough for a third party to make, properly engineered, replacements. Heljan had that choice too, but chose to stick to their guns?

 

Ive no financial interests in any company mentioned. I have had though several locos with faulty gears. When Howes were in charge of spares they kindly, and rightly sent me FOC replacements (not everyone had FOC replacements even within the warranty period). Those replacements failed in the exact same way (although we were told by the manufacturer that such were improved/resolved items). In addition one is expected to repair the - on a considered purchase - fault one's self. If it were a Eg TV set, one wouldnt be repairing such oneself. The fact that I'm technically able is neither here nor there other than the matter should have been fully resolved by the manufacturer in its entirety - in short they got off lightly.

 

Heljan had this - known - problem for many years, little, if anything was done about it, until the recent batch of models had a gear-set redesign. I've three locos with such, I hope that they perform better and have longevity in built. But both versions of the gear-trains/sets, are highly complex - although, when working, they run superbly well. I cant help but think that a simple, more elegant solution would have sufficed, thus avoiding the issue of split gears etc?

 

I'm not sure where Heljan had said plastic gears manufactured, but that could be why they had a problem in the first place and continued to (they were being hoodwinked)? The design whilst complex, worked well, when working - as I say, superb smooth/slow running, quiet too - but the whole was let down by one key, critical asset, those defective gear sets. A shame for all concerned.

 

It is apparent from this Thread that people are still struggling with the issue, even recently. It is also apparent that certain writers/contributors are reliant upon, still happy to purchase from and trust Heljan, in terms of buying plastic gears from them via the new importer. Each to their own, it's still, just, a free country, and as a libertarian, I support their rights and wishes to do so. I, however, after getting cheesed off, with replacing gear sets/stripping them down, chose to go for single bogie power and replacement metal gears where appropriate.

 

The whole situation reminds me of several versions of kit built RC cars, I built and modified. In one version the soft metal sun/planet gears failed, another the drive shafts. I then replaced them once only with third party modified parts, I repaired friends cars accordingly also. Others in our club chose to keep having failures (major car rebuilds in some cases) and buying not fit for purpose gears from the manufacturer/retailers (a manufacturer who took decades to do anything about it - planned or enforced obsolescence/failures?). Each to their own, I support everone's right to freewill, but banging one's head against a brick wall hurts, to do it a second time hurts more, to do it a third time? Madness! Each to their own though.

 

Atvb,

 

CME

 

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2021 by CME and Bottlewasher

[Hal Nail]

3 hours ago, CME and Bottlewasher said:

I'm not sure where Heljan had said plastic gears manufactured, but that could be why they had a problem in the first place

 

A factory?

I'm not linked to Ben, no.

[CME and Bottlewasher]

6 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

 

A factory?

I'm not linked to Ben, no.

I was referring to where said factory is and who runs it - in general terms. Those sorts of issues are important as many manufacturers, across numerous product groups, market segments etc, have found out to their cost over the past 15-20yrs.