Better motors for Lima railcars and bubble cars?

[KeithMacdonald]

Sorry if this has been posted before/elsewhere. I have tried the Search function, but I'm probably lacking in wits.

 

I've got a Lima Class 121 and a Lima GWR railcar. Both sound like they've got a coffee grinder for a motor, and both have epileptic fits when trying to cross over points.

 

Can anyone suggest a better replacement motor? Ideally a plug-and-play simple replacement without needing advanced skills in micro-engineering!

 

And/or replacing the non-motorised bogie with another motorised bogie?

 

Thanks in advance for all useful suggestions (not including why did I bother buying those models?).

[Gibbo675]

17 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Sorry if this has been posted before/elsewhere. I have tried the Search function, but I'm probably lacking in wits.

 

I've got a Lima Class 121 and a Lima GWR railcar. Both sound like they've got a coffee grinder for a motor, and both have epileptic fits when trying to cross over points.

 

Can anyone suggest a better replacement motor? Ideally a plug-and-play simple replacement without needing advanced skills in micro-engineering!

 

And/or replacing the non-motorised bogie with another motorised bogie?

 

Thanks in advance for all useful suggestions (not including why did I bother buying those models?).

Hi Kieth,

 

I have seen these on ebay and although I have not yet tried using one someone will know what the score is.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lima-Replacement-CD-Can-Motor-Adaptor-Kit-12MM-Bo-Bo-26-33-HST-101-Railcar-LA2/362596121842?hash=item546c69bcf2:g:~80AAOSw3g5cu34E

 

Gibbo.

[jessy1692]

Iv used a couple in lima 47's easy enough to do with a hot glue gun and following the instructions.

 

It does quieten them down a bit and improves the slow speed running and aparantly makes them easier to convert to dcc. 

Pics now added, 1st step take off the armature cover, then remove the armature and the flexi magnet thing.

 

Then, place the new motor in the cavity and use the supplied brass tube to ensure its mounted centrally, also check the cog meshes.

 

Finally, i held it in place with blue tack and then used a hot glue gun to fix into place, one hardened i took the blue tac out and put some more hot glue in. Take off the alignment tube, connect up the electrics and away you go.

Simple!

 

Worth it for me

Cheers

James

Edited October 20, 2019 by jessy1692

[PatB]

I've put a Susumotor CD motor conversion into a tender drive Lima King. Cheap, easy to do, torque aplenty and much quieter than the original. I took the opportunity to clean up the moulding marks on all the gears, which helped as well. 

 

A minor improvement is possible to the Susu installation. The Lima motor has a bearing at the outer end of the motor output shaft, providing support and accurate location. The CD motor shaft is smaller and so loses this. The Susu instructions effectively say not to worry about it and to set the gear mesh by trial and error. As I own a lathe, I pushed out the original bearing bush and made a replacement with a smaller bore, making setting the gear mesh a doddle. Had I not had the lathe it would have been possible to achieve the same result using bits of tube from the K&S metals rack at the model shop. 

Edited October 20, 2019 by PatB

[KeithMacdonald]

5 hours ago, Gibbo675 said:

Hi Kieth,

 

I have seen these on ebay and although I have not yet tried using one someone will know what the score is.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lima-Replacement-CD-Can-Motor-Adaptor-Kit-12MM-Bo-Bo-26-33-HST-101-Railcar-LA2/362596121842?hash=item546c69bcf2:g:~80AAOSw3g5cu34E

 

Gibbo.

 

Thanks for the link, but

 

Quote

This item is out of stock

 

[KeithMacdonald]

Thanks for steering me in the right direction.

I've just found this, which might be what I need?

 

Lima Bo-Bo Replacement Motor Kit.

https://www.diesel-trains.co.uk/test-category/test-product.html

 

Next, how to replace the non-motorised end with a motorised end ...

[cctransuk]

5 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Sorry if this has been posted before/elsewhere. I have tried the Search function, but I'm probably lacking in wits.

 

I've got a Lima Class 121 and a Lima GWR railcar. Both sound like they've got a coffee grinder for a motor, and both have epileptic fits when trying to cross over points.

 

Can anyone suggest a better replacement motor? Ideally a plug-and-play simple replacement without needing advanced skills in micro-engineering!

 

And/or replacing the non-motorised bogie with another motorised bogie?

 

Thanks in advance for all useful suggestions (not including why did I bother buying those models?).

 

You can't do better than a High Level LoRider - though you do have to build them; http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/loriderpage.html .

 

I've recently fitted one in a Lima GWR railcar, and I've a couple more in the 'to do' pile.

 

I also replaced the wheels with Gibson DMU ones.

 

Virtually silent running, with no stuttering on points.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[cravensdmufan]

15 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

You can't do better than a High Level LoRider - though you do have to build them; http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/loriderpage.html .

 

I've recently fitted one in a Lima GWR railcar, and I've a couple more in the 'to do' pile.

 

I also replaced the wheels with Gibson DMU ones.

 

Virtually silent running, with no stuttering on points.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

That is very interesting, John - thanks for the link.

 

I'd never heard of High Level.  I have a couple of extra detailed Lima Class 156s which IMO still look good so I'd be interested in putting these power bogies into them (cannot justify the cost of Realtrack models).

 

Just wondering, does the LoRider pick up from all four wheels on the bogie?  It doesn't give much info on the webpage.

 

Vivian

[KeithMacdonald]

Ah, patience is a virtue, and I hope Strathpeffer's elective hospital admission goes well.

 

Quote

Due to an elective hospital admission, the Strathpeffer Junction shop will be closed between 15:00 on Sunday 20 October until 1 November 2019. To avoid disappointment and delays, I'm afraid that orders cannot be placed during that period.

 

Generic adaptor for CD drive motors

https://www.strathpefferjunction.com/product-category/ringfield-motor-conversion-kits/lima-replacement-motor-kits/generic-adaptors/

 

Kits

https://www.strathpefferjunction.com/product-category/ringfield-motor-conversion-kits/lima-replacement-motor-kits/

[melmerby]

I put a black Beetle in mine and also make sure the unpowered bogie picks up on all wheels (Lima only use one side)

[cctransuk]

2 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

That is very interesting, John - thanks for the link.

 

I'd never heard of High Level.  I have a couple of extra detailed Lima Class 156s which IMO still look good so I'd be interested in putting these power bogies into them (cannot justify the cost of Realtrack models).

 

Just wondering, does the LoRider pick up from all four wheels on the bogie?  It doesn't give much info on the webpage.

 

Vivian

 

The pick-up arrangements are up to you - what the LoRider comprisesof is an etched fret containing the chassis structural components, which have to be soldered together. Also provided are multi-stage gears, and you can include a Mashima motor in your purchase if you do not have a suitable one.

 

These are not plug-and-play drive units - your have to assemble them - but they do fit directly into the Lima underframe unit.

 

Using the existing Lima trailing bogie pick-ups, plus new ones attached to the LoRider, you will have eight-wheel pick-up.

 

Be aware that the Lima wheels have larger axles than the Gibson 2mm. ones, so you will need to sleeve the Lima trailing bogie with brass tube in order to fit Gibson wheels.

 

So - some work involved, including soldering; but the instructions are very comprehensive and the results are superb.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[roythebus]

when the Lima DMUs were first introduced in the early 1980w e ran several on the MRC's New Annington ;ayout. This used hand-built track using code 75 BH rail on PCB sleepers. We had a problem with running qualities on the Lima stuff. 

 

The problem was found to be not the motors but the pizza cutter flanges. They were riding on the sleepers and ballast and breaking contact. Mid-way through a show John Jesson took one home, turned the flanges down to BRMSB size and the running improved 500%. This could be why Lima stuff stutters on points, the flanges ride up on the plastic bits in the frogs and break contact. Give it a try.