philsandy Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 After converting some wagons to EM (ie. flicking out original wheels, pulling them out on the axles) although they run freely, they are not quite as free and smooth as in their original OO state. There is a fair bit of play vertically in the axles, where as as before conversion there is no play at all. Am I doing something wrong? is the act of slightly forcing the axle boxes out to get the wheels in and out contributing to this unwanted play? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert17649 Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I have had a similar problem,which I countered by using shoulder less sometimes called plain bearings. Sometimes they just drop in sometimes a bit of reaming out of the hole is needed. A better method is to insert a shouldered bearing in one Side drill out the other and put in a plain bearing with the axle in place to give a good fit then back fill the axle hole with milliput or similar, shaping and painting to finish. Worth a try Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sidelines Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Just for starters - if you have bent over the plastic axle boxes too far to get the axles in and out you could have deformed the plastic so much so that it is permanently bent and will not go back to its original, I am guessing vertical position. Second thought - you have pulled the wheels further apart. Perhaps they are simply catching on the brake shoes? Regards Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 17, 2014 As well as the suggestions above; Depends what wagons you're converting. On Bachmanns the inside of the W iron and inside face of the solebar needs to be relieved. Either spring out or bevel the inside face of the brake block, or if it's a seperate moulding take it off and reposition it. Also check the plastic insulating bush on the axle doesn't protrude out of the front face of the wheel, if it does trim it back flush, there's not much room between the axleboxes. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 There should be a degree of slop between the axles and the bearings. If there is no play, or they are too tight, then friction will occur. The most likely cause is that something is now rubbing as has been suggested. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonnieS Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I have had a couple of kit built wagons go sloppy after a long storage.(and even more go tight!) I wrapped an elastic band around the axle boxes in a figure of 8 and ran some MEK around the solebar/floor area. If tou look at the wagon end on do the axleboxws look "splayed out"? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonnieS Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 After converting some wagons to EM (ie. flicking out original wheels, pulling them out on the axles) although they run freely, they are not quite as free and smooth as in their original OO state. There is a fair bit of play vertically in the axles, where as as before conversion there is no play at all. Am I doing something wrong? is the act of slightly forcing the axle boxes out to get the wheels in and out contributing to this unwanted play? I have had a couple of kit built wagons go sloppy after a long storage.(and even more go tight!) I wrapped an elastic band around the axle boxes in a figure of 8 and ran some MEK around the solebar/floor area. If you look at the wagon end on do the axleboxes look "splayed out"? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philsandy Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 Thanks for all your replies. I made sure nothing was catching on the wheels, they run freely, the issue was the amount of slop of the axles in the bearings after EM conversion compared with the original OO wheel sets. (these were on some Bachmann 12T vent vans). I have done another axle set and been more careful in taking out and putting in the wheels, and this axle is a lot better. I may have over zealous in bending the axle boxes out, However I have just bought some Bachmann 14T tanker wagons and there is a fair amount of slop in the OO wheel sets, so there does seem to be some variation here on different models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted March 19, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 19, 2014 You may also find there is some variation in the length of the axle, although most are nominally 26mm manufacturing tolerances will mean there is some +/- in this. Others will probably cringe at the thought, but I've used a soldering iron to melt bearings in place in Bachmann axleguards, particularly on their BR brake vans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 19, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 19, 2014 Others will probably cringe at the thought, Consider me cringeing I use the Alan Gibson bearing drill tool. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted March 19, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 19, 2014 Consider me cringeing Ha ha, thought you might be; at least I didn't use my hammer on them though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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