Hey guys, I was just wondering if you all had any experience or preferences with upgrading Athearn motors. They run good, but they're just so loud..... and I have a bunch of Atlas engines with the Kato drives, and ugh..... are they freaking sweet! Even the newer Atlas' aren't as good as the old Kato-driven ones.
I know A-Line makes can-motors you can put in, but does Kato sell them? Not only are they quiet, but the Katos RUN so sooo smoothly, haha.
And if anyone has any experience or tips with doing the upgrade themselves... that would also be great.
I had the same problem a while back. The loudness, we generally decided, was a problem with the gears and not the motor.
I ended up replacing the engine chassis. Athearn makes replacements chassis for several engines, if you can find them. This was a good option, and it turned out to be cheaper than just a replacement motor.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Kato does have a motor available. Search for Kato HM-5. It's a 33m x 17mm can with 2mm shafts. You should be able to find them for $20 or less.
You can also check out Helix Humper:
http://www.alliancelink.com/alp/
I have read that many people really like their stuff.
If you are comfortable with buying a motor strictly by the size you need, this guy has some pretty good stuff:
http://stores.ebay.com/microlocomotion
I bought from him twice and they seem to be very good motors.
If you remotor, it's still a really good idea to take apart the trucks and at least give a good cleaning and lube. This page can be helpful, if you haven't done it before.
http://www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_TuneUp.html#TRUCKS
Take a good look at the flywheels too. On most of the OLDER Athearns I have, the flywheels are poor and cause vibration. A few bucks here to replace them can be worth it.
Rather than remotoring them, have you ever considered giving them a thorough tune-up?
I won't deny that a re-motor could be the ultimate upgrade, but a tune-up is a lot less expensive and can make a world of difference. This is especially true if the problem is in a different part of the driveline rather than in the motor itself.
Here's a link to one outline of an Athearn tune-up: http://www.mcor-nmra.org/Publications/Articles/Athearn_TuneUp.html
Steve
wow thanks guys... this is the exact stuff I was looking for. I just want to get my Athearn engines as yummy-sounding as my Atlas/Katos, haha
NWSL has a repower kit for Athearn F units that costs under $40 and A-Line has repower kits for most other Athearn's for under $60.
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