My order of new gears has arrived. Is there any simple way to get the new gears on the half axels?
The only thing I can see is controlled force, and am having no luck.
Thank you.
David,
The ones I purchased for my Proto 2000 GP7 (PN 584408) had the gears already installed on the axle:
A little more expensive but they were a drop-in replacement with no need to remove the old gears and press fit the new ones on the axle.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
In the past I have used "Controlled force" and it is a procedure that requires some degree of learned skill.
Recently I have been using a PanaVice as a horizontal wheel press, which works beautifully.
Proto_gear-2 by Edmund, on Flickr
Proto_gear by Edmund, on Flickr
There are recesses (counterbores) where the nylon pads are screwed in place. The axle ends fit perfectly in these recesses.
If you have trouble at first, just press one axle into the gear, then do the other. I have been able to hold all three pieces in alignment while applying the "screw" pressure.
NOTE that a slight gap, about as thick as a business card stock, should be present between the back face of the wheel and the face of the gear. I try to make these gaps relatively even.
Have your NMRA wheel gauge handy.
Good Luck, Ed
Do hyou have the July 2019 issue of Model Railroader? Cody Grivno has an article about replacing the cracked gears on Proto 2000 locomotives.
There is also a video by Cody showing how he does it - but it might be limited to MR VIdeo Plus subscribers. Try it:
https://mrv.trains.com/series/codys-workshop/2019/02/codys-workshop-episode-35
Me, I have not bothered with replacing the gears - I replace the entire wheel/gear combo with new. More costly but having tried to replace a gear years ago on a steam locomotive, and rather botching the job, I learned my limits.
Dave Nelson
davidmurray My order of new gears has arrived. Is there any simple way to get the new gears on the half axels? The only thing I can see is controlled force, and am having no luck. Thank you.
A small vise and some strip wood for spacers will do as a press.
Usually you can get the old ones apart by hand, twist and pull.
I have about 50 Proto locos that vintage, so I have done a bunch in my little modelers vise.
Sometimes you can even start them by hand, making it a little easier to set them up in the vise.
Sheldon
Tom:
I tried ordering those from Walthers. Their system told be that my address was invalid. Either country(Canada), or street name (american city). So take what someone will sell.
I've replaced all of mine with the AThearn gears, even ones that weren;t cracked (because they will be later - most likely right at the time I really need to have the loco working). I just do them by hand - I haven't had a problem. Twisting while pushing them together seems to work for me.
DO not push them all the way in, they will be way narrow in gauge. Check each one with the NMRA gauge before putting them back in the loco. If they do go too far, pull and twist to slide them out slightly. After the first couple you will get a feel for it.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Thank you one and all. A fellow club member informed me that he has a jeweller's vise which has worked well for him.
Someday this social isolation thing will be over, and I can borrow it after a demonsration.
rrinker I've replaced all of mine with the AThearn gears, even ones that weren;t cracked (because they will be later - most likely right at the time I really need to have the loco working). I just do them by hand - I haven't had a problem. Twisting while pushing them together seems to work for me. DO not push them all the way in, they will be way narrow in gauge. Check each one with the NMRA gauge before putting them back in the loco. If they do go too far, pull and twist to slide them out slightly. After the first couple you will get a feel for it.
Rich
Alton Junction