I have two new MicroMart 12V can motors with 2.0 mm shafts. I want to use Athearn fly wheels that have a 3.0mm opening. Yes, a bit too large. Is there any way I can salvage the motors and make the flywheels work with them? Gotta be a way.
Thanks
JRP
Yup, sure is! Use some 2mm to 2.4mm bushings, and then use 1/8" brass tube over those with an inner diameter of 2.4mm. NWSL makes the bushings, but they are a bit expensive: https://nwsl.com/collections/shaft-adapter-bushings/products/bushing-shaft-adapter-reducer-2-0mm-id-x-2-4mm-od-x-3-0mm-l-steel-2-pkg
And here's the brass tube: https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/k+s/k+s8127.htm
The other method is to turn your own bushings from hard plastic. Just make sure everything's perfectly straight so the flywheels don't go off balance.
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K&S has 3mm OD with 2.1mm ID brass tubing. It’s a bit loose but I’ve added Athearn flywheels to several 2mm can motors using Super Glue Gel and out of 6 flywheels only 1 was a bit out of balance. I redid it and it worked.
The black plastic universal in the flywheel has a 2mm hole that helps center the tubing.
Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
The only flywheel-equipped locomotives that ever impressed me were the E-units from Model Power, as only a cab-style diesel has room for a large-diameter flywheel. Extra weight in a flywheel is more effective if it's in a larger diameter rather than a longer length.
For the most part, I found that removing the flywheels allowed for more useful weight to be added, which in-turn made for much better pulling power. I never saw a need for a loco to coast once I realised that it was more important to be able to pull whatever I decided to hang on the drawbar.
Wayne
doctorwayne only a cab-style diesel has room for a large-diameter flywheel.
I have a Proto-Power-West chassis for an F unit with two HUGE flywheels and a high quality motor with no magnetic cogging action.
This chassis is immune to dirty track, so it is what I use to pull my John-Allen style Masonite track cleaning car.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
doctorwayneFor the most part, I found that removing the flywheels allowed for more useful weight to be added, which in-turn made for much better pulling power.
Which promptly leads to questions of why denser material isn't used in the flywheels themselves. It seems to me that lead cast and machined around a brass bushing would be little more difficult to produce than billet brass, or that some other cost-effective method of making (and balancing) flywheels with, say, tungsten steel rods would be practical. Several rim-loaded short discs might fit on a common shaft to make the use of dense vs. cheaper material less difficult.
doctorwayne The only flywheel-equipped locomotives that ever impressed me were the E-units from Model Power, as only a cab-style diesel has room for a large-diameter flywheel. Extra weight in a flywheel is more effective if it's in a larger diameter rather than a longer length. For the most part, I found that removing the flywheels allowed for more useful weight to be added, which in-turn made for much better pulling power. I never saw a need for a loco to coast once I realised that it was more important to be able to pull whatever I decided to hang on the drawbar. Wayne
You got that right Wayne!I have several Model Power E7s with the biggie flywheels and cast metal shells. I replaced the motors using Canon EN22 dual shaft can motors and they will pull the paint off the walls.This one came with a plastic shell but I have since replaced it with a cast metal shell.I watch ebay for E7 Bowser and Hobbytown metal bodies.
These are Hobbytown bodies. They clean up pretty good.
RR_MelThese are Hobbytown bodies. They clean up pretty good.
RR_MelI have several Model Power E7s with the biggie flywheels and cast metal shells. I replaced the motors using Canon EN22 dual shaft can motors and they will pull the paint off the walls.
I have been hoping to win an auction for one of those old all metal chassis with the massive flywheel in its own bearing support.
So far they have all gone beyond my willing-to-pay price.
Overmodverisimilitude
Sesquipedalian
Overmod RR_Mel These are Hobbytown bodies. They clean up pretty good. They clean up even better with a little strategic Dremel beveling of the shell thickness around the windows, which only trivially reduces the weight for a massive improvement in verisimilitude.
RR_Mel These are Hobbytown bodies. They clean up pretty good.
They clean up even better with a little strategic Dremel beveling of the shell thickness around the windows, which only trivially reduces the weight for a massive improvement in verisimilitude.
I spent way to much time fitting the .04” clear Styrene window glass in the metal body E7s. Your way would have been a lot simpler, I have a slug (16, 8As & 8Bs) of finished metal body E7s and not likely to do more but still I have a saved search on eBay for “HO scale metal body E7”. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Been wondering about something similar my self with athearn BB flywheels and modern motors. 2x3mm brass tube looks easy enough to acquire. Is there any particular way you put it all together to get it well balanced?
I agree that those E7's look great!
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Eilif Been wondering about something similar my self with athearn BB flywheels and modern motors. 2x3mm brass tube looks easy enough to acquire. Is there any particular way you put it all together to get it well balanced? I agree that those E7's look great!
Verrrrry carefully! I used Gel Super Glue, it’s thickness helped fill the slight gap in the 2.1mm tubing. Out of six flywheels I only had to redo one for balance.
Edit:
I agree with Wayne in that I don't think wlywheels are needed if your track work is OK. I only remounted the flywheels to see if I could do it. Personally I don't like momentum. I've removed the flywheels in several Athearn BB locomotives.
[quote user="SeeYou190"] [quote user="Overmod"] ... verisimilitude
What's a more concise or at least less ling-winded word for the idea in English that doesn't require multiple words or ... another long word ... circumlocution for the desired shade of semantic meaning? The various words used on old Revell boxes, like 'authentic', really don't have the same sense...
Hello All,
To the OP, will you ultimately be running these in DC or DCC?
Some thoughts on DCC and flywheels...
Flywheels & DCC?
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"