I have a couple of Tenshodo WB-31 "Spuds" and one of them has a split nylon axle gear.
Does anyone know of a source in North America for replacement gears? There are some sources in the UK and France, but I thought it might be better to try and get some here.
The first place you should check is Northwest Shortline (NWSL). They sell a bewildering assortment of gears and other drive components. Plus, I believe they were the primary importer/marketer of the SPUDs when they were introduced to the US. Here's a link to their website:
http://www.nwsl.com/
Good Luck,
Tom
NWSL offered their versions, called the "PDT" - Pretty Darn Tiny powered trucks. Pacific Fast Mail imported the SPUDs - Self Propelled Underfloor Detail. Think they are no longer in business. I have models of both.
Bob Boudreau
CANADA
Visit my model railroad photography website: http://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/
Thanks for the help but I'll probably order a set of original replacement gears for 3 British Pounds from the UK. The set includes 2 plastic axle gears and 2 brass motor gears.
I tried NWSL but they only sell machined delrin gears at $9.95 each. Thay said I would need to replace all four, and I don't feel like spending $40 plus shipping.
I have a spud (or maybe 2 or 3 others also,) I didnt know what kind of gears they used, but always lube up your stuff. Not sure if I would go with their replacements with the risk they might split also. I would go metal gears all the way. My ALCO Virginian EL-2's had plastic gears and were known to split (on an expensive brass model!) so I bought one off a friend and I repaired it with NWSL metal gears, requiring a serious grinding down on a big grinder of some metal of the gear box frames as the gears I had didnt mesh up and thats all I had, yet the grind down worked, the models are super runners.
Keep an eye on your replacements. Mine havent had serious run time but I'll keep watch.
I like NWSL's PDT's better anyways, better running.