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Locomotive wheel axle bent

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  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, June 14, 2020 8:57 PM

Yup!  What Frank posted, and the pictures from Ed.

Mike.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, June 14, 2020 3:52 PM

Just to give you an idea of what a "half-axle" looks like:

 Proto_gear-2 by Edmund, on Flickr

These use inside bearings, some new models use a bronze strip on the outside of the axle contacting a small projection for power collection. As mentioned above, the wheel may not have been pressed squarely into the gear bore or there was a slight defect in the molding of the gear.

Good Luck, Ed

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Sunday, June 14, 2020 2:01 PM

BayCoastLimited

 

 
Mark R.

Could also be the axle is straight and the wheel isn't mounted completely square on the axle. I've seen that more than a few times. Should i be worried about it?

Mark.

 

 

 

Upon some more inspection i believe that is the case. Only one wheel seems "off" and the other wheel on the same axle seems fine.

 

Those should be half axle's, inserted into the drive gear so the wheels are not on the same axle. The half axle's are pressed into the wheels.......one not pressed in perpendicular. Wheels, axle's should be an easy replacement. I believe the Walthers Proto wheel axle assemblies are a direct fit and are sold separately.

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Ontario Canada
  • 3,574 posts
Posted by Mark R. on Sunday, June 14, 2020 10:41 AM

I still have one like that as well. Won't hurt anything, but it does give the truck an annoying wobble. I'll get around to replacing it one of these days. Smile, Wink & Grin

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

  • Member since
    March 2020
  • 36 posts
Posted by BayCoastLimited on Sunday, June 14, 2020 9:54 AM

Mark R.

Could also be the axle is straight and the wheel isn't mounted completely square on the axle. I've seen that more than a few times. Should i be worried about it?

Mark.

 

Upon some more inspection i believe that is the case. Only one wheel seems "off" and the other wheel on the same axle seems fine.

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Ontario Canada
  • 3,574 posts
Posted by Mark R. on Sunday, June 14, 2020 8:17 AM

Could also be the axle is straight and the wheel isn't mounted completely square on the axle. I've seen that more than a few times.

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Saturday, June 13, 2020 6:10 PM

I would.  The axles' ends will eventually wear the truck bearing and it will get sloppy and noisy.  Explain what you have found, ask them if they'd like a video, or show them a still of the axle, and I'm sure they'll offer to help.

  • Member since
    March 2020
  • 36 posts
Locomotive wheel axle bent
Posted by BayCoastLimited on Saturday, June 13, 2020 4:44 PM

Having recently purchased a Walthers EMD SD-70ACe, i noticed while running it that the last axle on the rear truck was wobbling and upon further inspection it appeared to be somewhat bent. Although this doesn't seem to affect the locomotive as far as i can see, should i be worried about it and order a replacement axle/truck?

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