I have been remotoring ALL of my Athearn Blue Box EMD F7 locos using the SMC FP280-KN motor ($3.25 each on that big auction site). This motor has little current draw and lots of torque as it is intended for automotive powered side view mirrors. I have been adapting the 2mm shafts to the original Athearn flywheels using lengths of 1/8" styrene tubing. My F7's all run sooooo much better!
The one downside to the SMC motor is that it comes with an interference shield around the motor. I assume this is to allow the motors to be used in car doors near stereo speakers without causing noise in the speakers. I use a razor saw to cut through the "bow-tie" tab holding the edges of the shield together, then pry the edges apart using a small screwdriver. One pried open, the shield will slide off leaving a nice little can motor the same size as the older Mabuchi FK280 can motor.
I mount the motors by first building up a styrene mounting pad in the original motor recess in the Athearn frame. Once you find the right pad thickness (about 0.120" thick worked for me), glue the mounting pad to the frame and a flat side of the motor to the styrene pad. The styrene tube shaft/flywheel adaptors can be used to make up and difference in the motor/flywheel length.
This motor swap is an extremely good value! Don't believe me? Ask Mel for his opinion.
Hornblower
DigitalGriffinTo answer your question: 1. Press the share button on the youtube page 2. There's an "Embedded option" Press that and the [copy] button to copy the text on screen. 3. On the editor here on trains.com press the [<>] on the editor. (Sorry desktop version only) Paste the code copied from youtube.
Thanks, I tried the video icon and got nothing.
Mike.
My You Tube
Back in blue box days guys used to put Toothpaste in the trucks to polish the gears. Then take them apart and rinse it out before lubing them.
Im not sure how much replacing the motor will help in quieting the mechanism...those old BB motors didnt run super loud, rather in my experience it was the gears (and how they would shake and vibrate) that would make noise.
Tuning the gears, adding washers to reduce the slop in the gearbox usually helps.
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
Thanks.
mbinsewi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLLCcomio4A I can't get the video to play on here, so use the link. What happened with posting videos? Mike.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLLCcomio4A
I can't get the video to play on here, so use the link.
What happened with posting videos?
To answer your question: 1. Press the share button on the youtube page
2. There's an "Embedded option" Press that and the [copy] button to copy the text on screen.
3. On the editor here on trains.com press the [<>] on the editor. (Sorry desktop version only) Paste the code copied from youtube.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Check out this guys YT on installing a Genesis motor in a BB loco. A-line makes a drive shaft kit.
What happened with p[osting videos?
Well I bought a great complete BB Amtrak P40 for my son. But it sounds like a vacuum cleaner when it runs.
I want to upgrade the old standard 84060 motor with a genesis one. I was wondering if I would need new splines/drive shafts & end shafts. Unfortunately Athearn couldn't tell me.
I would imagine the tooling for the base, where the motor sits, is the same between the old and new P40's. So it SHOULD fit. The question become about if the drive shafts will. There are complete genesis motor upgrades with brass flywheels and decoder board on amazon.