Metal Trucks and couplers

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

KADEE uses plastic axles because they're in the metal business (Kadee Metal Pruduct's) and their sideframes are metal - or at least used to be. Metal to metal doesn't roll as well, as those with old Athearn or Walthers truck's will verify.

GRAPHITE will aid the rolling of metal truck's - but at the risk of electrical shorting out any insulated wheel. Most wheel brands you will see how thin that insulating ring is. SINCE cars have 4 wheels, a 20 car train present's 80 potential short's, and I wouldn't envy anyone the task to find WHICH ONE is the culprit.

... or you can use all wheelset's with plastic axles.

You are correct about graphite conductivity, but there is an alternative which I did try (unlike the graphite)
You can use Molybdenum Disulphide (MoS2) which is non-conductive. You can buy it in the same isle you buy graphite lubricant in the auto parts department.

Problem with plastic axles on wheels is that solid lubricant won't stick to plastic, belive me I tried it on KD wheels. On them it is either grease or just replace them with IM wheels which is what I did.

[Anonymous]

Actually my IM metal wheels with metal axel points roll better in KD trucks than stock KD wheels. Just a little grease in there - and friction is almost gone. And as I said if you want to go crazy - use solid lubricants made specifically for metal-on-metal friction.

[Don Gibson]

KADEE uses plastic axles because they're in the metal business (Kadee Metal Pruduct's) and their sideframes are metal - or at least used to be. Metal to metal doesn't roll as well, as those with old Athearn or Walthers truck's will verify.

GRAPHITE will aid the rolling of metal truck's - but at the risk of electrical shorting out any insulated wheel. Most wheel brands you will see how thin that insulating ring is. SINCE cars have 4 wheels, a 20 car train present's 80 potential short's, and I wouldn't envy anyone the task to find WHICH ONE is the culprit.

... or you can use all wheelset's with plastic axles.

[Anonymous]

Don,
That is true only if the car is light. I actually load my cars so that springs are compressed a bit. Loading makes sure cars are more stable on curves too.Also some cars like Autoboxes are heavy even when empty so springs do work.

The thing is that even if you don't see springs compress they still have significant effect on midium-to-high speeds. They are acting as shocks on your bicycle - dampen effect of sudden bump. They do compress for a split second and that is what they are for.

I do agree that Kadee trucks can have stiff springs though. So what I ended up doing is removing one spring on each side and substitute painted Kadee 845 coupler spring just for the looks. And when you have only one "real" spring on each side - it does compress quite nicely even when the car is stationary.

Now, as far as rolling qualities are concerned - Kadee wheels have plastic axles so they don't roll that well. So I put Intermountain wheels there. And if I really want to go crazy I'll put graphite lube in there - no friction at all. Except on the curve of course, just like in real trains on curves too :)

[Don Gibson]

The 'sprung' VS. 'unsprung truck debate died years ago.
Probably because cars on sprung trucks rode at the tops of the springs (with no compression) - so where's the advantage? Looks?

I have (and use) both. The only sprung truck 's I've found that roll as good as the KATO is the LINDBERG, and EB - who bought Lindberg's tooling..

YOU ?.

[Anonymous]

This is just my personal view.
Whenever I see those big layouts with nicely weathered and detailed cars that have rigid trucks It just blows my mind. When you see these cars go around you can see them jump on switches and uneven joins like toys, like they are made of stone. On my layout all the cars have sprung trucks, I actually refuse to run a non-sprung one. They go smoothly, no jumps thus they look more prototypical. Where have you seen real cars jump like a cheap rigid wheel trailer?
And sprung trucks reduce the chance of derailment too, which again I can observe on these show layouts. Train would derail like every ten circles, all those guys are doing is just stopping layout and rerailing.

I have yet to have one truck come apart. Why would it? It is constructed with the same principal as the real one. Even better, unless there is a really hard derailment it won't come apart. And if it did come apart during derailment, well, have you seen pictures of real derailments and how the trucks look there :)

Granted price of $6 for a pair is high, but it doesn't change the fact that rigid trucks make your cars run like toys from Toys R Us.

Again, just my personal view.

[Anonymous]

The Kato has an incredible roll.

[cwclark]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

OK Chuck. First class all the way - except one.

Spring for a single pr. of KATO trucks and then give us your evaluation.

I use KATO and think they are tops..I really like the barber 70 ton s-2 roller bearing trucks the best..these trucks in the pics i used for demos came from the train show Saturday and at 2 bucks a pair i could'nt resist it! the kadee trucks are ok but i really don't care for the springs......more stuff to break away and repair some day...the kato are smoother running and no springs....chuck

[Don Gibson]

OK Chuck. First class all the way - except one.

Spring for a single pr. of KATO trucks and then give us your evaluation.

[cwclark]

Hi guys,
There's been questions on the forum lately asking how to mount Kadee couplers and metal trucks...I've put together some photos with step by step explanations using an old tyco 50' box car ...i body mounted the couplers and the trucks well..see the pictures...there are 10 photos and just click the right arrow button to view them...hope it helps...Chuck

http://community.webshots.com/photo/137793353/300555227CpifsB