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Wheel-sets too tight

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Wheel-sets too tight
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 21, 2003 6:00 PM
I have always replaced my wheelsets with good metal products from Kadee or similar. This week I received a bunch of new Kaddee wheel sets and set about changing them on a variety of Walthers products purchased over the mast few months. To my horror not one axel turns freely on 22 cars! I then removed old axels from other stock and they are also tight.
What do I do, is there an axel guage that will ream out the tru[:(]cks to the correct size?
JOHN, Auckland New Zealand.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Wheel-sets too tight
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 21, 2003 6:00 PM
I have always replaced my wheelsets with good metal products from Kadee or similar. This week I received a bunch of new Kaddee wheel sets and set about changing them on a variety of Walthers products purchased over the mast few months. To my horror not one axel turns freely on 22 cars! I then removed old axels from other stock and they are also tight.
What do I do, is there an axel guage that will ream out the tru[:(]cks to the correct size?
JOHN, Auckland New Zealand.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 21, 2003 6:16 PM
See the exxact socket tool,a side frame journal.
http://reboxx.u2.spwh.com/Tools.htm

Other firms also advertise this in MR for $10.00 PLUS SHIPPING
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 21, 2003 6:16 PM
See the exxact socket tool,a side frame journal.
http://reboxx.u2.spwh.com/Tools.htm

Other firms also advertise this in MR for $10.00 PLUS SHIPPING
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 8:02 AM
I have had this same problem -- there is of course no uniformity to axle sizes.
I own that sideframe reaming took -- it is in the Micro Mart catalog - but frankly I have also used the phillips screwdrive piece that came with my cordless screwdriver, with good results. Do a little at a time and retest.
Dave Nelson
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 8:02 AM
I have had this same problem -- there is of course no uniformity to axle sizes.
I own that sideframe reaming took -- it is in the Micro Mart catalog - but frankly I have also used the phillips screwdrive piece that came with my cordless screwdriver, with good results. Do a little at a time and retest.
Dave Nelson
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Los Altos, California
  • 130 posts
Posted by bfsfabs on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 9:00 AM
John, There at least two "Standards" for axle length, NMRA and a european name I can't remember right now, there may well be more. The two mentioned are NOT interchangable, as you have found out. This is a real minefield. If I remember right there is an explanation on Northwest Shortlines' web site.
Lowell Ryder
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Los Altos, California
  • 130 posts
Posted by bfsfabs on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 9:00 AM
John, There at least two "Standards" for axle length, NMRA and a european name I can't remember right now, there may well be more. The two mentioned are NOT interchangable, as you have found out. This is a real minefield. If I remember right there is an explanation on Northwest Shortlines' web site.
Lowell Ryder
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: Guelph, Ont.
  • 1,476 posts
Posted by BR60103 on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 9:37 PM
If you have plastic sideframes and pointed metal axles, you can often seat the axles by squeezing in on the journal boxes.
The man that does reboxx gave a clinic on axles and said that many axles are not long enough (!) and some have rounded ends instaed of pointed.

--David

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: Guelph, Ont.
  • 1,476 posts
Posted by BR60103 on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 9:37 PM
If you have plastic sideframes and pointed metal axles, you can often seat the axles by squeezing in on the journal boxes.
The man that does reboxx gave a clinic on axles and said that many axles are not long enough (!) and some have rounded ends instaed of pointed.

--David

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 3:09 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by DavidYoungs
[The man that does reboxx gave a clinic on axles and said that many axles are not long enough (!) and some have rounded ends instaed of pointed.

According to one reboxx publication, axle length range varies from 0.984 to 1.028 depending upon manufacturer

Check out MR's April 02 review"Use the right wheel set".
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/002/197xvpbs.asp
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 3:09 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by DavidYoungs
[The man that does reboxx gave a clinic on axles and said that many axles are not long enough (!) and some have rounded ends instaed of pointed.

According to one reboxx publication, axle length range varies from 0.984 to 1.028 depending upon manufacturer

Check out MR's April 02 review"Use the right wheel set".
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/002/197xvpbs.asp
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 3:19 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

QUOTE: Originally posted by DavidYoungs
[The man that does reboxx gave a clinic on axles and said that many axles are not long enough (!) and some have rounded ends instaed of pointed.

According to one reboxx publication, axle length range varies from 0.984 to 1.028 depending upon manufacturer

Check out MR's April 02 review"Use the right wheel set".
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/002/197xvpbs.asp
and Thanks! to a previous posting by Roger
http://www.nmra.org/beginner/wheelsets.html
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 3:19 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by locomotive3

QUOTE: Originally posted by DavidYoungs
[The man that does reboxx gave a clinic on axles and said that many axles are not long enough (!) and some have rounded ends instaed of pointed.

According to one reboxx publication, axle length range varies from 0.984 to 1.028 depending upon manufacturer

Check out MR's April 02 review"Use the right wheel set".
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/002/197xvpbs.asp
and Thanks! to a previous posting by Roger
http://www.nmra.org/beginner/wheelsets.html
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 4:03 AM
Thank you for all your replies. I have emailed Reboxx and they are posting their tool to me. JOHN
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 4:03 AM
Thank you for all your replies. I have emailed Reboxx and they are posting their tool to me. JOHN

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