Within the last six months, I've had to install new traction tires on two engines. Got to wondering......How long should traction tires usually last and is there any secret to extending their life span? As always, many thanks.
traindaddy1 wrote: Within the last six months, I've had to install new traction tires on two engines. Got to wondering......How long should traction tires usually last and is there any secret to extending their life span? As always, many thanks.
I don't know for sure. Some of mine are seven years old. A panic stop on some engines will pop them off the wheel.
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Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
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Buckeye Riveter wrote: traindaddy1 wrote: Within the last six months, I've had to install new traction tires on two engines. Got to wondering......How long should traction tires usually last and is there any secret to extending their life span? As always, many thanks.I don't know for sure. Some of mine are seven years old. A panic stop on some engines will pop them off the wheel.
As will jack rabbit starts/spinning a wheel.
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I have several 2029 & 8142 steam engines with original tires, a 634, a 8206, & 8030, 8031, 8111, and several more MPC diesels with original tires. I've replaced the tires on the 8363 F-3 just recently, and on the 8352 SF GP-20. Those really have the high-speed-many-hours history, though.
I guess it all depends.
Rob
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Roger Bielen wrote:If I have a slipping tire I use rubber cement instead of crazy/super glue. At least you can easily clean the wheel when replacement is necessary. I think one of the biggest culperts in wearing tires is open track joints
I re-adhere all my traction tires using 3M brand Carpet Tape and have no troubles what-so-ever.
As a footnote (as to my experience with what I operate), MPC put the traction tires on the same side of a diesel motor truck, if it had 2 traction tires. K-Line put them all over the place, but mostly on opposite sides of the truck and on differing axles - one on the back left wheel and one of the front right wheel.
I find this arrangment of having them on differing sides (especially on wheels of the same axle) causes more wear on both the traction tires and on the locomotive motors - especially on tight curves. So I keep them on one side, even if it means complete removal of one traction tire on each truck. But I find my locos actually run better this way.
I've also discovered over the years, that the Mabuchi motors used in the truck motor mounted diesels do behave differently. I have a few diesels, like a K-Line Alco FA now done in the snowbird Lehigh Valley scheme, that I have removed all traction tires and the loco runs and pulls just fine. I've tried this on some others, and have found I needed to put at least one or two traction tires back on. All my Lionel Industrial Switchers have their traction tire removed and they all pull like champs, but I've also made modifications to those locos, including the addition of weights.
brianel, Agent 027
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