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Advice Needed: AHM U-25C Wheels

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  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,281 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Thursday, June 15, 2023 2:46 AM

I finally went ahead and ordered a set of the NWSL wheels. In the process, I have come up with a new, related question: Will I need to get/borrow a gear puller to get the existing axles/gears ready for the wheels as the wheels aren't going anywhere from the sets that I checked from my parts box?

Thank you for any continued assistance that can be provided.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, May 20, 2023 11:06 AM

FRRYKid
That is also an idea I will have to think about about as well.

I have no way of knowing if you actually need the traction tires, but none of my diesels need them. If only one truck is powered, they might be beneficial.

I have found upgraded HO scale RP-25 compliant wheelsets to be a very good feature. Everything just runs better compared to the pizza-cutters.

Now I no longer even consider a locomotive that does not have them.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,281 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Saturday, May 20, 2023 3:40 AM

maxman

You need a new approach.  I suggest that you search for something you need more urgently than the Bullfrog Snot.

You won’t find that, whatever it might be.  However, the Snot will immediately appear. 

Probably very true. I found some missing liquid electrical tape when I was talking to my cat so anything's possible.

SeeYou190
 
Darth Santa Fe
Another option to consider is full new wheels from NWSL: AHM/Rivarssi U25C Upgrade Wheels, HO 40"/110 x .120" and 2.0mm – NorthWest Short Line (nwsl.com) Kind of an expensive option compared to new tires, but you get RP-25 flanges and smooth performance!

I would suggest doing this to one locomotive and determining if it is worth it.

If so, do the other two as you are able.

-Kevin

That is also an idea I will have to think about about as well.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, May 19, 2023 9:08 PM

Darth Santa Fe
Another option to consider is full new wheels from NWSL: AHM/Rivarssi U25C Upgrade Wheels, HO 40"/110 x .120" and 2.0mm – NorthWest Short Line (nwsl.com) Kind of an expensive option compared to new tires, but you get RP-25 flanges and smooth performance!

I would suggest doing this to one locomotive and determining if it is worth it.

If so, do the other two as you are able.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: The 17th hole at TPC
  • 2,283 posts
Posted by n012944 on Friday, May 19, 2023 7:37 PM

Rapido's model is a U25B, not a U25C like the OP has.  

An "expensive model collector"

  • Member since
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  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, May 19, 2023 2:41 PM

Expen$ive I know, but here is Rapido's take

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
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Posted by maxman on Friday, May 19, 2023 6:46 AM

You need a new approach.  I suggest that you search for something you need more urgently than the Bullfrog Snot.

You won’t find that, whatever it might be.  However, the Snot will immediately appear.

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • 4,365 posts
Posted by Darth Santa Fe on Friday, May 19, 2023 12:54 AM

The NWSL set is actually 6 grounded and 6 insulated to replace all 12 original wheels, but that would get expensive to replace all the wheels on 3 engines!  I'd also go with new tires as the cheap option.

_________________________________________________________________

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,281 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Thursday, May 18, 2023 3:30 AM

snjroy

Finding your bottle of Bullfrog Snot in your train room is probably the lowest cost option Smile.

Simon

Yes, it would be, But, I know it's not in the train room, which happens to be an unheated garage. It is somewhere in my house. Of course, where in the house is the $64,000 question as it were.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
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Posted by snjroy on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 11:10 AM

Finding your bottle of Bullfrog Snot in your train room is probably the lowest cost option Smile.

Simon

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,281 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 2:59 AM

wrench567

  I feel you would be better off with the tires. They lasted many years.

        Pete. 

Soo Line fan

The tires were what I was leaning toward as well.

snjroy

Bullfrog Snot worked well on my Rivarossis and Mantuas that had the same issue. 

Simon

That actually would be the least expensive option but one must account for the time factor for application.

Darth Santa Fe

Another option to consider is full new wheels from NWSL: AHM/Rivarssi U25C Upgrade Wheels, HO 40"/110 x .120" and 2.0mm – NorthWest Short Line (nwsl.com)

Kind of an expensive option compared to new tires, but you get RP-25 flanges and smooth performance!

I figured that someone had made sets for them, but yes they are a bit expensive. If I'm looking at them correctly, there are 6 individual wheels for the 4 geared axles and 6 that fit the 2 dummy axles in each engine. If my calculations are correct, that would require 4 sets for my three engines which blows any budget I might have. (And they misspelled Rivarossi, FWIW) Don't need the RP-25 contour but not having the cookie cutter flanges wouldn't be a bad thing either.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 2,756 posts
Posted by snjroy on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 8:52 PM

Bullfrog Snot worked well on my Rivarossis and Mantuas that had the same issue. 

Simon

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • 4,365 posts
Posted by Darth Santa Fe on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 6:32 PM

Another option to consider is full new wheels from NWSL: AHM/Rivarssi U25C Upgrade Wheels, HO 40"/110 x .120" and 2.0mm – NorthWest Short Line (nwsl.com)

Kind of an expensive option compared to new tires, but you get RP-25 flanges and smooth performance!

_________________________________________________________________

  • Member since
    May 2020
  • 1,057 posts
Posted by wrench567 on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 9:13 AM

  I feel you would be better off with the tires. They lasted many years.

        Pete.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,281 posts
Advice Needed: AHM U-25C Wheels
Posted by FRRYKid on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 4:05 AM

OK Forum friends, I need some advice.

I have three AHM U-25Cs in my engine fleet. (Yes, they're older than I am. But they're for a prototype that I need for my era and other ones are expensive and hard to find. I also know they have the cookie cutter wheels as well but I run Code 100 rail so that's not a problem there.) I was doing my annual maintance checks on my fleet and discovered that one of them has lost its traction tires on both sides. These are my only engines with tracton tires.

I see two options to solve the problem (and be preventative for the other two):

  1. Replacement traction tires. (Found a source that has OEM ones. One package is enough for one engine.)
  2. Get a bottle of Bullfrog Snot. (I know I have one but at the moment it seems to have disappeared on me. I used it for traction on some engine wheels for a now abandoned project idea.) I don't need it for traction on any other engines as my layout is flat (or at least as close as I can get it).

I'm not sure which is the better option. Or in the alternative if someone has a better option, I'd be all ears for those as well.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.

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