Modeltorque Pancake Motors

[Anonymous]

Hi All,
Has anyone fitted the Australian Modeltorque MLF20 updated replacement pancake motor on Lima locomotives. The early unit MLF05, was I believe, quite noisy but theMLF20 is supposed to be a lot better. Any information gratefully received.
Alan

[Anonymous]

[#welcome] Alan

Well Alan, I know what a Lima locomotive is, but I don't have a clue what Modeltorque MLF20 is, but can you give us a hint? Is that a manufacturer? What scale do you model?

[Anonymous]

Gary, The Modeltorque MLF20 is a replacement motor for the now obsolete Lima UK and continental locomotives fitted with pancake drive motors as the original motors were pretty poor. If you go to www.modeltorque.com all will be revealed. The website also describes an interesting drive conversion for US type twin bogie drives.
Alan

[Anonymous]

As I only have e-mail at work I will not be able to view or reply to any postings after 1630 UK time until Monday
Alan

[Anonymous]

I've seen this conversion done in magazines but not actually seen one in action. The review was generally favourable, though they weren't too impressed with the noise levels on the original (mixture of original lima gears and apparently getting the new motor drive gear properly meshed can be tricky). By the sounds of it, you should be able to make a decent runner using this conversion but you may have to put in a few hours work "tuning" it - checking gears for flash, cleaning and re-lubing, etc. I do know they have changed one key part of the design - think the motor gear is now factory-fitted rather than involving precise pressing together of parts as was originally needed. Hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

Matt, Many thanks for that. I will probably buy one and try it (around $28). They are out of stock till next week at the UK supplier, but I will post again when I have fitted one in case there are others who may have Lima locomotives.
Alan

[Anonymous]

Thanks Alan. I have never seen heard of or seen an Automatic Torque - control Coupling before. I can imagine the engine really reving up trying to get up a grade. Have you ever known them to wear out?
I sure like to give it a try.
It reminds me of the coupling Volkswagon uses for its all wheel drive.
Sorry I don't have an answer to your question.[:(]

[Anonymous]

Gary, I think I know the system you mean - has also been marketed as "Dyna-Drive". Saw a review a few years ago (before Bachmann started making British OO locos with central motors and flywheels, in the dark days of 3-pole pancake motors!) which was very favourable - they liked the way that you had to "rev" the motor to shift heavier loads. There's no reason it should wear out quickly - all parts were meshed gears rather than anything slipping. I do remember the prices were somewhat crazy though, so I think when DCC arrived (with the ability to program acceleration and deceleration) they went out of fashion to some extent - a good HO loco with a decent decoder is a lot cheaper than a converted "Dyna-Drive" one, and will run just as well. Hope this helps!

[trolleyboy]

Matt or alan what are your thoughts on these as Tram/Trolley power units?Seems to me bowser used to put a "pancake" type motor in their older trolley drives but have since gone the conventional can+flt wheel configurations using up most of the cars internal space. Also are these motors set up for Nor American current. Thanks Rob