For those of you that make your own truck side frames what do you use for the axle ends to ride on…?
I’m interested in this as well. I’d like to add some kind of bushing to my Wiseman journals. The axle’s are a little sloppy in the hole.
hollow rivets, like used for shoelaces.
something like this.
I used brass pipe, cut to fit, in my log bunks. I wish I had thought of Korm’s solution.
Korm Kormsen said:
hollow rivets, like used for shoelaces.
something like this.
Korm, do you have a source?
this pic i got from amazon, using search “eye rivet”
but any shop that sells sewing needles, or hardware in general should have this stuff. just ask for rivets for shoelaces.
edit:
try these:
edit’s edit:
the longer you chose your “rivet-journals” the greater needs to be the diameter for easy running.
Dan Gilchrist said:
Bearings. I use mf63zz like These
Dan,
Those would be fine for someone who runs a lot.
I was thinking more of a bronze bushing, or nylon. Those hollow rivets are worth looking into.
I just need an inside diameter. I don’t need all the other sizes in a mixed package.
John Bouck said:
Dan Gilchrist said:
Bearings. I use mf63zz like These
Dan,
Those would be fine for someone who runs a lot.
I was thinking more of a bronze bushing, or nylon. Those hollow rivets are worth looking into.
I just need an inside diameter. I don’t need all the other sizes in a mixed package.
So maybe like these?
the shoe rivets i got (and that i’m unable to find right now) are a little less than 1 mm larger in diameter, than the holes in the LGB trucks are, and about 5 or 6 mm long.
but if one does prefer plastic…
while searching those rivets, my eyes fell on some screw anchors, of just the right size.
two bad pics below.
diameter inside is the same as the LGB truck. 3.?mm.
In most cases, if you are using stock B’mann, LGB, Aristo, or USTrains sideframes; all you need to do is lightly lubricate the existing journals, with a good plastic compatible gear lube. Some would suggest plastic compatible grease, but I have found that the gear lube seems to work better, for me.
My experience seems to indicate, that lubricating properly, with the correct lubricant will give the average journal at least a 15 year, or more lifespan. Most of mine are more in the 20 year point, without problems.
Of course if you run constantly, over 4 hours a day, every day and twice on Sundays, for five years, around in circles; your experience may vary…
Some people might or might not lube their equipment before they run it. Some only think of gears, or locomotives needing lubrication. Some wait until they hear something squeaking, then search desperately for the source of that squeak…
The only worn-out side frames I ever encounter are those on second hand equipment, which when examined, show no signs of lubrication.
If you add extreme weight to a piece of rolling stock, you might consider bearings or brass journals, but you still should lubricate them.
I usually try to do a complete lubrication of any new to my railroad, rolling stock when it is first acquired. Then, at least once a year after that, along with anytime any equipment is being repaired for any other reason.
DO NOT use “3 and one” oil, or any of the usual spray-on lubricants. USE ONLY PLASTIC COMPATIBLE LUBRICANTS.
Save yourself and your friends a bundle of money, by simply purchasing a quart of synthetic gear lube at your local auto parts store. Others on this web page can tell you of Mobil products, and there are other brands… A quart shared by 6 fellow model railroaders will last a lifetime…and save the work of trying to equip equipment with all these suggested bearings…unless you get great satisfaction from your efforts.
If you purchase a quart of gear lube, it will pay you to purchase an applicator to use to apply the lubricant. One way is to search the web for one, or if blessed with a local hobby shop, buy one there.
Another way is to locate a hobby shop that carries “Labell Plastic compatible Lubricants”…although expensive, it gets you a small supply of good lubricant, and a refillable applicator…
I purchased a quart of “Lucus” synthetic gear lube, and it came in a container that has an “Easy-pour” lid, for refilling a small applicator.
I hope my two posts will be of some help to everyone. They are based on my feeble experiences over a period of time between 1982, to the present hour. Others may have other experiences, which differ. These suggestions are only offered in good faith, not as a challenge to others with differing opinions/experiences.
Are we having fun yet…I sure hope so…!!
Fred Mills
Korm;
That side frame sure looks DRY…was it ever lubricated ?
While I agree with Fred, my USA woodside cars were real stones, even with lubrication, so I;
http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/24202/ball-bearing-journal-inserts/view/post_id/288923
The link I posted earlier is no longer good. This is the best deal I can find now for the mf6ezz bearings ($10.70 for 50 or about $1.76 a car)
The Nylon bushings would be a cheaper option (and possibly better if these Chinese bearings rust) at $5.99 for 1000 or 5 cents a car
Another option Brass at $8.26 for 100 or 66 cents a car
I’m no physics major but I believe its logical the cars will benefit if some bushing or bearing is used to keep axle turning within a truer round hole. I do know for sure the sideframes I have put the Chinese bearings in roll MUCH smoother than any stock aristo/usat ones with proper lube.
Check out this truck I pulled off a car I bought used.
Again, in that picture…no sign that the bearing surface was ever lubricated. That may be a USTrains truck, or just maybe a B’mann…The side frames can be replaced…maybe then with lubrication they will last a long or longer time…
In a test, we coupled up ten B’mann stock cars, before lubrication, and pulled them with an old…very old B’mann track powered ten wheeler. On the combination grade/curve test track, the locomotive would only move 7 cars up the grade.
After lubrication, with just a wee drop of Labell plastic compatible gear lube, the locomotive easily moved the whole 10 cars up the grade, and then we added another two more, LUBRICATED cars to the consist, and it pulled the whole 12 cars…no it never got 13 cars up the grade.
Yes, going to ball bearings will, if lubricated, improve rolling qualities of rolling stock, and yes you can get them for good prices…but just plain dedicated lubrication with the correct oil, will do wonders to both rolling quality, AND durability…it is less work to just plain lubricate…take your pick. The ball bearings need lubrication too, or you will soon replace them too…the plastic/nylon replacement bearings will need it too…
As far as how many cars you can pull…well…who has a Large Scale Model Railroad, that can look good with more than a ten to fifteen car train, these days…not too many, from what I observe…
John Bouck said:
Dan,
Those would be fine for someone who runs a lot.
I was thinking more of a bronze bushing, or nylon. Those hollow rivets are worth looking into.
I just need an inside diameter. I don’t need all the other sizes in a mixed package.
John, those Wiseman white metal castings look like they just have a small dimple to accommodate the axle. You could probably drill them out a bit to fit the nylon or brass ones I linked to.
Fred Mills, SOG said:
Korm;
That side frame sure looks DRY…was it ever lubricated ?
Hermano Fred,
this truck was purchased in '82 as a spare… and neither lubricated, nor used.
i never did or thought about putting additional bushings to commercial products.
the hollow rivets i used in the '70ies, when a string of homemade wooden cars didn’t want to run as i wanted.
about lubricating.
i use either sewing mashine oil, Ballistol (german gun oil), or vaseline - whatever i find first in my orderly workshop.
(but, as i am more into modeling, than into running or operating trains - and even more into doing nothing - my trains are not running very much.
my first LGB-cars from 1970 still have round bushing-holes )