Does any manufacturer make ball bearing wheels sets that fit Aristocraft Heavyweights?
Hi Dan. You can’t go wrong with LGB BB wheels. I have had them in mine for over 15 years! Even my Spectrum 0-4-0 can pull them with ease.
I think he wants to just retrofit ball bearings into the journals, like the original Aristo ball bearing upgrade.
Somewhere there must be a post giving the dimensions… that would be the cheapest route.
Greg
That would be great Greg. I did not know there was that option. Now all I have to do is find out what was used.
This is what I used. only downfall is you have to reduce the axle ends and few thousands with emery cloth with the axle chucked in a drill…
Thanks Travis, I sort of forgot, were there 2 sizes for Aristo rolling stock, the freight cars and the heavyweights, or do this work for both?
Greg
Travis what do you do with the power pick up wire that is behind the bushing?
Richard
That wire has to ride on the axle end, if the ball bearing is non conductive. If the ball bearing is conductive, then the wire can be pressed between the bearing and the journal.
David your right I was just wondering what Travis does. Actually there is some more ways to do it putting the wire in the side of holder you take the risk of split the holder, from factory end of wire has a eyelet that goes over the bushing, with the bearing you can use a larger eyelet because the shoulder on the bearing is thinner then the bushing. Another way is to just cut the wire and put LEDs in and run them of a battery. If you do pull the axles to make the ends smaller just make sure you put them back in the same way they came out.
Richard
LEDs, or leads?
Be sure you get all metal ball bearings
when you pull out the bushing in the sideframe, you want to dig a small groove in the journal that will allow you to trap the wire between the journal and the outer race of the ball bearing.
Changing over to LEDs is highly recommended, since ball bearings can pit when used for power pickup, the reduced current of the LEDs will make them last longer in power pickup mode.
I used the self-adhesive LED tape strips:
see the before and after LED pictures here: https://elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=282&Itemid=313
Greg
The truck side frame hole can be beveled by hand using a counter sink to facilitate installing the miniature ball bearing.
See Aristo Bettendorf Truck Ball Bearing Retrofit Vignette hosted for me by Greg E. on his Web site.
-Ted
Yes you can. But the ones I installed I didn’t have to do that, because there was enough side play (slop) on the axles that it didn’t matter if the bearings weren’t flush to the journal. But I haven’t done my passenger cars yet, so I can’t say if there is enough slop in them to get away without countersinking the bearing.
David Maynard said:
Yes you can. But the ones I installed I didn’t have to do that, because there was enough side play (slop) on the axles that it didn’t matter if the bearings weren’t flush to the journal. But I haven’t done my passenger cars yet, so I can’t say if there is enough slop in them to get away without countersinking the bearing.
Sorry David but if you are talking about Ted’s post I do not read it as countersinking the bearing he uses the countersink just to brake the edge of the hole, I use a larger drill to do the same, and when he talked about being flush with the journal he means the back of the bearing that way you know it is not cocked he also has a pic. showing this. Yes the passenger cars do have a lot of slop to the point I used spacers because the flange is so much thinner on the bearing.
Richard
Ah, ok. I just pressed mine in without relieving the edges of the hole.
I went to the site Travis suggested. When taking out the brass bushings from the heavyweight trucks and measuring them their size is 3.4 4.95 4.29. OK the axel hole will work, the 3, but the bearing diameter of 6 will mean drilling out the journal boxes from 4.95 to 6. the 4.29 is not a problem the ball bearing is thinner but like I said no problem. Am I right or did you all find another bearing that fits? Maybe the freight trucks are different than the coach trucks. Power for the lights is not a problem, I’m a live steam guy, I put LEDs in powered with a 9V battery using the original switch on each car.
Are the wheels and specifically the axle tips the same between the Aristo Freight and the Aristo HW passenger trucks?
I know the freight trucks had a plastic “bushing” you pulled out and the ball bearings popped in.
Is this the same on the HW’s?
I think not, and Dan, I believe you have to drill out the journals… so far no one has specifically answered about the heavyweight trucks. (and if there is any difference between the 3 axle and 2 axle for this mod)
Greg
Travis, the diameter of the journal with the brass bushing removed is 4.95mm?
Also, what is the diameter of the tip of the axle?
Thanks, Greg
I replaced the 3 piece wheel assembly (2 gray cast wheels with the plastic center part) on a heavyweight Aristo car with a set of Aristo wheels. So the freight wheels fit and work on the heavyweight cars. The newer Arsto streamline cars already have the ball bearings in them, but I do not know if the older ones, that had the brass bushing, had the same size hole in the journal, or if they had to be made with larger holes to accommodate the bearings. And since all my trains are now in a Pod while we do repairs to the garage, I cant go and find out.