I run LGB cars with the standard sized metal wheels and ball bearing wheels and Kadee couplers.  I am looking at one of those rail brush cars.  He uses Bachmann trucks and wheels.  Will this cause a problem since their wheels are smaller in diameter?  Can I put LGB wheels in Bachmann trucks?  

I have replaced many LGB plastic wheel sets with Bachmann 31mm wheels with no issues. I don't run BB wheels, too expensive for my taste. As to replacing Bachmann wheel sets with LGB, so long as the diameter of the wheel does not interfere with the truck bolster and the axle rolls smoothly in the journal box I see no reason it would not work.

Bob Cope said:

 As to replacing Bachmann wheel sets with LGB, so long as the diameter of the wheel does not interfere with the truck bolster and the axle rolls smoothly in the journal box I see no reason it would not work.

You forgot whether the axle actually fits into the the journal box? Kind of important don't you think before the rest applies ?

Re-read with your glasses on Rooster ..  and the axle rolls smoothly in the journal box

Bob Cope said:

Re-read with your glasses on Rooster ..  and the axle rolls smoothly in the journal box

Thank you Mr. Cope ......I did miss that ! Perhaps you could bump up you're (spelling) " post count" and do a tutorial on how it's done correctly?

Build logs and tutorial's can bump up post counts quite rapidly. Trust me as I have a little experience with that .

I don't have any LGB wheel sets. You would be better equipped to do that tutorial considering all the Red Box Amtrak cars you have put under the knife.  I would think you would have an extra set of LGB wheels to work with.

What's 'post count'?  Who cares?

Well, that is what I am trying to determine.  Do the larger LGB wheels fit in Bachmann trucks without problems?

Bob Cope said:

Re-read with your glasses on Rooster ..  and the axle rolls smoothly in the journal box

Derailed,

 Bob Cope clearly answered that as I don't have glasses.

Bob Cope said:

I don't have any LGB wheel sets. You would be better equipped to do that tutorial considering all the Red Box Amtrak cars you have put under the knife.  I would think you would have an extra set of LGB wheels to work with.

 

What's 'post count'?  Who cares?

You just said you did or did I miss read it after re-reading as "you" suggested  ?

okay guys.  Please take your personal quibble elsewhere.   

Derailed said:

I run LGB cars with the standard sized metal wheels and ball bearing wheels and Kadee couplers.  I am looking at one of those rail brush cars.  He uses Bachmann trucks and wheels.  Will this cause a problem since their wheels are smaller in diameter?  Can I put LGB wheels in Bachmann trucks?  

 

Will this cause a problem since their wheels are smaller in diameter?

Short answer to this question is NO.

The stock Bachmann trucks with the smaller diameter wheelsets will not cause any issues when running with stock LGB trucks and standard sized metal wheels and ball bearing wheels. The only thing that will happen, IF you care to video the two types together, is the smaller diameter wheelsets will rotate faster than the larger size to go the same distance.

Can I put LGB wheels in Bachmann trucks?

Personally I have no documented experience with this situation so I leave it in the capable hands of the experts.

Derailed,

We have our only B'mann stuff, a Christmas set, out right now.  I just popped in an LGB plastic wheelset.  It is tight, and it does not roll well in the B'mann trucks.  For what it is worth, these trucks tend to "lose their wheels" from time-to-time, with the axles popping from the journals.  They are old, an they are  from a Big Hauler starter set, some they may not be B'mann's top of the line.  If these cars were more than seasonal runners, I'd've replaced the trucks with LGB ones long ago.

Eric

Thank you.  Did you notice if they bind on / hit the car body?

Let me be a bit more specific. First, you asked a question referencing LGB wheels in a Bachmann truck frame (unspecified which truck frame). Based on the rest of the information in your OP, I assume it is a freight truck. So far the ONLY reference to an LGB wheel diameter I have found is 36.5mm (1.437") plastic spoke and disk wheels. IF LGB wheels come in a smaller diameters I was unable to locate that information on any of the web sites I referenced.

It is difficult to answer a question accurately when the information needed to answer the question is not readily available. Being as you apparently already have LGB wheel sets available, please measure the tread diameter of the wheel, and the diameter of the axle you plan to use and report back so we have definitive information to make a recommendation on. We can then make a comparison to a wheel set known to fit a Bachmann truck. Standard Bachmann wheel sets that are likely to be delivered with the sweeper are 321mm (1.220") in diameter. Based on what I know, this is a difference of .216" in diameter or .108" radius. Keep in mind these numbers are tire diameters, not the outside diameter of the flange, which is larger.

Eric's answer seemed to indicate to me that his experience said the LGB wheel set would not work in a Bachmann truck. That said, he did not indicate whether his truck was a passenger or freight truck. His comment that the wheel sets will 'fall out' in my experience says they are passenger trucks from a Big Hauler car. I have experienced that same behavouir with native Bachmann wheel sets in Big Hauler passenger trucks. I have never experienced wheel sets 'falling out' of either Bachmann or LGB freight trucks using Bachmann 31mm wheel sets.

Judging by the lack of a single response saying 'yes I did that', leads me to believe that it has not been done by anyone reading this forum thread. Looking at what you are paying for LGB wheel sets, I would recommend purchasing a Bachmann freight truck at $12.10 (which is what I believe will be used on the sweeper) complete with steel wheels for about half the of prices ($20-25) I have seen listed for a pair of LGB wheels and give it a go. This way you are not relying on anyone's interpretation of the question or opinion on the answer.

I apologize for the kerfluffle with Rooster. In the future if his commentary adds nothing to the conversation I will ignore him.

LGB wheel diameter I have found is 36.5mm

Bob, the LGB wheels that I have seen are all the same size as the Bachmann large wheels. Maybe they measured them over the flange not the tread?

Judging by the lack of a single response saying 'yes I did that', leads me to believe that it has not been done by anyone reading this forum thread.

Well, I've done it, but I can't recall the exact details, so I left it up to someone else.  There are definitely 2 issues: axle length [too short and they fall out, too long and they bind unless the journal is open on the outside.] The other is the size of the boss at the center of the wheel - some protrude out a few mm beyond the wheel face and they can bind on the frame.

I've attached a photo of 3 wheels - LGB spoked black plastic, Liliput (Bachmann Europe) spoked, and a regular Bachmann 31mm wheel. I think I have an LGB solid wheel, and I can measure the axle lengths if anyone desperately wants to know.

Pete, thanks for the additional information. You have clarified that, as I eluded to, without the exact information on the wheel set Derailed plans to use, there is no way do provide him with a definitive answer. And based on your commentary and memory, it is not likely to be a good fit.

That said, I would be interested to know why Derailed is so set on LGB wheels? I have MANY cars (Bachmann, LGB, AristoCraft, Delton, USA Trains) running with Bachmann 31mm steel wheels with lots of hours on them with no ill affects.  The only cars I have had any issue changing to Bachmann steel wheels are from Lionel, and these I just change the truck to a Bachmann or USA Trains. IF the hangup is the Ball Bearing wheels, just change out the entire truck for an LGB truck (unless the mechanism for the brush is in some way tied to the wheel set).

Derailed,

Bob is correct.  These are B'mann passenger trucks attached to the large coaches that came in a Big Hauler set.  The LGB wheel sets with which I experimented had plastic, solid wheels.  I did not look for any binding with the body, but the fact they rolled so poorly inside the trucks probably makes that moot.  

Eric

Thank you all for the information.  I wasn't aware of certain issues such as axle length or thickness would be an issue.  I did know that LGB flanges are bigger than some other brands.

To answer some of the questions:

I already have some LGB bearing wheels and solid metal wheels on hand.  I would like to set the railbrush to track power.  I had some LGB cars I bought used which had smaller diameter wheels which I thought were Bachmann.  Maybe they weren't.  Those cars all had coupling issues.  I put LGB metal wheels in and the problem went away.  I sold those other wheels but I think the issue is those wheels were a smaller diameter which was causing the issues.  

All my cars so far are LGB.  I don't have any real experience with other brands.  I had one Bachmann Reindeer car which would not stay coupled with my LGB cars.  I sold it so don't have it to try anymore.  

I ended up purchasing a new Bachmann Big Hauler Tender to use for pretty cheap off epay.   The railbrush guy has a picture of the brush assembly attached to that same car so I have an example to work with.  I wanted a tender since it already has a lamp and weight.  I assume it has freight trucks. If the wheels don't work, I will borrow a set of LGB trucks from another car to make sure the trucks work before I fully convert them.  

I had some LGB cars I bought used which had smaller diameter wheels which I thought were Bachmann.

Bachmann makes 26mm wheels as well. They look good on the 4-wheel LGB cars, but (as you found) they alter the coupler height.

I assume it has freight trucks.

Yes, the usual archbars. They will easily take the Bachmann solid wheels, which is recommended. I think LGB steel wheels only have a steel flange, so they don't add much weight like a solid wheel?