On these trucks sideframes used on Aristocraft 100-Ton coal hopper cars and Evans 53’ Boxcars, I need to replace some worn out brass bushing in which the Aristo plastic wheel or ART-29111D wheel axles are rotating. Does someone have found a direct replacement for these bushings? Where can I get these? Did Aristo-Craft have a spare part# for these?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Are the old bushings just worn on one side? Could you rotate them and get more use out of them?
Yes, only on one side. I can rotate them 180 degrees for now … but I’m looking for a definitive replacement.
Hi Yves, There is no part number for the axle bushings for 53’ Evans boxcars or 100 Ton hoppers although they are shown in the parts diagrams. I have 11 of these bushings and 2 trucks with bushings from these cars but the truck mount coupler shanks have been cut off. The bushings that I have were removed from the trucks as ball bearings were installed. The bushing holes in the side frames were enlarged to allow the bearings to be installed. I don’t know the bearing part number or size but I can find out. I do recall having difficulty getting these bearings back then. Let me know if I can help you with this situation.
Bob MacGregor in CT
Bob,
Get us the dimensions, I would think that they are commercially available in some form in the industrial world. as a mechanical designer it would be verboten to make bearings if we could purchase.
AL P.
Hi Al and Yves, The stock brass bushing dimensions: ID 3.15-3.20 MM, OD 5.55-5.60 MM, flange OD 8.03 MM, flange thickness 0.68 MM, bushing thickness 3.55 MM. These bushings are glued into the side frames and pressing them out can damage the side frames. The other problem is that the axle is slightly longer than stock Aristo axles and knurled to hold the bearing caps on which makes them slightly larger on OD. The axle stub OD is 3.00 MM. I had to bore the bearing holes in the side frames to 6.00 MM/0.237" to accommodate a 6.00 MM OD bearing. I don’t recall if I installed a bearing with a flange, but it cannot be thicker than 3.55 MM. I do recall filing down the knurls on the axles to be able to get the axles thru a 3.00 MM ID bearing and using a drop of crazy glue to hold the bearing caps on. I had to make jigs to hold the side frames for removal of the brass bushing, boring the holes to fit a 6.00MM OD bearing and pressing them in. I did the boring of the holes on my mini mill. I used a small arbor press to carefully install the bearings in the side frames using the jig that I made up to support the side frames. This was done to Aristo 53’ Evans box cars. The truck mount coupler shanks were cut off and Kadee body mount couplers were installed which had to be modified to swing wider.
Bob MacGregor in CT
Bob,
I looked at a couple of my sources and could not find an exact match, except in a plastic variety at McMaster Carr came close. I figured that Misumi would have as well but struck out there.
nothing I need just trying to help out.
Al P
Keep in mind that these items are manufactured in China, by the largest TOY company in China…possibly the world. Toys are considered throw away, therefore any belief that spare parts will be available is wishful thinking. Compound that with they really don’t care if stuff is standard or a morphadite, so long as it get the product to market.
Anyone who has payed attention to the issues with all the companies that bring product in from China over the years will see that common thread. And it does not know a scale or gauge.