Large Scale Central

Combine Car waddles

General Discussion
#1

One of my Bachmann Combine cars waddles as it moves down the track. This is particularly noticeable on straight sections of track. I have checked everything that I can think of and don’t see anything amiss. Any suggestions on what to look for?

Thanks

#2

As long as all the axles are properly set in the trucks then it has to be a bad wheel. Swap out one axle at a time with a good wheel set until you find the culprit.

-Brian

#3
Brian Donovan said:
As long as all the axles are properly set in the trucks then it has to be a bad wheel. Swap out one axle at a time with a good wheel set until you find the culprit.

-Brian


Thanks Brian… is there anything I should look for in particular with the wheels?

#4

Could be crooked on the axle, not quite round, flat spot, etc.

-Brian

#5

Or a bent axle.
FAR more common than one would imagine.
I have straightened a lot of them.

#6

Timmy,
on the rare occasion I purchase B’mann wheelsets, I always factor in a 10% wastage. I place the axles in a truck and spin by hand. Any noticable wobble or ‘out of round/eccentric’ motion is cause for rejection. I remove the offending wheel half and then place a ‘proven’ wheel on another axle that I know its adjacent wheel is running true. I then superglue the wheels within limit, nominally 1.575".

      I have been criticised several times for my 'eccentricity' by the 'enthusiastic children',  but as you have shown, wobbly wheels are a source of annoyance.  Simply turn the car over and look for either a wheel wobbling about its central axis (side to side) or a wheel running true but eccentric (out of round rotation) to the axle.  You will be surprised how many B'mann wheels are wobbly.  The 'blind' children ignore the erratic running.  The first run Bachmann wheels that had the exposed shiny axle (like the very first LGB models),  I have rarely found difficulty with.  The wheelsets have run true almost 100%.  Then we had the 'wobbly' era (wheel 'cocked' on the shaft) and more lately the wheel centre out of true with the axle,  causing the car to bob up and down as it travels the rail,  rather than a simple 'wobbly' wheel which causes the car to move erratically side to side.
#7

I have multiple Bachmann combines with bent truck frames–the axle ends are not the same height on each end.

Only happens on the older ones I have, but that may be something to check.

#8

I thought that wobbly combines were prototypical??? :lol:

#9
Steve Featherkile said:
I thought that wobbly combines were prototypical??? :lol:
I was thinking that too. :D Both the Dunkirk and Forney have a bit of a wobble. I like it!

-Brian

#10

Initially I had concern about one or two of my cars having a wobble. I then studied videos of 1:1 railroads of yesteryear and noticed wobbles. I was happy that one or two of my cars wobbled.

Obviously an exaggerated wobbles needs some correction - re-wheeling or shimming the bolster. Trial and error I guess.

#11

Just watch “Emperor of the North” or any good prototype railroad video…there is LOTS of wobble…

#12
Brian Donovan said:
Could be crooked on the axle, not quite round, flat spot, etc.

-Brian


I would like to aquire these said axles for a project I want off my bench! Anyone have a top hat?
:wink:

Editing … ya’ see Bart has Emperor…(penguins) on his mind too.