Life Like P 2000, 1000 cracked gears?


logandsawman

Well-Known Member
Just information I want to save and pass along, I had success with the life like Walthers replacement axels. Am purchasing a used GP -18 with the problem and after searching found them in stock at Blue Ox Trains. They only charge 3.95 for shipping. The parts cost about $14.00. They are out of stock at Walthers.

Part number 584408. They have 18 sets in stock. They sell the wheels and gear together.

Athearn has the gear only ATH60024, also shows in stock at Horizon Hobby. They charge 2.99 shipping and the part is 6.98. That part is reported to work as well.

If you want gears only go with Athearn, if you want to replace the axles as well, Blue Ox.
 
I am a cheap so-and-so, I get the gears only from Athearn/Horizon. They do work well, and are pretty much direct replacements.
 
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I am a cheap so-and-son, I get the gears only from Athearn/Horizon. They do work well, and are pretty much direct replacements.

I have a few earlier Proto 2000 locos, PA/PB mostly, haven't had any trouble from them yet and they are used to pull a long train, so get some load applied. How do the Athearn gears match up ratio/speed wise when used to replace the P2K ones? I do like the smooth drive and slow speed operation of these early P2K's.
 
How many "parts" do you get in a package .. Just enough for one axel, loco?
I have several P2K loco's that I have never had on the track.
Just wonder how many may have cracked gears/axels?
 
If the gears are cracked you'll hear it when it's run. The Athearn part # is ATH-60024. If you can't get them thru your LHS email 0r phone Athearn.
 
I have one loco with a bad gear but it thunks like a flat spot on a well car.
Hey what do you know, it has factory sound!
 
How many "parts" do you get in a package .. Just enough for one axel, loco?
I have several P2K loco's that I have never had on the track.
Just wonder how many may have cracked gears/axels?

Sherrell, all the Athearn sets I've ever bought at my LHS have 6 axles in them - I don't know if they are even available in 4-axle sets. So there will always be at least enough for a 6-axle unit.

IIRC, the "problem" locos were all the early Proto2000 4-axle models produced by LifeLike; never heard any complaints about their 6-axle units. Whenever I buy an early P2K geep, I proactively swap-out the axles with the Athearn ones. Only exception is if I personally know the seller and he assures me the axles have already been swapped out.
 
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How many "parts" do you get in a package .. Just enough for one axel, loco?
I have several P2K loco's that I have never had on the track.
Just wonder how many may have cracked gears/axels?

The package I got of gears and wheels had enough for one locomotive, 4 sets.
 
I've seen many replacement wheel sets at swap meets for reasonable prices. Just before Walthers purchased Life-Like I emailed them that I had several Proto 1000 locomotive still in their boxes and I was worried that some or all may have broken gears.

Life-Like send me a bunch of replacements for no cost.

Good customer service from a company soon to be out of business.

Thanks.

Greg
 
I have purchased the Athearns as replacement for several P2K units and they work very very well. Some early replacements from Walthers cracked later, telling me they hadn't fixed the problem at that point. From what I can tell, it's not a matter of if they crack, it's when. I just keep a 6-pack of Ahearns on hand for the inevitable. I've replaced them on my 2x GP20, a GP18, and an ABBA set of F3. So far the FAs and PA haven't cracked.
 



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