Measuring axles

[steez]

I need to get some low profile wheel sets for code 55 track that won't
rub the spike heads. I've decided to go with Fox Valley.
My question is....How to measure the actual axles so I know which wheels to buy. I have a metric/SAE caliper but I'm a little confused on which points I am supposed to measure. ie inner axle, wheel to wheel or total overall. Thanks in advance and......If anyone has any better wheelsets or ideas, please feel free to let me know.
-Steve

 

[Cjcrescent]

You need to measure the overall length of the axle.

 

[steez]

Ok...With that in mind.
If I buy some truck and coupler assemblys from Atlas (accumate), will they be low profile wheels or regular pizza cutter type wheels. I need to switch out some Rapidos on a few Atlas cars. Oh and while I'm at it....Does bachman evem make complete truck and coupler assemblys? I can't finf em anywhere.
-Steve

 

[UP2CSX]

Steve, no one is making the old pizza cutter flanges for US equipment. All Atlas wheels are the lower profile RP-25 type. Bachmann does not make "talgo" trucks, e.g., a truck and coupler combined. Kadee does, in almost every truck style. Unless there is some important reason not to, you are always better off replacing truck mounted couplers with body mounted couplers. Your cars will track better, especially on a reverse move. It's generally not difficult to cut off the coupler mounting box from the trucks and replace them with Kadee couplers and coupler boxes, screwed or glued to the car frame. Accumate couplers are not known for their durability so I would seriously consider Kadee couplers for any replacements.

 

[steez]

Kadee seems to only do HO and other larger scales for couplers. I would just as soon use MTL trucks and couplers (the old kadee) but from what I understand they ALL (old and new) still will rub on Atlas code 55. Is this correct?