free rolling boxcars

[botangles]

I have a mix of rolling stock, Athearn, Atlas, Walthers, Roundhouse and Accurail. All the stock is within a year old and new except Roundhouse which is new old stock. Most of what I bought came with metal wheels except Roundhouse and Accurail. I replaced the Roundhouse and Accurail with metal wheels by Proto 2000. Every rolling stock I have is very free rolling even the Roundhouse with the new Proto 2000 metal wheels. When I push any Accurail car ( I have 6 of them ) on a track they go about 2 feet and stop whereas every other brand of car will go 5 or 6 feet or more. When pulling just the Accurail cars with a locomotive the drag is very noticeable the engine is working harder and I need more throttle compared to any other cars. Is the pin hole too small on Accurail trucks to accept the Proto 2000 wheels, or do I need different metal wheels or different trucks to fit the Proto 2000 wheels. I tried spreading the trucks wider by hand, that didn't work. Could I file down the pin ends on the wheels a bit, would that work? Thanks.

 

[hamltnblue]

Try one of these
http://www.micromark.com/HO-Truck-Tuner,8241.html

 

[flh80]

Those do help
I try not to use proto wheels (China ya know) Kadee's are U.S.A and about the same price.

 

[botangles]

free running wheels

Sounds like the reviews on the Micro Mark truck tuners are excellent, ordered one today. I order a lot of Kadee stuff, know they are made in Oregon, but I didn't realize Proto 2000 was China made, guess I didn't look. Thanks for your information and help. Bill W.

 

[lmackattack]

the only thing I did not like with the micomark truck turner is that it only does one side of the axel at a time. that means it takes 4x as long as if they had machined both sides to do both axel ends at the same time???? but it does help. I suggest installing metal wheels with a metal axel. the Proto2000s look nice and are better than all plastic wheels but the plastic axels will add more drag than a metal axel.

trent

 

[diburning]

I do not use Proto 2000 or Kadee wheels at all. If the car comes with metal wheels, I will generally leave them on unless they are Walthers/Proto metal wheels. Nothing rolls like an Intermountain wheel. Atlas wheels are good as well. The metal point that sits in the truck reduces friction, something that a plastic axle on a Kadee or Proto 2000 wheel doesn't do as well. The all-metal Intermountain wheel also adds weight and doesn't warp like the Proto 2000 axles do.

Intermountain wheels are a drop in replacement for most brands of cars.

 

[Y3a]

I have been using Jay-Bee Wheelsets for about 10 years now. I do NOT add the car weights because the free wheeling trucks and the heavier jay-Bee wheels keep the center of gravity lower and I can pull more cars up a 2.5 percent grade.

 

[spruce57]

I have to echo Eric's comments. I have tried various metal wheels and find that the Intermountains work best for me. You can buy them in bulk of 100 for about $60.

Dave

 

[botangles]

metal wheels

I don't change the wheels if the car comes with metal wheels like Athearn, Atlas, Walthers. But Roundhouse and Accurail come with plastic wheels. I have 5 Roundhouse cars with the Proto 2000 wheels which I added and they are all fine, extremely free rolling and smooth. It's just the Accurail ( 6 cars ) they all feel like they are stuck in the mud . I'll try the truck tuner hope that works, if not then Kadee or Intermountain wheels. Thanks for all your input and advise. Bill W.

 

[Frisco BN]

I've been using this stuff forever.

http://kadee.com/htmbord/page231.htm

If that don't work, then I replace the wheels, and or trucks.

 

[ICG/SOU]

I use Intermountain almost exclusively. I like Accurail's roller bearing and Bettendorf trucks. The Intermountain wheelsets will fit nicely and run well in the Accurail trucks.