N Gauge Forum

General Category => N Gauge Discussion => Topic started by: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 03:20:46 AM

Title: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 03:20:46 AM
 :veryangry:
Just thought I'd test I few more locos to see if its the grade and not the 5mt
Out of the box my 46 now has the same drama as my 24
No issues in 3 yrs and now 2 in a month
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Bealman on April 19, 2014, 04:05:21 AM
I've got a drawer full of locos with split gears, Bart. One of these days I might get round to tackling them!
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Chatty on April 19, 2014, 07:27:10 AM
Its all to do with the lunar eclipse.   

Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Bealman on April 19, 2014, 07:40:58 AM
 :laughabovepost: :laughabovepost: :laughabovepost: :laugh3:
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: longbridge on April 19, 2014, 07:43:39 AM
Quote from: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 03:20:46 AM
:veryangry:
Just thought I'd test I few more locos to see if its the grade and not the 5mt
Out of the box my 46 now has the same drama as my 24
No issues in 3 yrs and now 2 in a month
Bart


And that is the reason I wont buy anything bigger than an 0-6-0 steam loco on my proposed British N gauge layout, if I had split gears on say a Merchant Navy I think I would give the game away, this should not happen in this day and age.
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Bealman on April 19, 2014, 07:46:25 AM
In all fairness, my drawer full are not new models. I'm talking 1980s-90s Poole stuff.
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 07:59:37 AM
Off to work now so have not had a chance to have a good look

Should I replace just the dodgy gear or all of them and I guess br lines is the best option for parts

Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Dr Al on April 19, 2014, 12:18:42 PM
Quote from: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 07:59:37 AM
Should I replace just the dodgy gear or all of them and I guess br lines is the best option for parts

Replace just the failed one. There's no point in replacing the others. Also, just replace the gear on the wheelset (£1 - GF2504) rather than the full wheelset (like £3) as it's far cheaper - there's nothing wrong with the wheels after all.

Buy a few spare gears and have them in stock just in case another goes at some point, then you can change it out quickly.

Cheers,
Alan

Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 12:27:45 PM
Hi Al,

I know it probably has been said elsewhere before but is it usually the gear on the axle that goes or is it one of the in between gears.

And are the same gears used on other locos or are they all different tooth sizes

thanks bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Dr Al on April 19, 2014, 12:32:12 PM
Quote from: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 12:27:45 PM
Hi Al,

I know it probably has been said elsewhere before but is it usually the gear on the axle that goes or is it one of the in between gears.

And are the same gears used on other locos or are they all different tooth sizes

thanks bart

Gear on the wheelset axles. Check the offending bogie carefully (sometimes it can be a bit of dirt/grit/ballast stuck between teeth), find the wheelset in question - the gear may move easily sideways along the axle, a tell tale sign that it's split, or you may even be able to see the split.

16 tooth GF2504 gears are used on the wheelsets.

Cheers,
Alan
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: EtchedPixels on April 19, 2014, 12:35:29 PM
The modern gears go too although somewhat less often. If anything it is much more of a problem because the 57, 42 etc have wheels that are unique to the model so its a lot more hassle to sort out.

The idler and drive chain gears are not all the same between models. There are not many types. There are a few gotchas including one or two cases where the correct gear depends upon the year of the model. Thankfully Bob at BR Lines is a mine of information so will tell you from the year of the loco which is needed (the coloured dots on the Poole chassis give the year)

Or you could move over from the dark side. The 2mm fine scale drop in replacement diesel wheels have metal gears on them!

Alan
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 12:41:01 PM
Hey Alan,

i thought as n gauge modellers we were on the dark side :NGaugersRule:

With the metal gears are they all metal like the fleischmann stuff or is it just the axle gear
BArt
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: EtchedPixels on April 19, 2014, 12:44:09 PM
Quote from: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 12:41:01 PM
Hey Alan,

i thought as n gauge modellers we were on the dark side :NGaugersRule:

With the metal gears are they all metal like the fleischmann stuff or is it just the axle gear
BArt

You *are* on the dark side .. I said move *from* ...

They are all metal except for some kind of thin insulating glue in the assembly.

The steam locos are different - no drop in wheels but the wheels themselves are metal including a half axle. The two half axles then fit into a plastic muff which can also carry a gear. Very similar to the way Bachmann *years ago* fixed the split gear problem on their US models. However in the UK we're apparently not worthy of such basic consideration  :veryangry: :veryangry:

Alan
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on April 19, 2014, 12:51:09 PM
Great another secret group to join Nicole will start to get suspicious
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Bealman on April 20, 2014, 06:40:18 AM
This is all interesting stuff, and it's OK Bart - the 2mm Association ain't all that secret.... in fact I'm sure they go out of their way not to be! I am not a member, but an admirer of their work from afar, so to speak. (Especiallly Fence Houses, my home turf!!)
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on April 20, 2014, 07:04:25 AM
I'm keen to check out the 2mm group and very interested in the metal gears like my flieschmann locos
Just want my locos back up and running so I hope it's not too hard a task to retro fit the gears
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on April 20, 2014, 10:03:22 AM
Email sent off to Bob Russell for the parts. Just have to put it all back together and im not feeling too confident about either as its a little bit out of my comfort zone.
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: GeeBee on April 20, 2014, 11:06:02 AM
Bart,
If I can do it I am pretty sure you will have no problems, to date I have change class 44 and class 47,s a bit daunting at first but after that fairly straight forward.
Regards
Graham
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on July 24, 2014, 12:44:34 AM
Hi all
Since it was still under warranty I thought I would write to graham farish about replacement spare part.
Immediately got e automated reply but I'm still awaiting a reply from their technical section as advised in their email.
It has been a while, is this normal from them.
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Chatty on July 24, 2014, 05:49:12 AM
Bart

It depends.  I have had correspondence with them to obtain OO parts (not mine, I hasten to add - repairing them for someone else) and they can answer pretty quickly but also it has taken a day or two.  I guess it depends on the workload at the time.

Usually they are pretty good.  Dapol on the other hand...maybe I shouldn't go there.

Kind regards

Geoff
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on July 24, 2014, 10:25:20 AM
Hi
Still would of thought I would have got a reply by now since it has been two weeks since I first wrote
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on July 30, 2014, 02:06:07 AM
 :D
OMG!
Must admit have been a bit lazy in getting around to ordering the parts i need, been distracted by son hospital stay etc.
Well to my surprise the postie dropped off a parcel today and it was a full set of geared axle wheels for the 46.
Totally happy what great service and a surprise as since I had not heard from bachmann I thought I would be getting the parts myself.
Still have to get the 24 gears, I know br lines are out of complete unit but I did really want to have a go and replace just the gear and as I can't seem to find any stores that have them I might have no option but to attempt to do it myself
But I'm happy my 46 is back on the road, and thanks to bachmann for their warranty.
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: RussellH on July 30, 2014, 08:20:01 AM
Quote from: 1936ace on July 30, 2014, 02:06:07 AM
Still have to get the 24 gears, I know br lines are out of complete unit but I did really want to have a go and replace just the gear and as I can't seem to find any stores that have them I might have no option but to attempt to do it myself
Bart

Hi Bart
Contact bachmann for the class 24 gears - its a current model and theres more chance they wil have them. Which gears does it need?
Regards
Russ
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on July 30, 2014, 09:28:36 AM
Hey russ
It's the gear on the axle
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: RussellH on July 30, 2014, 09:35:09 AM
Hi Bart

Is that a 16 or 14 tooth? If its a 16t then a gear from a spare axle from your peak is the same if that helps?

Regards
Russ
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on July 30, 2014, 10:14:52 AM
Thanks mate
I'm told the class 24 has a 14 tooth gear on its wheel axle.
Bart
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: AJB on August 01, 2014, 11:52:07 AM
I'm glad I stuck with Minitrix. Years of trouble-free running (from the 80's) and certainly no split gears!  :claphappy:
Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: Bealman on August 01, 2014, 11:56:41 AM
The Minitrix mechs are great, but my fleet of Minitrix locos (same timeframe.... 80s-90s) have all thrown traction tyres. However, I still love 'em.... only N gauge locos with actual wire handrails back then!!  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Split gear woes
Post by: 1936ace on August 01, 2014, 01:06:51 PM
anf the same quality must be said of fleischmann. I have a fleet of steam locos incl my first loco mum and dad bought me as a kid 30yrs ago. All metal gears and not an ounce of care or maintenance and they all run as good as the day they came out of the box.

Thats why they cost 2 to 3 times the price here

Bart