Bachmann wheels on LGB wagons...?

[Andrew]

Hello all,
Bachman wheels are great value for the money, any "wheels out of true" become loads for the trains, as well as trackside "Junk". But the wheel must be a long way out of true to be scrapped. I dont understand why some of the major companies don't use steel wheels as standard on new eqiupment.

Regards from Andrew from the Sandbar & Mudcrab Railways at Nowra

 

[pugwash]

Yebbut Nobbut
I wan't to replace my plastic wheels with metal, and without even counting there are a lot of axles. Is Bachmann the only answer? I mean I don't mind spending some more pennies on someone else's stuff if it works out better in the long run, but I do see that some people offer stainless at a daft price, and ball bearing at silly prices. Is there an inbetweenie?

 

[GlenF]

I've also had my fair share of wobbly Bachmann metal wheels but in a lot of cases it was the axle that was causing problems, not the wheels. A bit of tweaking with the axles seemed to cure 90% of the dodgy wheelsets.

Glen

 

[jacobsgrandad]

Yebbut Nobbut
I wan't to replace my plastic wheels with metal, and without even counting there are a lot of axles. Is Bachmann the only answer? I mean I don't mind spending some more pennies on someone else's stuff if it works out better in the long run, but I do see that some people offer stainless at a daft price, and ball bearing at silly prices. Is there an inbetweenie?

Try Brandbright they have their own wheel plus other makes on their website

 

[casey jones snr]

The last forty Bachmann axles I obtained were absolutely fine. Out of over 1000 Bachmann axles, I have only had one seriously out of shape.

 

[Granitechops]

Which reinforces my conclusion that wobbly ones are are the result of being dropped on the floor, the heavy weight of the wheel bending the soft axle,
either post purchase, or in the factory before they reach the bubble pack
For a solution that worked for me,
see the other thread in 'rolling stock'

 

[casey jones snr]

The one seriously out of shape was still in the Bubble packaging. Obviously missed at the factory. I buy them by the box load, so I don't get to examine them before getting to the CFR. Even the damaged one I found a use for.

 

[bobg]

The one seriously out of shape was still in the Bubble packaging. Obviously missed at the factory. I buy them by the box load, so I don't get to examine them before getting to the CFR. Even the damaged one I found a use for.

And could of course been returned to the supplier for replacement had it been thought necessary. In the end you gets what you pay for, and obviously the price is kept down by using soft mild steel for axles. Silver steel or similar would at least double the cost of the axle, and be more troublesome during manufacture.

The moral of the story? If you can straighten them do so, if not, then either send them back or use as scenery/load.

 

[dutchelm]

My fleet is 100% equipped with metal wheels, mostly Bachmann. I have had a few wobbly wheels over the years but the strange thing is the ones that wobble on one item seem to be perfect on another. If it wobbles I put them back in the wheel box & the box always seems to empty itself.

 

[trammayo]

Yebbut Nobbut
I wan't to replace my plastic wheels with metal, and without even counting there are a lot of axles. Is Bachmann the only answer? I mean I don't mind spending some more pennies on someone else's stuff if it works out better in the long run, but I do see that some people offer stainless at a daft price, and ball bearing at silly prices. Is there an inbetweenie?

What about Accucraft? I use both Bachmann and the former - cheaper than Bachmann and seem better quality. No problems experienced. Also make my own sometimes. I use piano wire (available in one metre lengths at various diameters) for axles. Can also be use to replace Bachman axles.

Mick

 

[casey jones snr]

Some Accucraft wheels tend to shed the plating. I posted pictures on the "G Scale Forum". These were mainly from the first batch of imports.

 

[minimans]

Does everybody except me run such perfect track that you can actually see a wobble? my stock wobbles all the time and it's NOT the wheels!!!!!!!!

 

[yb281]

What about Accucraft? I use both Bachmann and the former - cheaper than Bachmann and seem better quality. No problems experienced. Also make my own sometimes. I use piano wire (available in one metre lengths at various diameters) for axles. Can also be use to replace Bachman axles.

Mick

I've found Accucraft wheels are pretty good (I've also had the same plating issue as Casey, but it doesn't seem to effect their running qualities), but they have much finer flanges which can cause them to drop into the sizeable gaps in G Scale (LGB etc.) point frogs. This also causes them to be less reliable when shunting etc. unless your track is absolutely perfectly flat.

Just bought yet more Bachmann wheels off Jeremy. Still not the slightest hint of a wobbly set.

 

[Bram]

I find that wheels need re-gauging, I check against the gauge and tweek as necessary (usually under rather than over). They run much better through points when the gauge is correct.

 

[CoggesRailway]

Where can I buy a job lot of bachmann wheels then?

 

[bobg]

As with all flanged wheels, assuming the profile of the tread is near enough, the "back-to-back" measurement is the most important one. That's what controls the wheel-set through points by guiding on the check-rails. I notice that there seems to be a lot more tolerance in this gauge (%wise) than in my other much larger one.

 

[yb281]

Where can I buy a job lot of bachmann wheels then?

Normally I'd recommend Back2Bay6, but obviously Steve is incapacitated at the moment. I know that Jeremy at DragonGScale has them in stock, maybe you could see if he could supply in bulk? Alternatively, you could ask Casey where he gets his box fulls from (see his earlier post)?

 

[Neil Robinson]

Alternatively, you could ask Casey where he gets his box fulls from (see his earlier post)?

Co incidentally he just called round on a very brief visit and I asked him that very question. He orders them from his local model shop. If Bachmann at Barwell have stock he gets them quickly, if not there's a bit of a wait. Twelve packs of four axles each in a box.

 

[casey jones snr]

Where can I buy a job lot of bachmann wheels then?

I order mine by the box load(12 packs of 4 axles) from the Signal Box at Anstey, Leicestershire. Always at a good price.

 

[casey jones snr]

Does everybody except me run such perfect track that you can actually see a wobble? my stock wobbles all the time and it's NOT the wheels!!!!!!!!

Bang on with that one Paul!!

We did have one section about 15 yards long that was pretty near perfect. However it subsided and as now joined the rest of the CFR as what might be described as interesting.