Ball Bearing Wheels.

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Durango_Scotty

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Hello, I'm new to the forum but not G scale rail roading. My grandfather got my father and me my first trains back in 96 and I'm getting back into it since I'm starting out on my own. I have a small but decent collection of cars and locomotives from Aristocraft and LGB and I've been struggling with which ball bearing wheels to put on my entire collection of rolling stock. It's about 50/50 on freight vs coaches. I've heard great things about Roll-EZ, LGB, and PIKO ball bearing wheels and I just need some help figuring out which is the best and what made or break your decision when you picked your ball bearing wheels? Any help you would be willing to share, that would be greatly apprenticed.

Added information for readers.

Thank you all for answering, and it comes down to this. Most of the wheels that I have are plastic; some are the metal lined. I do not have an ample enough space to run my trains. Thus I mainly use LGB 11000 tracks which is the tightest of curves and as such, causes a lot more rolling resistance. The best example of this I can provide is that I have a set of Aristocraft freight blue Santa Fe locomotives: 1 FA and 2 FB: all powered. The train slips trying to pull the 8 Royal Blue aristocraft passenger coaches ( the small ones not the heavyweights or streamlines). I also prefer the way the metal wheels sound when rolling on the rails.
 
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Hello Scott,
Your name suggested that you were in the United States. Welcome and I hope you enjoy this place.
As far as bb wheels are concerned you can do no better that these:
http://www.roll-ez.com/
I have fitted a lot to my stock, mainly Aristocraft, I prefer the blackened version as they are not a obvious when trains are running. I do have the others however. Some of my Aristo stock did have bb wheels, as purchased but, as you know plastic ones were usually the default.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Why do you want to install ball bearing wheels? Are you having issues?

I'm asking this way because it's a costly solution to a problem you may not be having, or could solve in a different way.

Greg
Click to expand...

I too, am curious, for basically the same reasons.
 
I wonder if the OP is meaning metal wheels? - Rather then ball-bearing wheel-sets?
 
I'm assuming that he's got a decent bank loan arranged :nod::nod::nod::nod:

Either that, or Scotty's about to trade in the Roller :devil::devil::devil::devil:

No insult intended to our friend, but they are darned expensive - on the other hand, if that's the way you want to go, and you have the wherewithall, then there are benefits to be gained, no different to buying a top of the range hi-fi; there are benefits, but the gain curve tapers off :think::think:
 
One of the unexpected downsides is that setting cars out on a siding needs LEVEL sidings, many a newbie has found cars rolling back to the mainline fouling the switch. Another unexpected non-benefit is if you are using an uncoupler, often the cars will re-couple since they roll so freely... and especially if trying to use the Kadee "delayed uncoupling" feature.

Greg
 
I have found that the Piko BB wheels are as good as the LGB version, and a bit less expensive. Used to install LGB BB wheels on all of my rolling stock, when I had track power. These aided in electrical pick-up which I fed back to the locomotive.

However, since converting to battery power almost ten years ago, I have fitted alot of my newer stock with Bachmann metal wheels. I reserve the BB wheels sets to heavy coaches and certain freight cars.
 
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