Problems with Bachmann wheels

[nicebutdim]

Hi, I had a look at some of the threads regarding the change of LGB plastic wheels over to Bachmann's offerings, so decided to convert a couple of wagons. I'm now having difficulty with them as they will not push through the sprung points on my reversing loops! :wits: The plastic wheels, even on light 2 plank wagons, push through fine, but the Bachmann wheels keep riding up and over the blades and derailing. I could understand if they were light wagons, but it seems to affect all my stock, including a heavier box car. Does anyone else have this problem with them? I don't want to add extra weight, as I have a (not too steep) gradient on the main line. The LGB wheels have a sharp profile between the tread and the flange, compared to Bachmann's, and I can only think this lets the light spring force of the points gently push the wheel up and over. LGB's metal wheels are very expensive, but seem to have the sharp profile. Is there anything I can do with the Bachmann wheels, even like turning on a lathe (if I could get hold of one) to rectify this?
Many thanks for your time, Tim

 

[dutchelm]

If wheels of any type will not run through sprung points it's often due to the back to back dimensions being wrong. I have found that some LGB locos were incorrectly set but not had any problems with Bachmann wheels (up to now).

If the wheels are over gauge they try to push the point blades over too soon but often go over the top.

 

[Tony]

Funny you should say that you have toached on a problem i found last year i have lots of Bachmann wagons with metal wheels that run fine i swoped two with a LGB flat wagon and a lgb hopper that had plastic wheels and they derail in the most odest of places but fine when original wheels replaced

Could it be the way they fit in the side holes maybe not enough sideways movement. i didnt get a chance to investigate further

Tony

 

[nicebutdim]

Ah, ok, I'll have a look in a little while when I can find my calipers and compare with LGB's measurement. Thanks for that

 

[nicebutdim]

I'll have a look at that too Tony, at least I have some ideas of what could cause the problem. I don't really want to go back to plastic as to the problems that occur in hot weather.

 

[steven large]

ah.......i have a problem with plastic wheels on my boxcars and aslo some stocks..it kept derialment coz it lighter so need to replaced a metal wheels...it very good and hold my stock down....
i understand the folks here have problem with bachmann plastic wheels or they have no problem with it...depend up to them....
i sugget u have use metal wheels...try put on yr threads in wanted......

ps.the most fouled on my wheels tht it derialment on my nw-2 loco when passing lgb left hand point!!!! i have been puzzle for week while figure it out what cause the derialment as gizzy explain me..now it sorted out!!!

 

[Granitechops]

BUT
dont expect the back to back measurement of thicker type wheel sets to be the same as the finer, thiner type wheels, whatever they are made from

 

[beavercreek]

Could it be that the Bachmann wheels have a rough edge or a few 'dings' to the edge of the flange so that they 'catch' the points as they push through. It only needs a little extra friction or 'catching' and they will be up and over the frog before you know it. Feel all the way around on both inside and outside of the wheel flange for any roughness.

 

[Gizzy]

I'm about to fit a rake of LGB Hopper Wagons with the Bachmann/Lilliput wheels Tim, so I'd be interested to hear what you fine please....

 

[beavercreek]

To add to the comments I made in post 8. I had a bogie with two Bachmann wheelsets that would always cause problems and I found on inspection that indeed one wheelset had a few 'dings' around the flange but the other wheelset was out of true so the wheels wobbled slightly...not much but enough to cause problems with points.

 

[pugwash]

Same problem here, but I think I noticed marking in the plastic of the points so maybe the flanges are too deep. When the weather lets up I'll take a proper look, if it is the flanges thenDr Dremel & Mr Router come out.

 

[The Devonian]

The Bachmann stock I still have has the original Bachmann wheels. I have also fitted Bachmann wheels to a few items of Aristo rolling stock to replace the original plastic wheels. I had soon found, when commencing in our hobby, that plastic wheels were undesirable for my railroad on a number of counts. I have never had any issues with Bachmann steel wheels and I do find that their tyre/tread coarseness can have , a 'self cleaning' effect on brass rail particularly at times of high pollen/sap or ants during summertime.

I had occasion to need more wheels last year. There seemed to be a shortage of many manufacturers wheels at the time. I did obtain from Jeremy at Dragon GScale, at his suggestion, some Lilliput wheels. They did look very similar to Bachmann but - though I was not able to decide exactly why - they seemed a better quality for less than a pound per set extra. Maybe these Lilliput wheels are worth a try for those needing wheels.

 

[David Buckingham]

I suggest you check any troublesome wheel are as close to 40 mm back to back or if you are American
1.575 inches

It does help to do all wheels

Dave

 

[nicebutdim]

Thanks for the replies everyone. At least I'm not the only one who has had some difficulties here. I've only just got in and sorted with the kids so will take a look in a little while and let you know what I find. Interesting about the Lilliput wheels, tbh I hadn't looked at them as of yet, so if I do find no problems with these sets I will give a set of them a go.
What is interesting is I have 2 Bachmann box cars, both with their factory wheelsets, one derails on all sprung points and the other pushes through them with no problems at all. Both were bought at the same time, although not manufactured at the same time. One of these axles has a little wobble but nothing drastic.
P.s. thanks Dave for the measurement, gives me a good reference point, and welcome to our nut house!

 

[nicebutdim]

Right, had an inspection of one of the more problematic axle sets. Measurements were spot on and wheels not out of true, but as Beavercreek pointed out some are a little rough, almost more like the wheel has been moulded and then not smoothed off....at all. Are these wheels plated? Will it harm them to give them a smoothing with some fine wet/dry?
I think I'm going to give Lilliput's offerings a try next. Gizzy, I had no problems anywhere else on the layout except for the sprung points, but I'll let you know what happens with these when they're smoothed. But as said above, Lilliput wheels may be of better quality.

 

[Gizzy]

I think I'm going to give Lilliput's offerings a try next. Gizzy, I had no problems anywhere else on the layout except for the sprung points, but I'll let you know what happens with these when they're smoothed. But as said above, Lilliput wheels may be of better quality.

I've brought the Lilliput wheels too. My local model shop has recently started selling them, so I buy them a pack or two at a time.

I was chatting to Adverse Camber last night, and he is also re-wheeling his LGBoA stock with the same wheels. He buys his by the bucket load from Glendale! Like myself, he uses LGB track.

Although they are branded as Lilliput (on a blue card), they are made by Bachmann, but do seem to be better quality, and strangely a quid cheaper than the Bachmann branded version (on a red card)?

Might get around to doing some re-wheeling today....

 

[nicebutdim]

Just tested my 'smoother' wheels: no difference. Still derailing at every given chance. Is there anywhere online where I can order the Lilliput variation? I had a look at Dragon's and couldn't see them, but I'll email him and see if he has or can get fold of a set for me to try.
Thanks to everyone for their help (I've also checked the points but they seem fine), I'll let you know what happens with a change when I get some.
Thanks again

 

[dutchelm]

Have a try at running a pair of the problem wheels through the point & see where the point blade starts to push over. They should start moving about half way down the blade. If its any earlier something is out of gauge, either the wheelset or the track.
I have lots of Bachmann wheels, some with slight wobbles and they all trail through the points, large radius or small.

 

[Gizzy]

Just tested my 'smoother' wheels: no difference. Still derailing at every given chance. Is there anywhere online where I can order the Lilliput variation? I had a look at Dragon's and couldn't see them, but I'll email him and see if he has or can get fold of a set for me to try.
Thanks to everyone for their help (I've also checked the points but they seem fine), I'll let you know what happens with a change when I get some.
Thanks again

Just back from by local model shop, where I brought a couple of packs of the Bachmann variant.

Spoke to one of the staff, asking if they could get some more of the Lilliput wheels. He says that supply is a little patchy but he will try and get some more as soon as he can....

 

[KentKeith]

Most of the stock I run has no problem pushing through spring-loaded points but one loco that does have problems is the LGB Harz 2-10-2T - the front bogie quite often derails pushing through one point that other smaller locos have no problems with.

Carried out some investigations last year....and more will follow this year....