Easy metal gear upgrade for Bachmann split frame locos..

[LV LOU]

I know some of you will roll your eyes at this,but I have some nice custom painted sets of Bachmann split frame U-36bs and F7's I'd like to have running well,and don't particularly want to buy trucks for them at 10 bucks plus a set,only to have them crap out again in the future,as they inevitably will..This will also work on GP40's.
Probably half of mine,15 or more locos,have split gears.Turns out,the old,solid axle wheelsets from the old metal frame locos will fit in the new split frame trucks! The wheels are the same diameter,but flat,and have slightly bigger flanges,but that's easily fixed.As an added bonus,since the wheels are flat,and they have wide,steel gears,the loco will weigh more,and,the wheels are straighter on the axles,so the locos should run better overall. I haven't actually done a full conversion yet,since I want to take pics as I do one,and my camera is at my shop.
I did,however,put a set in a truck,and they fit perfectly.The trick is,since it has a solid axle,I ripped out the old wheels and axles, took a Dremel with a cutoff disc,and cut down into the axle hole with the disc to make a keyhole shape,and I snapped the axle down into the truck.You need to be a little careful when pushing it down,so it doesn't damage the plastic gear in the truck.Also,the pickup up only one side needs to be trimmed so it doesn't touch the axle,and both trimmed pieces need to be on one side,so the metal solid axle doesn't short out....You can do the job without even taking the trucks out of the frame..

[mmagliaro]

It's a regearing-palooza!
I hope you take and post the pics, Lou.  I'd like to see this.

And remember, folks, even if you aren't regearing these locos, projects like this are always helpful because you might
see a technique for fixing or regearing something else.

[LV LOU]

 I won't be able to take pics until tomorrow,Max,since my camera isn't here,and I'm home,took the day off.I found 30 wheelsets,so I'm in good shape there.My plan is,if I redo one 2 unit set,I can take the gears out of them that are still good,and fix others with them.I can probably get away with only doing my 4 or 5 nicest ones,and use those parts to fix 10 more..
  Also,I found that if you get a dull 1/16 drill bit,and run it through the plastic gears,they won't split..Buyers of still running Bachmann nylon gear/split axle steam,heads up...

[peteski]

  Also,I found that if you get a dull 1/16 drill bit,and run it through the plastic gears,they won't split..

But will the plastic sleeve still fit tightly enough around the axle, or do you then have to super-glue the axles in to keep them from slipping?

[LV LOU]

But will the plastic sleeve still fit tightly enough around the axle, or do you then have to super-glue the axles in to keep them from slipping?

If the gears were good in the first place,yes.I've been fixing Bachmann steam with broken gears by making tiny little collars,pressing them on the gears,then drilling them out before pressing the wheels in.I'm using a used bit,not sure how a new one would work.The gears split because the holes are too small to begin with..I've actually made collars small enough to fix a PCC..As long as the split doesn't go through a gear tooth,I can fix them..

[mmagliaro]

Lou,
That's interesting about using a dull bit.  I have found that it's rather hard to drill out acetal or Delrin gears because the
plastic just wants to "stretch" around the bit and not actually cut.  You can drill through it with a 2mm bit, say,
but when you pull the bit out, you are left with a 1.9mm hole.  So I end up using reamers to finish up.
(That's what I just did with my Mikado regearing).

If anything, I find it helps to use a really sharp bit so that it does drill away some of the material I get less of the stretchy
problem.

So.... why a dull bit?  What does that do for you?

[LV LOU]

 The stubs on the wheels are .125,if you punch them out to 1/8,they need an interference fit,they'll end up loose..I wouldn't say my bit is "dull",just not exactly new.

[peteski]

The stubs on the wheels are .125,if you punch them out to 1/8,they need an interference fit,they'll end up loose..I wouldn't say my bit is "dull",just not exactly new.

-Now I'm confused (about the first sentence). .125 is 1/8. Besides we were talking about 1/16" drill. 
Regardless, are you saying that a slightly used drill bit will have reduced diameter?

[LV LOU]

[removed because I get stupid sometimes..]

[LV LOU]

Man,I gotta stop posting stuff when I'm half asleep..I grabbed a mike,threw it on a 4-8-4 wheel,it said .125,I measured the step instead of the stub..The axles are .0625,1/16",not 1/8"..Using a slightly dull bit gives a little control when you want it slightly smaller than it's supposed to be in soft materials..

[peteski]

Man,I gotta stop posting stuff when I'm half asleep..I grabbed a mike,threw it on a 4-8-4 wheel,it said .125,I measured the step instead of the stub..The axles are .0625,1/16",not 1/8"..Using a slightly dull bit gives a little control when you want it slightly smaller than it's supposed to be in soft materials..

When you started this thread, you did mention 1/16.  After your first confusing post and you mentioning that you weren't well I figured I would just wait until you got better and straighten out your explanation, after you got in a better frame of mind.