I like to use Intermountain's 33" metal wheels on my old Life-Like and TYCO cars; they roll so much better than the original plastic wheels. (Of course, I also replace the X2F couplers with knuckle ones, usually Bachmann coil-spring E-Z Mate knuckle couplers with Kadee talgo truck adaptors.)
I changed out over 100 pieces of rolling stock from plastic wheel sets to metal wheel sets and modified all talgo trucks (clipped them off) and body mounted all Kaydee couplers. Weathered all the rolling stock and changed out all incandescent lighting to LED strip lighting for coaches, engines and cabooses. Took me several months but now everything is done. Cheers from eastern TN
I agree that the metal wheels are much better than plastic. Other benefits (which I can't remember if you mentioned or not) is less derail chance doesn't dirty up the track as quickly as plastic wheels but checking to make sure they are in gauge is very important. Great video!
Rolling on 36" wheels on my freight cars. I find it easier to unscrew the trucks before trying to replace the wheels. Have to paint both trucks & wheels anyway. That's a nice freight car too.
Thank you very much for this! I'm currently replacing the plastic wheels on my old Lifelike cars with metal wheels but the main issue I'm having with the new metal wheels is there being too much friction between the axle ends and the truck. I've considered buying a Micromark truck tuner but i'm looking for a more affordable alternative
Track10Trains I have P2K wheelsets in line. they’re a mixed bag in the LL cars so far, some are stiff while some are more freewheeling. think i’ll use a drill piece as a budget alternative to the truck tuner
@Ted Amrein Looks like you have to drill holes on those. I have since went with Kadee wheels and couplers as well as the truck tuner and they still free roll well
Forgive this stupid comment, but how does it not short the track out? Are the wheels electrically isolated from one another some how? When you installed them it looked like metal axle touching metal wheel.
Its very hard to see but the wheels themselves are isolated from the axle by a little ring of plastic, so therefore the wheels and axles are not touching.
@@Track10Trains Thanks for the reply, I just got into the hobby for the sake of my kid, and I have the electronics/engineering know-how I just don't know how everything works 😁 Some older stuff that was donated to me were some older (early 70s) Tyco brand trains and I see they address this by only having half the wheel assembly metal on the locomotives.
I would like to know which cars that I should install 33 inch wheels on and which cars I should install 36 inch wheels on so that I know that I am installing the correct size wheels each time
I like to use Intermountain's 33" metal wheels on my old Life-Like and TYCO cars; they roll so much better than the original plastic wheels. (Of course, I also replace the X2F couplers with knuckle ones, usually Bachmann coil-spring E-Z Mate knuckle couplers with Kadee talgo truck adaptors.)
I changed out over 100 pieces of rolling stock from plastic wheel sets to metal wheel sets and modified all talgo trucks (clipped them off) and body mounted all Kaydee couplers. Weathered all the rolling stock and changed out all incandescent lighting to LED strip lighting for coaches, engines and cabooses. Took me several months but now everything is done. Cheers from eastern TN
That was CERTAINLY helpful!!! 😁. I do love that grainhopper you demonstrated on.
I agree that the metal wheels are much better than plastic. Other benefits (which I can't remember if you mentioned or not) is less derail chance doesn't dirty up the track as quickly as plastic wheels but checking to make sure they are in gauge is very important. Great video!
Thanks! And I did mention the dirt part.
Thank you so much! You earned a subscriber
All my athearn bluebox have intermountain 33”. Love them
You make this change over easy
Intermountain 33" work great also!
Rolling on 36" wheels on my freight cars. I find it easier to unscrew the trucks before trying to replace the wheels. Have to paint both trucks & wheels anyway. That's a nice freight car too.
Thank you very much for this! I'm currently replacing the plastic wheels on my old Lifelike cars with metal wheels but the main issue I'm having with the new metal wheels is there being too much friction between the axle ends and the truck. I've considered buying a Micromark truck tuner but i'm looking for a more affordable alternative
You might want to look in to getting Walthers wheel-sets they would probably fi better in those trucks.
Track10Trains I have P2K wheelsets in line. they’re a mixed bag in the LL cars so far, some are stiff while some are more freewheeling. think i’ll use a drill piece as a budget alternative to the truck tuner
That might work!
@Ted Amrein Looks like you have to drill holes on those. I have since went with Kadee wheels and couplers as well as the truck tuner and they still free roll well
@Ted Amrein thanks! For now the stock trucks work for my needs as after using the Truck Tuner on them they free roll
You should add lubrificant (fluid oil) on eauch chamber of the axis for more smooth run
Sounds very good 👍
You should use the wheel tool before putting metal wheels in for a smoother ride
Forgive this stupid comment, but how does it not short the track out? Are the wheels electrically isolated from one another some how? When you installed them it looked like metal axle touching metal wheel.
Its very hard to see but the wheels themselves are isolated from the axle by a little ring of plastic, so therefore the wheels and axles are not touching.
@@Track10Trains Thanks for the reply, I just got into the hobby for the sake of my kid, and I have the electronics/engineering know-how I just don't know how everything works 😁 Some older stuff that was donated to me were some older (early 70s) Tyco brand trains and I see they address this by only having half the wheel assembly metal on the locomotives.
nice video 👍🏽👍🏽.....currently doing this myself. Anthony
Thanks! And yah it takes time to get all the cars done.
Great video. Good tips here.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Very informative video! Thank you for sharing! ~Pedro
Glad it was helpful!
Micro Mark makes a device that separates the trucks so you can replace them easily.
Metal wheelers make a BIG difference.
Our club layout only allows metal wheel sets
Which scale 1:87 or 1:100 ?
HO scale is 1:87
What is the diameter of 36 and 33 inch metal wheels?
Inlikev your videos now can I measure the wheels ro determine what diameter wheels
I would like to know which cars that I should install 33 inch wheels on and which cars I should install 36 inch wheels on so that I know that I am installing the correct size wheels each time
I use my wheel tuner to cut a 60 degree hole...it helps alit but warning the tool is a rediculous 27$
Do all steel wheel / axel combos cause shorts across tracks?
What is the diameter of these wheels
36"
@@Track10Trains ok sir. But can you tell me in millimeter 😅
There are plenty of calculators online for that.
@@Track10Trains ok