# rubber for drive wheels?



## ewilson222 (Dec 17, 2012)

Hi folks. Eric here. So my son was at his moms over the weekend and i had a chance to bust out his train stuff for testing. there are a few engines that have not taken to well to the storage bin and the rubber gromits on the drive wheels has cracked or just dried up and come off the wheel completely. I know these are cheaper engines. the engines with the all metal wheels are nice and work perfect. but the ones with the missing rubber dont ride very well and the missing rubber causes the engine to sit to low on the track and hits the wood (plastic) on the railroads with the thuck thuck thuck thuck thuck until it just gets stuck. 

what can i replace these rubber gromits with? maybe some o-rings from home depot? or little rubber bands? what would you suggest for the best performance? i would rather purchase some gromits that are made for the engines, then to jerry-rig some random rubber bands onto the wheels. anyone have a pack of drive wheel gromits i can buy? do they even make and sell these parts?


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

Hop on ebay and look for the Calumet HO diesel replacement bands. I have used them and they work well.

Or, buy some Bull Frog Snot, yes it's real name. You canthen layer it on to make replacement rubber bands. That stuff is spendy though, around $22. The Calumet bands are about $5.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Dental bands work too, The kind for braces.
You can get the at walgreens or other places.


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Your local Wal-mart has packs of hair bands. The little clear kind. They come in packs of three sizes. The smallest of the three sizes fits perfectly on Tyco engines.


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## spicercars (Sep 12, 2012)

Depending on what type of engine you have there are several bands to choose from on e-bay. I have tried dental band and rubber bands and have had no luck with them at all. Good luck.


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

The Calumet branded ones work fine. Bit stiff to install, but once fitted, work very well.


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## spicercars (Sep 12, 2012)

rrgrassi is right they make a great band.


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