# Truck/wheel replacement



## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

Hello everyone,

I have picked up a decent quantity of used cars for my layout at sales, shows, ebay, etc.. and most of them have lousy trucks/wheels. I plan on upgrading/standardizing all my cars. My layout is for me and the kids to have fun with so I could care less about proto replication meaning if I have a 40 ton car with a 70 ton wheel set I could care less. I just want quality metal wheels and axles and something I can buy in bulk (100 min). Every car I have has the single screw attachment for the truck and a separate box where I am installing Kadee metal knuckler couplers (already have those in bulk). 

So recommendations on a brand/size of bulk trucks to standardize on?

Thank you!

Walman


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## morrjr (Dec 20, 2012)

Do you want trucks in bulk, or wheelsets in bulk? If you want wheelsets, you probably want 33" wheels. Modeltrainstuff.com sells a package of 100 Intermountain 33" brass insulated wheelsets for $59.99 (link below).

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Intermountain-HO-40055-33-Wheels-bulk-100-p/imr-40055.htm


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Quality wheels are a lot lot easier to buy in bulk than quality trucks without wheels....usually, the trucks are sold with the wheels, and in pairs only.

Now, having said that, Accurail trucks are great, they do offer trucks only in bulk, check their web- site under "parts":

http://www.accurail.com/accurail/

Quality trucks and wheels are also sold by Athearn, Atlas, Intermountain.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

There are 2 wheel sizes on most HO cars. You have to replace
using the correct size or your couplers will have a height
mismatch.

Most HO freight cars will have 33" wheels. The larger, longer
cars will likely have 36" wheels. A close comparison will
tell you which to go with. 

Passenger cars will most likely need 36" wheels.

You might send a PM to NIMT and ask him to give you
a quote on bulk wheel deals.

Don


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## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

Yes sorry I am looking for trucks and wheels together.

Walman


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Most Hobby shops have assembled trucks with metal
wheels. Again, the size matters.

Don


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Your "bargain" cars may no longer be a "bargain" when you start buying all those trucks with metal wheels installed. Just sayin'.....


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## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

raleets said:


> Your "bargain" cars may no longer be a "bargain" when you start buying all those trucks with metal wheels installed. Just sayin'.....


No doubt that is always a concern and something to watch out for. The lot I have right now comes out to $1/car avg. before I add the wheels and couplers so even with that I am still way below a car price. 

And yes my LHS carries both 33" and 36" wheel-sets but the cost per pk is quite high that is why I was looking for bulk. I find bulk wheels, and bulk trucks, but had not found bulk wheel/truck sets.

Thanks all.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Let me get this straight....you're putting quality trucks, wheels and couplers on one dollar cars?

Each to his own, whatever turns your crank......at least you'll have good parts to transfer over to better cars when you decide to upgrade.....I remember doing that myself.


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## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

LOL. I didn't say/mean they are $1 cars in terms of quality I simply got lucky and found a lot of 12 box cars for $15 at a sale hence roughly $1/car (OK $1.25 to be exact). All 12 of them are in great shape paint-wise but they have plastic couplers and wheels. I am standardizing on Kadee metal-knuckle couplers and metal wheel sets for no other reason than I can, but want to buy wheel/truck sets in bulk if possible. Hope that was clearer. I'm just starting my layout and have perhaps a total of 30 pieces of rolling stock at this pint. The 12 I mentioned (plus 2 others) are used everything else is new. I upgraded 2 cars already and they look/run as good as the new stuff. I paid way more/car for the new stuff even after the upgrades.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

You never mentioned the brands of your cars......I take it they are not Intermountain, Proto2000, Walthers Proto, Atlas, etc....?

On second thought, that is a dumb question, as those brands all come with knuckle couplers and steel wheels......forget I asked......hwell:


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## singletrack100 (Dec 18, 2013)

Walman said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> My layout is for me and the kids to have fun with so I could care less about proto replication meaning if I have a 40 ton car with a 70 ton wheel set I could care less. So recommendations on a brand/size of bulk trucks to standardize on?
> 
> ...


Walman, may I suggest since you are not concerned with prototypical appearance to save the money regarding trucks and focus on the wheels. Typically, most modelers change out the trucks to achieve prototypical reality. 

You will not go wrong changing out to metal wheels- you're operational reliability will go way up; plastic wheels attract dirt, depositing it all over your rails. The rolling stock you describe sounds like Athearn blue box or Roundhouse type stuff which come with perfectly acceptable trucks. Using a truck tuner to dress the axle/truck interface of the trucks, followed by installation of metal wheels will produce some of the nicest rolling characteristics you can imagine. The truck tuner simply cleans out any irregularities or flash inside the trucks and shapes the bearing surface. Intermountain wheels seem to be the most economical choice regarding bulk purchases.

Beyond that, as has already been mentioned, most freight will use 33", unless modeling modern stuff which will take 36" as well as passenger stock. Some freight such as 100 ton hoopers will use 36" as well. It's in the weight rating of the car- rule of thumb is below 70 ton= 33", above 70 ton= 36".

Truck tuners are available for around $10-15 and usually available at your LHS. They should be used on any truck in my opinion as I think it is the single, most important thing you can do to improve rolling ability of stock!

Hope this helps! Happy RR'ing!

Duane


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

That is a great suggestion! And when you have upgraded to metal wheels, you will have them for future rolling stock up-grades.....because, believe me, you will be up-grading down the road! This hobby is addictive! :laugh:


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## irishthump (Jul 1, 2013)

Walman said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I have picked up a decent quantity of used cars for my layout at sales, shows, ebay, etc.. and most of them have lousy trucks/wheels. I plan on upgrading/standardizing all my cars. My layout is for me and the kids to have fun with so I could care less about proto replication meaning if I have a 40 ton car with a 70 ton wheel set I could care less. I just want quality metal wheels and axles and something I can buy in bulk (100 min). Every car I have has the single screw attachment for the truck and a separate box where I am installing Kadee metal knuckler couplers (already have those in bulk).
> 
> ...


Have to agree, forget about replacing the trucks and just switch the wheelsets. I'm in exactly the same boat as yourself, Walman. I picked up a load of (mainly Athearn) freight cars for a great price off Ebay, all fitted with plastic wheels and horn-hook couplers. 
Couplers have all been replaced but the plastic wheels are causing operational headaches!
The guys here provided some valuable advice as to replacing the wheels and I ordered suitable replacements in bulk yesterday.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Walman

The size of the wheel you replace does matter. It has nothing
to do with looks, or rivet counting. If you put a 33" wheel on a car that
came with 36" wheels, the couplers will be too low and
will uncouple annoyingly.

Don


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## irishthump (Jul 1, 2013)

DonR said:


> Walman
> 
> The size of the wheel you replace does matter. It has nothing
> to do with looks, or rivet counting. If you put a 33" wheel on a car that
> ...


Not the end of the world though, you can put fibre washers under the truck mounts to bring them up to the correct height. I had to do that with a lot of my cars while replacing the couplers.


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## oldsarge218 (May 23, 2011)

I prefer Kadee trucks and wheel sets. They also sell in bulk.

God Bless
Bob


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## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

I've found the Kato trucks/steel wheels to be very good they roll freeer then most othersand reasonably priced.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/KATO-HO-31601-ASF-A-3-Truck-p/kat-31601.htm


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*weathering dust rust etc.etc.*

This is a very interesting predicament us model railroaders experience, for I too am in 
in need of metal wheels. Thus the swap out, high on the list is of course is weathering
rust dust,etc.etc. 
Regards,
tr1


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

I too have bought older rolling stock (mostly Athearn) and upgraded my own older rolling stock. I just replaced the wheels and couplers. I did not replace trucks and they roll and run great. 

I have only one car that is contrary and doesn't want to stay on the track around corners and over switches. After trying several "fixes" and adjustments, it is still the same. I have concluded that the trucks need replacing on that one.

Bottom linie - just replace the wheels. Replace the trucks only on those that need it. The difference between how the cars roll with metal wheels vs plastic wheels is significant.


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## irishthump (Jul 1, 2013)

DavefromMD said:


> I too have bought older rolling stock (mostly Athearn) and upgraded my own older rolling stock. I just replaced the wheels and couplers. I did not replace trucks and they roll and run great.
> 
> I have only one car that is contrary and doesn't want to stay on the track around corners and over switches. After trying several "fixes" and adjustments, it is still the same. I have concluded that the trucks need replacing on that one.
> 
> Bottom linie - just replace the wheels. Replace the trucks only on those that need it. The difference between how the cars roll with metal wheels vs plastic wheels is significant.


Have to agree! Again my stock is mostly Athearn, I replaced all the plastic wheelsets with ones from Intermountain. The running is vastly improved, especially when pushing stock over switches and the rails need cleaning far less often.

A couple of the non-Athearn cars are still giving trouble, so these may well have their trucks changed in the future.


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## Walman (Dec 18, 2011)

singletrack100 said:


> Walman, may I suggest since you are not concerned with prototypical appearance to save the money regarding trucks and focus on the wheels. Typically, most modelers change out the trucks to achieve prototypical reality.
> 
> You will not go wrong changing out to metal wheels- you're operational reliability will go way up; plastic wheels attract dirt, depositing it all over your rails. The rolling stock you describe sounds like Athearn blue box or Roundhouse type stuff which come with perfectly acceptable trucks. Using a truck tuner to dress the axle/truck interface of the trucks, followed by installation of metal wheels will produce some of the nicest rolling characteristics you can imagine. The truck tuner simply cleans out any irregularities or flash inside the trucks and shapes the bearing surface. Intermountain wheels seem to be the most economical choice regarding bulk purchases.
> 
> ...


Thanks everyone. This is great advice. As you can tell I am a novice so assumed I needed to replace truck and wheels together as a set. For the vast majority anyway, if I can get a way with just changing the wheels then that is the route I am going to go. I'm heading to my LHS tonight so will hopefully fine a truck tuner and pick-up a few wheels to give it a try and then decide on what bulk I need.

Very helpful thank you!

Walman


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

wile there get a nmra gauge. this will help you check the wheel set. track set coupler height.


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## tr1 (Mar 9, 2013)

*axel length needs consideration also*



wingnut163 said:


> wile there get a nmra gauge. this will help you check the wheel set. track set coupler height.


the length of the axel's must make a difference too. Rebox offers a kit for$15.00 .so you 
can determine the proper axel length.It's my understanding axel length's vary between manufacturer's


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