# spare trucks and wheels



## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

I dropped one of my rolling stock on the floor the other day, the truck shattered into a million pieces. I got the metal wheels before they rolled under go knows what. 



I need to replace that truck (and wheels now that I stole the wheels I saved and put them on another piece of stock). There seems to be a million different types of trucks and manufacturers. Kadee is obviously the top brand but they are easily twice as expensive as something like Atlas.

I have also purchased real cheep rolling stock kits and have already replaced the couplers with Kadee, and now want to replace the wheels and trucks.

If you wanted to buy a bunch of trucks with metal wheels, what kind and brand would you keep on hand? What options (like automatic centering... whatever that is) would you find important?


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

The trucks that shattered, buy new trucks with metal wheels and for the rest, just replace the wheelsets. Intermountain metal wheelsets seem to be popular but I prefer Athearn. Both work well and are a definite improvement over the Delrin/plastic wheels as far as rollability goes.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

pat_smith1969 said:


> automatic centering... whatever that is.


Sounds like what KaDee refers to as "self-centering". When you pick up the car the trucks automatically align straight front to rear -- to help you put them on the track easily -- IF you are putting your cars on straight track. On curve track, they might even be a hinderance.


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## santafealltheway (Nov 27, 2012)

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Walthers-HO-Ore-Car-Truck-Side-Frames-p/920-2013.htm

it says 12, but its 12 pairs.

Everytime i pick up an old tyco car, these are what i put on.

about 20 bucks with shipping.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Accurail trucks are very good... and fairly cheap.
Their truck frames are available factory-direct:

http://www.accurail.com/accurail/parts.htm

I've never replaced Accurail trucks because they're excellent rollers when fitted with metal wheels.


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

Thanks everyone.
I purchased 1 set of Kadee "Bettendorf S2" trucks and wheels.. then I purchased a pack of 12 (sets) of 33" metal wheels made by Intermountain (I have one of their locos and it is pretty darned awesome so I went with them). 

I got the Kadee because since I only need one set right now, I figured I would see why they are twice the price of the competitors.

I will also purchase a couple of the Accurail trucks. I just want to have some of these things on hand if I come across a warped or broken truck. 

At first the whole truck\wheel thing is quite daunting.. there are different types (Bettendorf, Andrews, Sprung, unsprung, roller bearing, friction bearing, 70 ton, 100 ton, 50 ton).. but it all seems that the vast majority of the cars can take a basic Bettendorf style truck in a pinch. The rest seems to be cosmetic.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> Accurail trucks are very good... and fairly cheap.........
> 
> I've never replaced Accurail trucks because they're excellent rollers when fitted with metal wheels.


Totally agree with that! :smilie_daumenpos:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I too like the accurail trucks. I don't know how much they are from accurail but
you should be able to find them for just under a dollar each. I buy intermountain
wheels for about $85 for 100 axles. So $.85 each. Lets say 1.00 for a truck and 
1.70 for 2 axles of metal wheels. 2.70 for a good truck and metal wheels. That's
a lot less than kadee or athearn sets. I have all brands of rolling stock. Some expensive
and some cheap. My best rolling ones are Bachmann silver series. I might try and
see if I can buy those trucks in bulk. I haven't done that yet. They really roll.

The better they roll the more you can pull.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

pat_smith1969 said:


> At first the whole truck\wheel thing is quite daunting.. there are different types (Bettendorf, Andrews, Sprung, unsprung, roller bearing, friction bearing, 70 ton, 100 ton, 50 ton).. but it all seems that the vast majority of the cars can take a basic Bettendorf style truck in a pinch. The rest seems to be cosmetic.


Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine, about 3 years ago now, had a feature article on types of trucks, their evolution, and how to tell them apart. Waaaay more detail than I need, but fascinating.

There is an index here: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/magazine/back-issues


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

And, to answer the question, I don't keep spare trucks around, because I don't need them that often, and I can afford to have a car sit in the RIP track while I order parts.

I buy Intermountain scale 33" metal wheels in bulk and keep those handy.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I find this valuable:

http://mrr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/4/c/c/mr_pi_5-06_freightcartrucks.ashx


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I'd buy Accurail trucks all day long, given their price and simplicity.
IMO, they roll as good as Tangent's, which (IMO) are top drawer.
The trucks that come on Intermountain and Walthers Proto cars are also excellent.
But for pure value, you can't beat Accurails with metal wheels.
BTW, Accu_Ready_ cars come with metal wheels.


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

Hey Hobo
that was an amazing read... thanks a lot. I now know more than I ever wanted to about trucks...


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## 3.8TransAM (Jan 13, 2016)

I test everything out from all the couplers(Kadee are best by far, Proto after that and nothing else matters) and using factory trucks and wheelsets(as long as metal wheels which is a must for the club).

I recently used a "truck tuner" and it made a pretty big difference on problem cars and an improvement on decent rolling cars. 

So there may be some life and performance in some of the less desirable stuff with a minimum of work.


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## 09G6GXP (Sep 5, 2016)

if it comes with metal wheels stock I usually just use the truck tuner and leave it, and I have added metal wheels to those that didn't already have them in the past, however as of lately ive turned into a super detail freak, after getting a set of athearn genesis "Tank Train" cars and seeing that they actually have spinning roller bearings, I have since put the genesis 100T code 88 36" roller bearing trucks on a few of my favorite rolling stock and love the look of them along with I have been switching to sergent engineering scale knuckle coupler and am liking them, the athearn trucks are pretty expensive at $12 for 4 trucks at the local hobby shop, so I'm not sure I will convert all my rolling stock yet, but I did notice at the local store it seems that kato makes a spinning roller bearing truck that looks damn near identicle to athearns and a bit cheaper so I may have to look into them, I just love the look of the train rolling by with the bearing caps spinning its just one more element of realism I may end up painting the bearing caps blue on some of the rolling stock indicateing new bearings as I have seen on some freight cars here when I'm working in California at this point in time near Cajon Pass of all places


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

So my whole "metal wheels and trucks" project turned out to be a disaster.

I get the wheels today, pop them in all my rolling stock that has plastic wheels (about 4, I only have 12 pieces of stock). They sit in the truck WAY too tight, some of them wont roll at all.. most I have to push very hard to get to roll down a hill. 

Clearly I need that truck tuner gadget, there goes another $20.

The real catastrophe...
I ordered two sets of really nice Kadee metal trucks, with spring suspensions.. and wheels... these babies are NICE compared to anything else I have. Two actual small human hair size springs give the truck the ability to move in ways others just cannot. Truly amazing, they were 10$ each pair.

Well as luck would have it, the little hole in the truck is smaller than the little tit on the car.. where the screw goes in to hold the truck on... Now I have two choices.. I can cut the tit off and hope to have enough thread left to get the screw in there and hope I didn't actually need that tit... OR I can widen the hold in the metal truck... I chose to mess with the truck.

the first truck went great.. I started with a small drill bit and widened the hole a smidge. Then I went up in size and up one more time until I get to a size that fits. The second truck gets bound up in the drill bit wrapping my fingers around the drill bit and ruining the truck. Painful fingers... much rage at ruining a really nice truck.. good thing I got a spare set. The third truck I get almost done and it does the same exact thing..again tearing up my fingers and sending those little springs everywhere.

Finally on the fourth truck I switch out the offending drill bit with a different brand and go REAL slow. I get that one to work. So for $20 I managed to repair a $20 gondola. GOD I am good. 

The real crappy part is that it rolls great but also derails a LOT more than it used to.. I think it is because it is still way under weight, as it has no load.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

You need a reaming tool, its a T handle solid tool that has a tapered cutting end. Great for making holes a smidge larger and since you don't use a drill, you don't do the finger and hand trick. Works great on panels of plastic where drilling lager holes sometimes just cracks the entire panel .. now how would I know that?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Well, that's also how you learn. A couple of words of advice, if I may.

First of all, as you've discovered, all trucks are not always interchangeable. They can, however, be made to fit with a little TLC. The most important thing is that you mount them at the correct height. Just putting a screw in and retapping a hole may not be enough. Styrene tube cemented into the hole or on the kingpost (what you call the tit) is usually the best way to correct differences in hole sizing, but you may also have to add shims or file down parts to get the fit right.

Second, it sounds like you're using power tools. With the exception of benchwork construction, I don't find these very useful. I have a hand drill for big jobs, and a pin vise for small work. This allows you to really take your time and get it right. And a reamer, as lemonhawk suggested, is a useful thing to have around, even a mini tap and die set.

Third, I have found the kadee trucks to be very finicky. Make sure they have sufficient play in the mounting (not the wheels) -- one should be almost tight, the other fairly sloppy to allow the car to roll (rock side to side) without picking up a wheel. And yeah, add weight to RP-20 standards (1 oz +1/2 oz per inch of length).

Lastly, wheels. Don't know whose they were, but make sure the new wheels have the same axle ends as the old (mounting needle axles in sockets designed for round ones doesn't work, nor does the other way around). You MAY be able to clean this up with a truck tuner, maybe not. Also, make sure the new wheels are in gauge. If I had a dollar for every factory fresh set of wheels that was out of gauge, I'd be buying imported brass locos.

Don't let this experience discourage you. Chalk it up to inexperience and move forward. And yeah, I know it can get expensive, but don't skimp on quality tools. "The right tool for the job", always.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I agree with CTvalley about those Kadee sprung trucks.
But they are more than finicky, they're downright
honery. While they do run great, they will come apart with
the least provocation, even while rerailing. I have
used super glue to defeat the trucks independent
suspension to hold 'em together.
I won't be buying any more of them.

Don


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

DonR said:


> I agree with CTvalley about those Kadee sprung trucks.
> But they are more than finicky, they're downright
> honery. While they do run great, they will come apart with
> the least provocation, even while rerailing. I have
> ...


I agree...
I have two sets of sprung Kadee trucks -- on old Varney boxcars.
I have two sections of Flex track with a rerailer between them, for checking coupler height, DCC functions, etc.
Those Kadee trucks came apart the first time I railed them. I was shocked, but it happened again a second time.

I swore off of them since.
I usually go for Accurail... or Tangent on sale.

I also agree with CTV about a pin vise vs a power drill (even over a Dremel).


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

DonR said:


> I have
> used super glue to defeat the trucks independent
> suspension to hold 'em together.
> 
> Don


I am totally going to do this to salvage the two remaining trucks I have.. that way I can at least use the metal trucks with metal wheels and get some worth out of them. Once on the car.. they REALLY roll well.

Much to my surprise, a pin vise is not a vise at all.. but a mini-hand-held-drill.. yes I need a set of those!. I am not real sure how well they will work drilling through a metal truck.. but I will not be buying any more metal trucks, the quality plastic ones work just fine.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

pat_smith1969 said:


> I am totally going to do this to salvage the two remaining trucks I have.. that way I can at least use the metal trucks with metal wheels and get some worth out of them. Once on the car.. they REALLY roll well.
> 
> Much to my surprise, a pin vise is not a vise at all.. but a mini-hand-held-drill.. yes I need a set of those!. I am not real sure how well they will work drilling through a metal truck.. but I will not be buying any more metal trucks, the quality plastic ones work just fine.


The trick is to take your time. Since you're probably using a very small bit, it's easy to push down too hard and break it. I can drill through metal with my Rodgers bits. Not quickly, but it can be done. Don't use your thumb to remove shavings, unless you're looking to provide a little "rust" colored weathering....


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

When you glue those trucks be sure to put them
immediately on the tracks so that they 'set' in alignment.

Don


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

This may have already been said, and I hate to beat a dead horse, but IMO, nothing rolls better than Truck Tuned Accurails with Proto wheels.
I just can't always find Protos in stock... so I've also used Tangents, which unless they're on sale are outrageously expensive.


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