Incompatible Replacement Gears for Cracked P2K Geeps


IronBeltKen

IronBeltKen

Lazy Daydreamer
I got a 20yr-old NIB Proto2000 GP30 from an ebay seller, with the typical cracked axle gear problem. I handled this the way I always did: Ordered a set of replacement 40-inch-wheel axles from Athearn. I didn't discover until I was ready to drop the new ones in, that (1) they don't have the square brass bearings, and (2) the gears themselves are slightly larger.

Anybody know anyplace other than Athearn where I can order some of these replacement axles? Walthers stopped selling their own brand of replacement gears several years ago...
 
Sirfoldalot said:
For future reference?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/40-Locomotive-Wheel-Assembly-6-HO-Scale-Train-Parts-Athearn-ATH40028/312198375255?epid=1903560036&hash=item48b0792757:g:a~sAAOSwaudbV5MT&_sacat=0&_nkw=ho+scale+40"+wheels&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_TitleDesc=0|0
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Thanks for the link Sherrell - now I see what happened: I went directly to the Athearn website, clicked on the Parts link, and entered the string "axle" for my search. Only three choices came up, none of which were the set you posted (#40028) - because its catalog description does NOT contain the word "axle"!o_O

I saw the individual gears #60024, but I didn't want to go thru the heartburn of taking apart the old P2K axles to put the new ones on, then trying to space them apart to get them exactly in gauge. Of course that's exactly what I wound up having to do with the old blue box SW1500 (correct gears, but wrong size wheels). A normally 10-minute job wound up taking me close to an hour. Lesson learned; from now on I should probably bring up an online thesaurus to refer to whenever my first search attempt fails.
 
Ken - I have a couple of the Proto geeps and I believe that Walthers took over the LifeLike line.
 
montanan said:
Ken - I have a couple of the Proto geeps and I believe that Walthers took over the LifeLike line.
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Yes they did, I think the only new loco models that have come out of Walthers since have been the Mainline SD70ACe's of late and adding DCC/Sound chassis to the previous LifeLike models. The Proto line have always been nicely done with good detailing, heavy chassis and smooth running. Some of the sound versions haven't been quite as good in that department though.
 
Ken: if you need a last resort, Walthers has them in stock again, in single or paired packs. The Athearn part was for the SD40-2 and the part # may have changed.
 
Ken, these are the geeps that I have, Proto from LifeLike. These are DC only. Picked them up when they first came out. I don't think the DCC versions or DCC ready would make any difference.

IMAG0460.jpg


I would definitely check with Walthers. They probably used the same gear sets in other locomotives.
 
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Ken: I would avoid the older Blue Box wheel sets as a replacement due the poor metal used in the older BB's wheelsets which were poor conductors of electricity. I would try Northwest Short Line for higher quality direct replacements.

Greg
 
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Ken, make it easy on yourself. Go with the Athearn 40028 Nickel silver wheel sets. Better conductivity than the P2k blackened wheels, gears and bearings all preassembled.
20180818_095637.jpg

As you see, I keep them handy!
 
Yeah Karl, that's what I thought I was ordering the first time! Never even occurred to me that the Genesis drive technology was so radically different.

I'll go ahead and order a few 40028 sets for possible future use, never know when I'm gonna stumble upon the next P2K geep that I just can't live without!
 
The newer P2K gears are helical cut. Don't know if they can be retrofitted to the earlier gearboxes, but it would no doubt mean changing out all the gears. Even their new Mainline brand uses the Proto drives.
 
I have a few P2K locomotive that are still in the boxes and never ran. Just before Life Like was sold to Walthers, I contacted Life Like and expained to them about my boxed P2K locomotives and wondered if Life Like could sent me some replacement wheels in case I found some failures in the future.

Life Like send me 12 sets of the replacement wheel sets at no charge.

Great customer service.

Greg
 
Greg@mnrr said:
I have a few P2K locomotive that are still in the boxes and never ran. Just before Life Like was sold to Walthers, I contacted Life Like and expained to them about my boxed P2K locomotives and wondered if Life Like could sent me some replacement wheels in case I found some failures in the future.

Life Like send me 12 sets of the replacement wheel sets at no charge.

Great customer service.

Greg
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It used to be that way, then came Walthers
 
Walther's axle/gear sets no good ??

I found these geared wheel sets a few days ago in my inventory of parts. They were all packaged up neatly in their separate wrappings, then paired together in a small baggie with a label #922 584408-E. I believe I purchased these from Walthers quite some time ago in anticipation of needing them in the future for my Proto engines.


SURPRISE !!......as I unwrapped a few I found they had split gears,.....they never been used!!
DSCF7392.jpg
 
beiland said:
Walther's axle/gear sets no good ??

I found these geared wheel sets a few days ago in my inventory of parts. They were all packaged up neatly in their separate wrappings, then paired together in a small baggie with a label #922 584408-E. I believe I purchased these from Walthers quite some time ago in anticipation of needing them in the future for my Proto engines.


SURPRISE !!......as I unwrapped a few I found they had split gears,.....they never been used!!
DSCF7392.jpg
Click to expand...
Replace the gears with Athearns, and forget about them. Walthers just re-ran the old P2k stuff, never upgraded the shaft thickness.
 
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