Bachmann 44 & 70 ton Switchers


B

beiland

Well-Known Member
It turns out I have found 3 such locos in my stowage cargo trailer,..that I had almost forgotten I had.
1) One of them is a single-motor version of the 70 ton GE. It is running fine, but i don't think I will keep it, as I have a bunch of Atlas & Proto switchers
2) Two of them are dual-motor versions of the 44 ton GE.
a) the brand new C&O one is running beautify.
b) the Western Md one is clicking, but running OK,.....

Clicking would indicate a split axle gear, and sure enough that is the case,..
crack in 44 ton axle gear.jpg


crack in 44 ton axle gear,2.jpg



How does one get the trucks apart to get these wheels sets out to make a repair?? Perhaps I am a bit dense, but I don't really see how?
 
beiland said:
It turns out I have found 3 such locos in my stowage cargo trailer,..that I had almost forgotten I had.
1) One of them is a single-motor version of the 70 ton GE. It is running fine, but i don't think I will keep it, as I have a bunch of Atlas & Proto switchers
2) Two of them are dual-motor versions of the 44 ton GE.
a) the brand new C&O one is running beautify.
b) the Western Md one is clicking, but running OK,.....

Clicking would indicate a split axle gear, and sure enough that is the case,..
View attachment 178323

View attachment 178326


How does one get the trucks apart to get these wheels sets out to make a repair?? Perhaps I am a bit dense, but I don't really see how?
Click to expand...
It's been a while, but I think you remove the side frames, then pull the metal axle halves out of the frame, remove the gear, put the replacement gear back in, then push the axle halves back onto the gear. Check gauge, then put the sideframes back on.
 
bnsf971 said:
It's been a while, but I think you remove the side frames, then pull the metal axle halves out of the frame, remove the gear, put the replacement gear back in, then push the axle halves back onto the gear. Check gauge, then put the sideframes back on.
Click to expand...
I haven't worked on one of these yet, but that sounds reasonable, looking at the pictures.

When I replace Life-Like split gears with Athearn replacements, I'll check the fit of the new gear on the axles first, and if too d@mned tight, I'll ream the gear bores out with the proper sized drill bit (by hand of course, with a 5/64"? or 7/64"? diameter drill bit if memory serves). The gears still remain tight on the axles, but without the overly undue death grip that might cause splitting of the new gear after a period of time.

That may be worthy of considering on the replacement Bachmann gears too, in case they're an overly tight fit on their axles when new. But I don't know what axle size they use, so it may require a numbered, lettered, or metric size of drill bit to accomplish the same thing.
 
I took my 44 ton truck off the chassis the other day, but did NOT take it apart yet. Appears as though one can NOT put an assembled axle-gear into the truck, but rather has to put the axles into the gear from either side,...one at a time.

Makes me wonder why after the discovery of faulty gears, Bachmann or someone else didn't just provide a proper plastic gear to replacement the old one,...no wheels/axles etc required as existing ones would be OK??

Seems like the fit would not have to be all that super tight, as these engines are not going to be asked to pull long trains?

I've got a little idea I am going to experiment with, and I'll document success or failure here.
 
My first experiment with these gears on the 44 Ton switcher,..

First I decided to soak the gears in denatured alcohol to try and get all greases, oils, etc off of them, including within that slot of the crack. I also utilized wooden tooth-pics to spread the cracks apart to get both the alcohol, then pre-bonder, then the bonding glue into that crack slot. Then quickly withdraw the toothpic, and put a clamp on the joint for overnight drying.

DSCF9787.JPG

...the black gear belongs to the 44 ton, the other two are for a different engine

This is the Loctite product I am using for this experiment. I am applying it with that sewing machine needle I inserted into a winecork handle.

Loctite Superglue.JPG



Then these are the clamps I used to hold things together during the curing process,...
PHOTOS (coming)
 
Repair of the 44 ton axle/gear assembly was a total failure,...the problem here is that you can NOT glue the gear to the axle, ...then insert the assembly into the truck because of the basic design of the truck.

And It's too difficult to get the glue into the hole in the gear while it is sitting inside the truck housing waiting for the axle insert(s) from either side.

One note of hope, that Loctite superglue is extremely adhesive !! I was utilizing a slimmed-down toothpic to try and get the glue to the inner shaft hole of the plastic gear,...it touched one time to the walls of that gear and became very solidity glued,...had to try and drill it out, and that was a failure. So the glue itself appears to be VERY adhesive to the plastic.



Gears only?
Is there any source for the plastic axle gears only? North West Shortline wants to sell the combo of wheels and gear.
The stock wheels-axles I have are like new
 
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