NP 765 Berkshire - Not Happy

Be sure to check the axle. It might have gotten bent. You can roll the wheel/axle assembly along a table top, or a piece of track to check it.

Mine arrived with a broken bearing too. I called lionel and the part for the previous legacy release is available. They're sending it to me. pn 6308050054
This is the 3rd or 4th steamer that Ive received with one of these plastic things broken. They really need to cushion the pilot and trailing axles better, or use metal bearings.

you should not have to glue the bushings in. 

they should just snap in. 

is one bushing still in the holder?

bushings are the weakest link in the truck.

 

I keep extras around, just in case.

Looking at the pictures of the "pieces" and the "T" shaped slot, it may be a bearing & retainer in one. They may have pressed it in too hard at assembly, fracturing it, then it fell out in shipment.

If it looks like it is made to wedge in place, don't over do it when you install the new parts. Boilermaker can probably advise, based on his experience.

 

Dave

 

I see bigdodgetrain caught it while I was typing.

Thank you for your responses and help. I guess you put the bushings on the axle and press them in place. 

 

Bob

Sorry to hear Bob. Good news is Lionel and your Hobby shop that you purchased from are making it right.

I had this exact problem a few years ago with the trailing truck on my 11203 Pere Marquette.  Why does Lionel feel that it's necessary to use fragile delrin bearings in this application?  Bronze was the  accepted solution for a long time; MTH Premier steam seem to have a better mechanical pedigree in this regard.  Same scenario- "parts not available," etc.  At the time I gave their service dep't an earful.  Eventually they sent something that worked, although it wasn't the same as the bearing on the opposite side so it probably wasn't the correct replacement part.  

What are they doing to the front & rear trucks?  Equally mysterious, how are the box and the rest of the loco surviving these impacts without visible damage?  I sympathize with the original poster, Lionel definitely needs to address this issue!

Yep, just be sure to press on the wheels themselves ( not the axle) to eliminate any risk of bending the axle.

 

 

Thanks Rick, I will be sure to line up the bushings and press on the wheels only.

Good luck with it.  Sounds like Lionel is still sorting out its new service and support system,  A b it weak, but hopefully they deliver as promised to you.

I don't have this loco....but had the same problem about a year ago. The plastic/delrin bearings snapped back in place and I re-assembled it. Worked fine. Good luck!

I am sure Lionel quality control slaves will have a serious talk with the assembly slaves about being more conscientious.They stand behind the product but man,what a heart breaker.Sorry to hear.

This happened to my Polar Express. I attributed it to a worker in a hurry to press in the axle.

You cannot press on the axle when installing the new bearing. It will break the bearing again. Press on the edge of the bearing. I used two flat screw driver sides to push on both at the same time. Then the end on each one to get the final snap.

Moonman: thanks for this advise. I appreciate it.

 

Bob

I imagine it is the quality of the plastic.  Bob, when you place them on, you can put one bearing partially in and then slide the axle into that bearing.  Put second bearing on axle and slide that bearing into slot.  Once level press both wheels in place.  They should snap in.   G

Bob; sorry about your new engine. I know it's very disappointing when your expecting a new engine & it finally arrives but broken. (I speak from experience) Hope it all ends well for you.

Sounds like Lionel and your dealer both did the right thing, making the best out of a bad situation.  Good to hear!

 

Dave

 

Just my personal opinion, but new stuff should work the first time.  I understand these things occasionally happen but I would not want to risk repairing it myself and doing further damage.  If this happened to me, I'd accept the replacement engine the company offered and return the broken one.

 

Ron