When do you change your traction tires?

When it comes off of a wheel, or if I see degradation when servicing an engine.

I only change mine when they fall off. I also change them if the engine is apart  for some reason. 

Normally when they come off the first time. Don't try to save any traction tire! You will end up wanting to kick yourself in the rear for saving a traction tire.

Lee Fritz

When they come off, they get one chance and being reapplied.  2nd time they come off, they get replaced.

I don't know. I've never had to change them

I'll try just putting them back on once, in case it was some weird thing that caused the problem.

Second time, or if they are deteriorated or cracked, they're gone.

Rod

WHEN THEY FALL OFF

That's my reasoning as well.  My son's friend came over who is used to running his post war trains.  For some reason though, he did a bunch of jack rabbit starts and stops with the polar express which doesn't coast very much.  In the process he managed to throw both traction tires.  I easily put them back on and showed him how to be smooth on the controls and there have been no issues since.  If they do come off again though for any reason, they will be replaced.

Thanks folks...I kind of figured as much, but thought maybe it was just me trying to torture the engines with 10-12 cars in tow around 0-36 curves.

I've only had problems with them on two MPC diesels.  They kept slipping partly away from the flange, but were kept from falling completely off by the truck side frame.  When I got tired of the wobbling and slipping them back on, off they came.

I change 'em when they fall off or show a lot of wear. Since I've gone scale-wheel 3rs, though, I haven't had those issues.

When they break or when they keep slipping off.

If it is a slip off, I save the old ones. They can be used to fit onto a larger wheel set.

Works!

I replace them the first time they fall off.  I've never been successful at putting them back on and them working for any length of time.

I like Hugh's suggestion, never thought of that.

I'm with everyone else it seems. When they fall off.

Joe B

The only ones I have ever had to replace, have been those on my Legacy 'F' units. Some of these had to be replaced because incorrectly fitted side frames were causing the brake shoes to damage the tyres.

I've never worn any out, or had them fall off in use. Perhaps I drive too carefully? 

I would recommend these:

http://www.tandkhobby.com/product-p/2505.htm

Installed them on a pair of MTH engines 8 years ago. 

The only ones I've had to mess with were on a malfunctioning Big Boy. One motor was not driving well and the two power truck fought each other. Went thru some tires figuring it out. Since I replaced the bad motor all has been well.

If you are throwing tire pulling only 10 cars perhaps you need a bit more weight on the engine. Then again it may be the tight curves, I got rid of those.

Since MTH and Lionel don't necessarily interchange universally, it would be nice if they were more specific than "super" tires.

Thought I'd revive an old thread to ask a follow up question.  Seems the consensus is fall off once or twice and replace.

What about an engine having difficulty with a grade?  I have a MTH RK steam engine that takes the grade with 20 cars no problem and a MTH RK Diesel engine which struggles to take the grade with the same 20 cars.

Could the traction tires be the problem?

Ron

Without knowing the particular engines I would guess it could be the diesel switcher has only one motor i.e. on one set of trucks.  The steamers drivers have more wheels doing the driving and may be heavier too.

.....

Dennis

If the traction tires don't look pretty ratty or cracked, I would suspect they aren't the issue.  I've noticed some steamers in particular have a balance issue and the traction tires are not in firm contact with the track at times, especially with grades or track leveling issues.  Also, a stronger than normal spring on the pilot or trailing truck can affect traction adversely.

One issue with diesel locomotives with speed control is the distribution of power between the trucks.  When both trucks are on level track and the weight distribution is equal, it works great.  However, when the truck with the speed control feedback loses traction for any reason, the locomotive in general loses traction.  This is because it takes less power to spin the wheels on the speed-controlled truck with the lack of traction, so that results in less voltage (and current) in the other truck's motor.  The net result is the speed controlled wheels spin and the ones with traction just sit there.

When the traction tire starts coming off a wheel. I will replace it once.

But if repeats will change all traction tires on that engine.

I've had a rash of used engine purchases where I run them and the traction tires come off, then go back on themselves.  If I notice it, they get replaced.  Took me a while to figure out what was happening.  I thought I was seeing things.  It looks like the tire was off as it passed me, but the next time around, or when I picked the locomotive up, the tire was in place.  But now if I even suspect a loose tire, they get replaced since I had one fall off of a EP-5 and it got sucked into the gears.  Locked the locomotive up and popped the transformer breaker.  I still need to take that one completely apart to dig the tire out.  You can't see it and the only way I figured out what the problem was is because I noticed that one wheel was tireless.

That's interesting. I have a small PS3 RK switcher that will just flat give up if I try to pull too much with it. Wheels will spin but no movement. Pretty sure it has two motors but it's pretty light weight vs. the bigger diesels. I have come to believe my Atlas 036 curves are also a factor.

Ron:

Is your engine stalling or spinning the wheels?

If it stalls, the can motor is not strong enough.

This can be one of two things:

Single motor in the Diesel VS double in the Steamer or

Bigger can motor in the Steamer.

BUT:

Gunrunnerjohn makes a good point.

Can you try running the engine up the grade backwards pulling the consist with the front coupler? Also, watch to see is one set oh wheels is spinning on the track. That will eliminate the possibility he mentions.

I wait 'til they start to slip off, at which point, they're stretched and useless. Time for new ones.  I also like to mike my replacement tires to make sure I'm not installing an eccentric tire...and thus generating the dreaded wobbler !

I change them when I can see the top of Lincoln's head above the grooves.  That's a 1/4" scale model of a penny, mind you. 

I'm with AGHRMatt

Clem

Blissfield Railroad Days' Events - Blissfield Main Street

Thanks for the tips all.  Will try some tests and let you know how I make out.

Ron