bob2 posted:Talked to Charlie Pittman Jr. on the phone one Saturday decades ago. He said any motor that has a side load should be ordered with ball bearings. Lionel and MTH apparently didn't want to add the extra two bucks to their products.
If you ever replace a Pittman, always specify rare earth magnets (a 2 or 3 in the third slot), silver graphite brushes, and ball bearings. The 9x34 comes stock with all that if you ask. Not sure they still sell onesies and twosies direct, but when they did, they were half the price of elsewhere.
As mentioned elsewhere, I started out with 9000 series motors, but in the end would only use 8000 series. I would order a box of 30.
Bob, they don’t sell onesies twosies anymore....I tried...I was able to buy some service parts from them....that’s about it...I’m afraid they’ve priced themselves right out of our market...I too, remember talking with Charlie Jr. directly and placing orders right with him....he was always interested in what I was building, and always had suggestions and a lot of knowledge....
one thing of note, common MTH Pittman motor 9434j434, is not a ball bearing motor, it’s an oilite bearing motor....it doesn’t come stock with ball bearings....I have 9433’s with 12V windings in a plethora of flavors, some of my 9433’s have ball bearings, some have oilite bushings....you have to decipher the entire part no. to distinguish all options, 9433F686 is a oilite bushing motor, while 9433L382 is a rare earth ball bearing motor....
I’d like to know the full number of the 8000 series motor you said is the go to motor...if you say it’s good, I’d like to find some and try them..... thanks!.......Pat
