Sarah posted:When you do a conversion to ball bearing equipped journal boxes, what wheels or axles do you use? Are you using shouldered axles, like NWSL has them, or do you machine existing pointed axles? I don't have a mill.
What's a convenient way to get axles that fit? I can fit FR133-ZZ flanged ball bearings in a plastic side frame of a freight car truck, works fine. Inner diameter is 3/32"
Thanks!
When you get a train that doesn't roll well, you should do it. Why make your engines wear out over lousy rolling cars?
This passenger train when put all together was very poor at rolling. It was my fault as I converted most of it from three rail. Each car on it's on rolled fairly well. Added all up in a train, the rolling resistance multiplied and made the train tough to pull. Later when I got the stock silver 2 rail NYC cars, I realized just how poor the older converted cars rolled. Some posters blame it on the power pick-ups. After going to bearings the resistance is minimal. I saw a video from the Colorado modelers on just how well their Wasatch trucks with real bearings rolled. I knew I had to do something.
You need to match up your bearing choice with your wheel sets. You want enough play on the axle ends so that the bearings will spin freely even if the trucks are "out of square" slightly.
While you are converting you should consider going with LEDs for less power consumption as well.
