@Rogerdodger posted:It is much easier to buy a later production can motor GP7 on the bay for $100-125 and just use the parts.
Lionel’s later GP chassis with can motors are flawed as well. At the time they advertised them with “wide axle bushings”. It wasn’t until I pulled one to pieces that I understood what they really meant.
The knurled axle has the same size journal’s each side of the knurl, unlike original Gilbert axles. This meant that the knurled part is a larger diameter than the axle journals, so in order to assemble it they had to have a bore in the oilite bearings large enough for it to pass through.
This means that the bearing is pretty well worn from new in the box. Another problem with these bearings is that they are not the full width available which is about 3.5mm, they are probably half this. In reality we have a bearing that is worn out already and too thin, so it isn’t any wonder that these also wear out prematurely.
