Adding Intermountain wheels to Athearn trucks

Mike

I've fitted Intermountain wheelsets to assembled Athearn trucks frequently without any problems.

Ian

Intermountain wheel sets should just snap right in to Athearn plastic trucks, twist sideframes to install.

CN6167 posted:

.........would it be better to wait for the upgraded wheels to be in hand.....

If you don't need to use the trucks immediately, then wait - why make work for yourself?

or are there issues with assembling the trucks with stock wheels and replacing with the metal wheels later.

No issues at all. 

I have just carefully spread the truck sidefrmaes with my fingers and dropped the old wheelsets out.   Then I put new ones one by putting one end in the journal and pulling the sideframes apart to snap the other one in.

I just wish Athearn had the modern 70-ton roller bearing style trucks.

I have 200+ set of Athearn trucks with Intermountain wheelsets in operation with no problems at all in 10+ years. They are so easy to install, afterwords, I would build the trucks when I had a chance, get them built and springs in place is what takes time.

ncng