Can one swap out two rail wheelsets for three rail wheelsets on MTH Premier trucks???? Esp. the 64' passenger trucks. Thanks in advance.
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Yes, although I did the reverse. I had a few 2-rail Bettendorfs and used the wheelsets to 2-rail a few roller-bearing trucks. I put the 3-rail sets back in the Bettendorfs and gave them to a friend. As for the 64' passenger trucks, I got factory 2-rail ones; oddly, even thought listed as 2-rail, that still had the 3-rail coupler mounted. Not having the right tool at the time, I simply broke it off.
"Yes -- but.....". A word of caution:
These are metal trucks, aren't they ? I believe for three rail operation the trucks have metal bearings [ = inserts ] for the axle ends, so that the electrical return for lights, etc, is through the truck side frames to the axles and hence wheels to both outside rails. Two rail trucks have plastic bearings, so the truck frame floats, and electrical pickup is via wheel wipers.
Disclaimers: It's been years since I had to do this, and so my memories may be less than perfect; also, MTH may have changed their truck design -- imagine that....
Best, SZ
PS If you are buying new wheelsets, or similar, make sure they are the "same" diameters
I do not remember any journal differences when I did mine. The MTH 2-rail wheelsets have both wheels insulated.
