Changing traction tires made easy, simple and quick with right tools, new video

With all the discussions about traction tires, I thought this post might be popular. Maybe this is the wrong forum?

Looks like the right forum to me.  I found it interesting.

Thanks for the write-up.

John, I'm glad you saw this. These things really do work. Maybe I need to do a movie. Putting on a tire takes less than 15 seconds.

I have some dental tools I use typically, but those look quite effective.

Yes, a "how to video" would be very helpful because I not sure how you did it!

Thank you...

How about steam engines?  Also what is a good solvent to clean drivers of excess oil that caused rubber tires to swell?

A video would be helpful. 

aghrhowie posted:

How about steam engines?  Also what is a good solvent to clean drivers of excess oil that caused rubber tires to swell?

Acetone, laquer thinner, denatured alcohol, paint thinner. I have used them all. What ever I have handy at the time.

I'm using a borrowed camera and I'll take a shot at doing a video. Stay tuned. I use these tools for the diesels, as steamers are generally more accessible and easier to do. Now I'll go look for another traction tire needing replacement. My diesels should be in good shape when this is all done!   

Great tip, I have a MTH Imperial Y6B that just lost a tire. I plan on trying your idea.

Thanks'.  

Thanks for this info. I managed to get a dental pic at a train show but have not had good luck with it so far. I'm going to try the paper clip method. Thanks Paul

Thank you very much for the good photos.  I read the CTT article and was not impressed as I missed how the paper clips are supposed to go together.  In your photos it is clear!  Solder time next.  Thanks again & enjoy a great December with the trains.

Richard Snipes

GHD, great post.  We all have a method and you did a great job outlining the process.  I would advise guys/gals to save this one.

Thanks Marty,

And here is a video that I hope shows the basic procedure. At least you can get the idea from this. This was new and not easy for me to video. The installation also goes better on the usual work bench. A special set up with the engine, working around the tripod and using a borrowed camera for the first time. Enough with the excuses! I hope this helps everyone with the tire mounting thing and people keep on using them on their engines. They will pull a lot better with the traction tires installed!  Good luck!

OOPS!  The video is too big. I'll have to try to shorten it to post it, I guess.

Post it on YouTube and link it.

Thanks John, but I'm not up to the You Tube thing. However, I did shorten the video to where I think it will work. Let's see.

Hmm, looks like it's a bit a fight with the tools.

John, this was a temporary set up on top of boxes, etc. for the camera. Even with the pressure of the camera and the set up, the whole event took 40 seconds. I changed a second tire on this engine back on my work bench and it went much better. Having the engine on something solid is a plus. It goes the best when you can basically apply equal pressure to both tools and they move equally. I'll be interested to see some feedback from people that try this.

I figured as much.  I'm going to solder up a pair and see how they work.  It might be faster than dropping the trucks on stuff that doesn't have the truck screws accessible from below.  If you can simply take the sideframes off, it's very easy to pop the tires on.  However, if you can't, I can see where these would be useful.

GHD posted:

Thanks John, but I'm not up to the You Tube thing. However, I did shorten the video to where I think it will work. Let's see.

Hello GHD.........

My goodness !!!!, why are you doing this the HARD way ?  It is easy to do that when taking out 2 screws on inside the truck sideframes  (the 2 screws are easy to see between the wheels) take them out and the sideframes come out and it be so much easier to change the tires and then put sideframes back on.  My railking NW-2 is like that as I can change all 4 tires in 5 mins. This is the reason those screws are there in first place

"We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him" Romans 8:28 ERV (easy to read version)

Tiffany

On some older MTH engines I have, they are not so easy to take the side frames off.  What I used is a tweezers, the back end of it.  The one I have is almost 1/8" think and is rounded, about the size my fingernail on my pinky finger.  I get the traction tire started and in the grove, then holding it in the grove with one finger, I use the tweezers back end to push it down and onto the wheel, slightly move toward the front then back of the wheel.  Most slide right on.

The premier line engines have the screwed on sides and that is the way to go. However, the Railking line does not. That leaves you with either removing the trucks as John said, or doing something like suggested here. 

I think you just picked a bad sample to video since it would obviously be easier to remove the sideframes.  However, there are plenty of locomotives that have the screws on top, those require you to remove the shell and then drop the trucks.  For some Lionel truck designs, that is quite a PITA, the trucks self-destruct into a pile of axles and gears by the time you get them off the frame!

John, I was so focused on trying to figure out how to do a video, I just grabbed the first engine I found needing a tire without ever thinking about the side frame feature. If you are trying these tools, I should point out that the 6 wheel trucks are the easiest to do as there is more room on each side of the center wheels. The 4 wheel truck I used has tight clearance on the one side. I'm looking forward to hearing about your experience. Be nice!!!!! That was my first time making a video like that.

I thought I was nice.

You are. You always are. I was just kidding! ��

Looking over the MTH CabForward tire changing challenge it still appears the only way to get at them is to basically disassemble the locomotive.  Has anyone changed tires on this locomotive and have a simple way to do it?  That would be GREATLY appreciated as the take apart/put back together correctly appears to be a real challenge on this one.

There are a few locomotives, the cab forward being one of them, that you end up taking a bunch of parts off to replace the traction tires.  The Lionel Vision Line CC2 is another of those PITA locomotives.

Removed all my premiere traction axles for solid no tire ones...life is good

Laidoffsick posted:

aghrhowie posted:

How about steam engines?  Also what is a good solvent to clean drivers of excess oil that caused rubber tires to swell?

Acetone, laquer thinner, denatured alcohol, paint thinner. I have used them all. What ever I have handy at the time.

Sorry to hear of your condition.  But I would like to thank you for the answer to my question about a safe oil and grease remover that will not damage the paint.  I come from the school, that where a little lube is good, more is better.  The lube I put on the drive rod screws spun down the drivers to the rails and got on the tires, causing the rubber tires to expand.  

Again thank all of you. 

willygee posted:

Removed all my premiere traction axles for solid no tire ones...life is good

Steam and diesel? 

aghrhowie posted:

Laidoffsick posted:

aghrhowie posted:

How about steam engines?  Also what is a good solvent to clean drivers of excess oil that caused rubber tires to swell?

Acetone, laquer thinner, denatured alcohol, paint thinner. I have used them all. What ever I have handy at the time.

Sorry to hear of your condition.  But I would like to thank you for the answer to my question about a safe oil and grease remover that will not damage the paint.  I come from the school, that where a little lube is good, more is better.  The lube I put on the drive rod screws spun down the drivers to the rails and got on the tires, causing the rubber tires to expand.  

Again thank all of you. 

Thanks for the concern Howie but I am not sick, nor am I laid off. It's just railroad terminology for calling in sick ;-) Matt Jackson can tell you. I do have a sickness and it's train related, but it does not prevent me from working.

The only thing that I saw in that video was some hands struggling with a tire. No beginning, just a huffing-puffing end.

Kerrigan posted:

Looking over the MTH CabForward tire changing challenge it still appears the only way to get at them is to basically disassemble the locomotive.  Has anyone changed tires on this locomotive and have a simple way to do it?  That would be GREATLY appreciated as the take apart/put back together correctly appears to be a real challenge on this one.

I took the drive rod off and pulled it out from the cross head guide. That allowed the drive wheel to be rotated so that the main rod screw was centered in the cross head guide opening, created by the removal of the cross head. That allowed me to remove the main rod screw and slip the tire past the end of the rod.

How about some better pictures of the tools, please? I can figure out how to use them, but would like better pictures on how to make them.

Oman posted:

willygee posted:

Removed all my premiere traction axles for solid no tire ones...life is good

Steam and diesel? 

Diesel.

Royboy, here are a couple more pictures that I hope help. Make the paper clips straight and then bend the ends so they protrude an eighth of an inch and then solder them together. Make sure the solder closes the gap at the ends so that the tire doesn't get wedged in between them. Go easy with the solder thickness as you'll want them thin for clearance reasons. You'll also note that one tool is curved more than the other. This is a result of my generally starting on one side of the tire and then using the second tool to push the other side down and around the wheel. I hope this helps.

Here's my second attempt at a video. I believe this is better. This install took about 10 seconds and 50MB of data, so it should go here.