Replacement of wheels on a Lionel 252 Locomotive

This is what you need.  Not an easy repair for a novice.  Special tools, ie. wheel puller, press, etc. make it easier.  You reuse the existing gears.  The wheels come from Hennings.  Nowadays almost all parts dealers get their wheels from Hennings.  Old Model Engineering Works (MEW) tooling.

Thank you!  Where can I order the wheels from?

If I'm not able to do the repair myself, even with the proper tools, I'll take the parts to someone locally and ask if I can watch the repair so that I can learn for the next time.  At this point, I want to make sure that I've gotten the right parts.

Hennings themselves.  The Train Tender. Probably all Lionel parts dealers. 

I've pulled wheels like that myself using two forked auto window tools and then mad a jig between the jaws of a woodworking vise to press them on  Worked well.  

@Joe Elliott you got this. It’s not a complicated process, especially for this engine. You don’t have to worry about steamer wheel quartering. Yes get the SLS-35 wheels. I buy my wheels from Hennings. I did this same replacement a few months ago.

From the big box stores buy a faucet handle puller and a woodworker vise. (See pic#1) On the puller I had to grind down one leg to better fit between the motor frame and the wheel. (See pic#2). Just pull one wheel, remove axel from frame, pull other wheel from axel, punch the gear off of the wheel.

Use the vice to press the gear on new wheel. Then set geared wheel into vice with axel perpendicular to it and press it on. Slide assembly through motor frame and use vice to press other wheel on. Check for spacing between wheel, frame and ensure gear mesh are all smooth. Than repeat and your done.

I have used this on 8s, 10s and 253 also. Just take your time and you will be fine

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Thank you all for your help and guidance.  I wasn't able to resume this project until just recently.  I got the faucet handle puller, ground down one side and was able to pull the wheels.  One of the compound gears is missing a tooth and, while it doesn't seem to be affecting overall performance, I've ordered replacements figuring that now is the time to replace them.  The brushes and other components cleaned up nicely, the armature shaft turns easily.

I'm having some trouble getting the gears off the wheels - there was a huge amount of 'gunk' built up around both the axle and teeth of the gears.  That's been cleaned and I've been able to get a thin blade between the gear and the wheel but cannot separate them and don't want to force it.  I have a couple drops of super penetrant in the thin separation between gear and wheel hoping to loosen it a bit.  Is there a preferred method for getting gears off the wheels?

Again, thanks for your help.  

The gear is pressed onto the wheel hub. I usually just work a thin blade screwdriver from side to side. The gear should just pop off. You could probably take a larger straight screwdriver and place it on the gear hub of the wheel and give it a solid blow with a hammer and I would suspect that it would crumble. Glad you were able to get this far, the rest will be easy.

Part of your issue with removing the gears from the wheels is the zinc pest issue that destroyed the wheels in the first place (info on that can be found in many previous posts on the forum).  Long story short, as the metal deteriorates it often "swells" up which probably isn't helping with removing the gears.  As Rich stated above, sacrificing the lost cause wheels is likely your safest bet to avoid bending the gears.  I did one of these for my brother years ago but I can't recall the process of transferring the gears over to the new wheels.  I did use my woodworking vice to press the new ones on as described above.