Truck interchange between MTH lionel williams

I know Williams used to sell trucks and motors to upgrade their older locos without flywheels. Did you check their website? I don't think Lionel keeps a stock of motors or trucks (I've tried through their parts dept.), and trying to retro fit something different takes a pro - some members here have changed out the old AC motors with DC cans. As to MTH, maybe someone else here might know.

I put an MTH motor with flywheel in a Williams SW truck.  I did it a while ago.  I seem to recall it wasn’t a perfect fit, but one I got it all screwed in, it ran.

i used all of the guts from an MTH rugged rails F3 and put them in the Williams SW.

Ron

Thanks guys, I'm waiting for the Dash-8 with ps3 to arrive next week and been thinking about transplanting it into a Williams EP5 but the trucks are very different naturally .

MR_P posted:

Searched but couldn't find any info on the possibility of swapping DC motors and trucks between manufactures, MTH, Lionel and Williams.  Aside from the body / frame aspects, I assume you cannot put a MTH DC motor into a Lionel truck nor a Williams etc.

Correct because each truck manufacturer has their own unique"key hole" in the steel frame" that holds the truck to the locomotive. Exceptions are some Weaver models diesels that were sold to MTH like the alco RS11, c628 & c630, BLW vo1000. 

Even A late production Weaver models truck motor drive will not fit a Williams frame because of the narrow swing.  While they look similar, the Williams keyhole must be modified to allow a larger swing. 

MR_P posted:

Thanks guys, I'm waiting for the Dash-8 with ps3 to arrive next week and been thinking about transplanting it into a Williams EP5 but the trucks are very different naturally .

You need to be careful transplanting motors, & trucks from varying mfr’s stuff......things like different gear ratios, gear offsets, worm wheel heights, all come into play. You could easily destroy something really quick like. I would do a lot of measuring before attempting anything of this nature. Any one measurement off, and stop.....you’re done. Just because it “seems like” it bolted together ok, doesn’t mean the gear lash is going to be correct. It may work in the short order, but the first time you ask it to do a real task, you could possibly rip gears to shreds.....just hate to see you make an expensive irreversible mistake........Pat

If the goal of this thread is to transplant the PS3 from the Dash 8 into the Williams Little Joe, then once your Dash 8 arrives, pop off both shells, and take pics of the two side by side, and start a different thread on what you want to do. I’m gathering you want a PS3 little Joe....you know there is an easier way to do this....you could have bought a kit, but I don’t know what kinda deal you got and that may be the factor....however, there’s a lot of guys that do the PS3 swaps all day everyday. I’m sure if you approach it from that aspect, they’ll tell you what you can or can’t do....again, swapping around motors and what not might yield you a pretty good pile of poo........Pat

Whenever MTH went to the late truck block with the screws on the bottom to allow you to change out the axles/wheelsets is when things changed.

I used a Williams EP5 as a donor to power a early MTH (Weaver also) SD40-2, the sideframes will mount although they will be reversed. It shouldn't matter with a EP5 since the sideframes do not have a left or right.

...and if screw holes don't line up, JB weld works great too.  But just expect that model to be yours for life.

Ron

harmonyards posted:

MR_P posted:

Thanks guys, I'm waiting for the Dash-8 with ps3 to arrive next week and been thinking about transplanting it into a Williams EP5 but the trucks are very different naturally .

You need to be careful transplanting motors, & trucks from varying mfr’s stuff......things like different gear ratios, gear offsets, worm wheel heights, all come into play. You could easily destroy something really quick like. I would do a lot of measuring before attempting anything of this nature. Any one measurement off, and stop.....you’re done. Just because it “seems like” it bolted together ok, doesn’t mean the gear lash is going to be correct. It may work in the short order, but the first time you ask it to do a real task, you could possibly rip gears to shreds.....just hate to see you make an expensive irreversible mistake........Pat

Correct but no if you are transplanting BOTH the motor truck assembly - which is what most people like me do because of the gear meshing and mounting  issues.