Williams Traction Tire Replacement

Are you talking about the scale GS-4 made in brass several years ago, or the traditional sized one made in die cast currently?

the one that is currently made

Semi Scale

If the tires are too thick and hitting the brake shoes, I use MTH tires, they're thinner.  If the binding is from something else, maybe you can clarify what the issue is.

Are these Williams replacement tires that don't fit?  Weird.  G

I think that's what we're trying to understand.  I have seen Lionel tires that rub the brake shoes and cause issues.  Replacing them with the ones shipped with the locomotive resulted in the same issue.  It's obviously possible to have this issue, though I can't imagine how the manufacturer's let these out.

Gunrunner John You are correct the tires are too thick they are binding between the drivers.

GGG: Yes these are the original Traction tires that came in the box with the steam locomotive

and yes when i put it on i checked for tire placement and to make sure that it seated in the groove just like all the other steamers that I have worked on this one particular steamer wants to be a PITA

I am about ready to find somebody that will replace the blasted thing for me

If they're properly seated in the groove, I'd really consider the MTH traction tire option.  They're thinner, and I've used them on both Lionel and K-Line where the originals were too thick.  On many of these models, you can remove the brake shoes with a single screw behind them to make more room for the tire installation.  That doesn't fix the binding, but it makes the tires easier to put on.

Gunrunner I don't think that this model has Brake shoes on it.  This is a Williams Southern Pacific 4-8-4 GS-4 Die cast Model. Williams Catalog Number 40001

Traction Tire Replacement
Our traction tires are very durable and should not need replacing very frequently. They should last hundreds of hours
under normal conditions. If they wear out prematurely, check to make sure your track joints are tight. Gaps in your track
can cause damage to the tires. To replace the traction tires, you will need to remove the side rods. There are three Hex
screws and one Phillips-head screw on each side. Note the positions of the rods and any spacers. Remove old tire if
present, clean wheel groove with any degreasing agent making sure to follow the safety and handling instructions on
the degreasing agent’s bottle. Wipe dry with paper towel or clean rag. Stretch the new traction tire over the wheel
making sure that it does not twist and seats smoothly in the wheel groove. Re-attach the side rods. Test to make sure the
rods move freely before applying power to the locomotive. Check at least one complete rotation of the wheels before
applying any power. You can manually spin the flywheel on the end of the motor to make the wheels spin,.

followed the instructions to a tee and still problems

I don't have one to look at, so I don't know exactly what it looks like. 

Here she is

The Binding is happening between the drivers nearest the Cab and the one directly in front of it

The drivers are close on that one, I think the MTH tires would be the solution.

Nicole, I think they're hitting the blind drivers next to them.

Thanks John. The post with the details and photo was posted while I was typing my post. (I really must learn to type faster.)

It does sound as if either the tyres are either too thick, or else not seating properly.

does anybody know if the last set of drivers can be dropped out to put the Tires on and then placed back into the chassis Frame

Hi Bobbie,

Am I correct in thinking that your problem is not a case of the wheels binding after the tyres have been fitted, but of how to persuade the tyres to fit onto the wheel in the first place?

Nicole it is the fitting of the Tires Even after triple checking to make sure the tire is in the groove and properly seated the Drivers will rotate for about a 3/4 Turn and then lock up

Which is why i asked if there were some trick or procedure that I am not following to get this done

Buy a bottle of the stuff they call "Frog Snot" it's easier/faster and last longer, than the factory rubber tires, or at least it does on our big club layout. We have Gargraves Track and Switches, and I don't know if that makes any difference. When we hand clean the track, we use WD-40 to clean, then wipe the WD-40 off with 93% Iso alcohol, until there is "No Residue" to show on a clean white wiping cloth. and I got that info from this forum. It works well, and the WD doesn't appear to have any effect on the life of the Factory tires, nor the Frog Snot, as long as you get all of the WD-40 off, with the 93% Iso Alcohol. I guess this is 2 tips for one!

Have you removed the drive rod bolt on each side of the axle, so that the other wheels can rotate freely?  If so, then you might be able to fit one tyre at a time by seating as much as you can into the groove, and then turning the flywheel to rotate the rear drivers. With the front 3 pairs of wheels able to rotate freely, they should be able to turn in the reverse direction to the rear set as the tyre passes between them. This might enable you to rotate the wheel far enough to be able to seat the rest of the tyre into the groove.

I don't have one of these locomotives, so I cant prove my theory, but it seems plausible that it may work.

This is why I recommend the thinner tires, easier to stuff through the crack.

Good point. 

Bobby, Did you compare a new tire to an old to see if it is thicker?  I am assuming the center two wheels are blind, no traction tires.

If tire is same thickness as the originals, I would remove side rods.  Place tire at the gap between the wheels and pull tire to stretch it between the gap.  Once that side is in place I hold position with a thick Pin and run another around the other end like putting a bicycle tire on.

I think stretching will allow it to fit between the gap and then seat into the groove.  But that is where you have to start.

It the tire is thicker or wider than originals, you got the wrong tires with the engine.  G

This would work if the worm gear was not attached to the Rear set of drivers

even with the side rods off the front three axels turn freely but not the rear I would have to take out the Motor to turn them freely or slowly turn by Flywheel

I believe that the original tires that came with the Locomotive are the wrong size and were made for another engine. I want to thank one and all for their respective responses to help me figure this out But i am of the opiniion that I will find A set of  tires from MTH to go on this and this will solve my problem and if this doesn't then it is off to a Tech to have it done for me.