How to be a dope: Traction Tire Division

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Been in the hobby for some decades, always heard about difficulty with traction tires. Never thought about what replacing them was gonna be like until I’d bought a Rivarossi Challenger, Hudson, and 2 Berks. SOMEHOW the screws (bolts?) removed themselves from the rear set of drivers on one of the berkshires, (a used piece) and, while figuring out what to do about that, contemplated the loose tire on the main driver which has been slipping off with only a little provocation.

So what do you guys do to hold the wheels steady and in proper alignment while the main rods (etc) are removed to extract the old tires (tired tires?) and put on the replacements?

I’m sure glad for my Bowser pacifics and Mantua mikados right about now…

Mike

2

Simple answer - you do it one side at a time, so there is always one main road keeping the wheels in alignment.

3

Haven’t done it, but looked at a friends loose traction tire with the thought of changing it in mind.

If you leave all the rods connected on one side, won’t it hold the opposite wheels from turning? If that is true, then you could do one side, run the loco to be sure all is right, then do the other side. If they do move, make a small wedge from a piece of foam insulation, push between wheel and body to hold the wheel still. It souldn’t be hard enough to hurt anything and by its texture it should hold well.

Good luck,