I’m sure this has reared it’s ugly head before, but here goes. I have a P2K GP-9 set up for command control with a Digitrax DH163LO plug n play decoder. It has run well for a couple of years, but now the front truck actually jumps up and down when you start the loco under load. I believe I have contracted the the dreaded cracked gear disease. There is very little doubt in my mind that Walthers would send me out a new gear, but I have no idea how to disassemble the gear tower on the front truck and replace the offending gear. Any advise, pictures, diagrams, etc would be most welcome!
The cracked gears are located on the axles. All you’ll need to do to replace them is turn the locomotive upside down, pop off the cover from the bottom of the truck and you’ll see the gears and axles. Lift out the old axle, drop a new set in place, lubricate the new gears, reinstall the cover and you’re done! If you have a parts diagram the exploded drawing will show you what I’m referring to.
Thanks, Don! Sounds like even ol’ fumble fingers here can do it. I’ll contact Walthers about replacement gears this week.
It’s really wierd when you try to pull several cars with the unit. Sounds like a prototype boxcar with a flat wheel and you can actually see the lead axle on the front truck “hop” up and down. Looking forward to getting in running A-OK again.
Some additional info for when you call Walthers…I had 9 units that I wanted to get new gears for. I bought them used from the original owner for a song because he didn’t know what the ‘flat tire’ sound was and he wasn’t happy with them. I digress…when I called into Walthers, they asked me how many axles were cracked. I told them I was willing to pay for new axles because I bought them used and hadn’t inspected each axle. I guess I was nice enough to her because she opened a ticket to send me 36 new axles free of charge!
Sweet talk whoever answers and you might also be lucky!
Sorry to disappoint you, Romeo, but that seems to be Walthers standard policy. Your charm would be better spent somewhere like on Patty and Selma at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, where they truly don’t care.
I got my axles by e-mailing Walthers. Same response, same friendly service.
I’m a diabetic with severe nerve damage. I can’t feel my hands at all. I had to replace all the axles in a P2K GP30. It was a snap! If I can do it, you certainly can.
When the first question out of her mouth was “How many gears are actually cracked?”, that told me I wasn’t about to get all of them replaced for free. I then told her that I hadn’t taken the time to remove all 36 sets to examine them and I would call back after doing so. Her reply? “Well, hon, I’ll just send you 36 so you won’t have to do that.”
Sorry that I tried to suggest that sugar catches more flies than vinegar…your reply indicates you don’t think that way.