I know this is probably something that has been asked before(hence the thread title), But I am having some troubles getting the search to work. I have numerous Rivarossi passenger cars, both heavyweight and lightweright. I have noticed that the trucks on them are pure crap. I know the 6 wheel trucks are easy to find and replace, but what about those offset, 4 wheel trucks, does anyone make a replacement for them, or do I need to rebuild the bolster and use a centered truck?
This may not be a direct reply to your question. But I had six streamlined four wheel truck Rivarossi cars that just wouldn’t stay on the tracks. I replaced the wheels with Life-Like 33" wheels (36" would not fit.) I weighted the cars to NMRA standards. And what finally made the cars run without derailing, I body mounted the couplers. (Using Kadee 508 couplers did not work as the cars still derailed while being pushed.) I was told IHC made a good replacement but I did not have to go this route. A bit expensive.
For six wheel trucks, I just used Kadee 508 couplers and adapter and just continued to use the usual Rivarosi truck, but my six wheel heavyweight Pullmans must have been manufactured back in the 1980’s. In these Pullmans, I used Life-Like 36" eheels as replacements and they run in my passenger train just like any other car.
I hope this partial answer is of value.
This may not be a direct reply to your question. But I had six streamlined four wheel truck Rivarossi cars that just wouldn’t stay on the tracks. I replaced the wheels with Life-Like 33" wheels (36" would not fit.) I weighted the cars to NMRA standards. And what finally made the cars run without derailing, I body mounted the couplers. (Using Kadee 508 couplers did not work as the cars still derailed while being pushed.) I was told IHC made a good replacement but I did not have to go this route. A bit expensive.
For six wheel trucks, I just used Kadee 508 couplers and adapter and just continued to use the usual Rivarosi truck, but my six wheel heavyweight Pullmans must have been manufactured back in the 1980’s. In these Pullmans, I used Life-Like 36" eheels as replacements and they run in my passenger train just like any other car.
I hope this partial answer is of value.
http://www.ihc-hobby.com/cgi-bin/bsc.cgi?sn=94263H524339P928M5A31951U66J51
I don’t know if these wil work but I’ve heard they are pretty good quality. (NOT cheap though)
I don’t know what that truck adapter at the bottom is. Maybe that’s used for mounting center mount trucks??
The problem may be with the wheelsets, not the trucks. If they’re plastic, replacing them with new metal ones may help a lot. I have a couple of Rivarossi cars with replacement wheels and they run very nicely.
BTW keep in mind that IHC is not Rivarossi, their products are kinda sorta similar but they’re not the same, so if you get IHC trucks they may not fit your cars without some work.
I replaced the wheelsets with Intermountian wheelsets, I used the reamer on them, and even before I replaced the wheels, they did not like to hold the wheels in them. The cars with the 6 wheel trucks, had the attaching pin removed and I build the bolster in place and attaced with a screw. This is a photo of a 4 wheel car that I was working on earlier. This one already has some intermountian wheelsets.
I put on the #5 Kadee couplers in a similar fasion. (Dont worry, the styrene shim will get trimmed and painted when I am done, It is just in there temporarily for now.)
I have also noticed that when I try to pull theese out of the yard on our club layout, It enters the brance in a #4 switch, then crosses to the first mainline in a #6 crossover. They ALWAYS derail…I dont think it is lack of soupler swing side to side because I loosened the screws and it still did it. Another member has the Bachmann 85’ Passenger gars and he does not have this problem. And I have even weighted them to NMRA standards and I am still having problems…
I had the same problem with P2K axles being too short for my IHC cars. Someone suggested this company that sells longer axles length wheel sets.
http://www.reboxx.com/wheelsets.htm
On the Riverossi and IHC passenger cars I used Kadee 33 inch wheel sets and mounted the couplers as in the photo in an above post. I added weight inside the car by filling the hollow boxes and so on> I added 1/4 inch diameter solder between the frame members under the car.
The plastic the trucks are made from is soft so DO NOT use metal axles or the sideframes will get ground out where the axles turn in the journals.
I added interiors to the cars and in places it wouldn’t be seen I added some weight.