Wheel upgrade

[djs1079]

I have the Union Pacific 4432 and wanted to upgrade the plastic wheels to metal.  Would they all be 33 inch? Are bachmann smells the best for the upgrade?  Totally new to all this,  so any advice is appreciated!

[jward]

This is the little train set 0-6-0 right? I have found the tender wheels to be 36" while all the freight cars and cabooses use 33"

Using 33" wheels in the tender will throw off the coupler height enough that cars may uncouple, and the coupler trip pins will snag on rerailers and switches.

You can probably use any brand of metal wheelsets in these cars, but axle lengths can vary and some will roll more freely than others. Using the Bachmann wheelsets ensures that the axles are the proper length and will not bind up in the trucks. I have had no problems with any of the two dozen or so Bachmann train set cars I've converted using their wheelsets.

[djs1079]

Thanks.  Yes it is the 0-6-0.  I'll take a look when I get home and make sure the tender and other cars are the same wheelsets. 

Do I need to upgrade the trucks as well, or will the plastic trucks and metal wheelsets work fine together?

I'm getting a lot of dirt on the track, needing to clean it after an half an hour or so of use.  The two things I was encouraged to do was change to metal wheels and upgrade to nickel track.  Or send the train in to be looked at.

Thanks for the help!

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=258_269_270&products_id=1807

[jward]

The wheelsets are made to fit perfectly in the existing trucks. There is no need to change them.

Upgrading to nickle silver track will help out but isn't a cure all. Your track will still get dirty, but you won't need to clean it as often. One thing I've found that helps is CRC QD contact cleaner. Lowes has it, I'd imagine Home Depot or any hardware store should as well. It comes in a spray can, and you dribble a little bit on each rail then run your locomotive through it and let the train track it around the layout. If I haven't run the layout in a couple of weeks, this will restore contact within a few laps, and it also helps keep dirt from building up as quickly once it is applied.

[djs1079]

Thanks so much!  I went to hobby express in cranberry and got some bachmann metal wheels.  Cleaned the track again and ran it for an hour.  No issues as of yet. Running nice and smooth and quiter. 

I'll upgrade to nickle track for next Christmas. As well as get some of the contact cleaner!

[jward]

Hobby Express? I work in Cranberry, and visit there alot. They're a very good hobby shop, and you can find just about anything you need there.