Bogie pivot bearings
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 4:09 pm
I was the only bidder for a Service Railway Express Radio Control Train Set in G scale. Cost me £12-70 including delivery. I was interested only in the wagons & gave the loco & tender & track to the young daughter of a friend. I purchased 3 pairs of 32mm standard bogies from Swift Sixteen & drilled out the pivot holes to 6mm to accept the plastic pivot posts of the original 45mm bogies.
The bogies would not pivot very smoothly, the wagons rocked & 2 posts quickly cracked, so I looked on line for tiny ball bearing races. I purchased 6 Shielded 693ZZ Miniature Bearings 3x8x4mm for £1.45 each from Wych Bearings. With VAT & postage I paid £12-24 & they arrived the next day.
I carefully opened out the holes in the bogies to tightly accept the bearings & drove 3mm diameter bamboo kebab sticks into the bearings to protrude from the bottom of the bogies. These I cut flush & sealed with hot glue. I cut the bamboo sticks to a suitable length & inserted them into holes drilled in the wagons & sealed with more hot glue. The bogies spin freely & the wagons no longer rock from side to side. I have an open wagon, a tank wagon & a coach to add to my collection. I salvaged the loco red headlight & rigged it up as an illuminated tail light. All in all, I'm delighted with the results.
Happy New Year.
The bogies would not pivot very smoothly, the wagons rocked & 2 posts quickly cracked, so I looked on line for tiny ball bearing races. I purchased 6 Shielded 693ZZ Miniature Bearings 3x8x4mm for £1.45 each from Wych Bearings. With VAT & postage I paid £12-24 & they arrived the next day.
I carefully opened out the holes in the bogies to tightly accept the bearings & drove 3mm diameter bamboo kebab sticks into the bearings to protrude from the bottom of the bogies. These I cut flush & sealed with hot glue. I cut the bamboo sticks to a suitable length & inserted them into holes drilled in the wagons & sealed with more hot glue. The bogies spin freely & the wagons no longer rock from side to side. I have an open wagon, a tank wagon & a coach to add to my collection. I salvaged the loco red headlight & rigged it up as an illuminated tail light. All in all, I'm delighted with the results.
Happy New Year.