Garden Railway Forum

Hi all,

I recently bought an IP Engineering 4WD chassis. The kit requires the wheels supplied to be removed from their fitted axles and transplanted onto the new axles in the kit. It amused me to read the instructions which proclaimed, "The minimum amount of tools are required ie: small round file, flat file, sharp knife and various grades of sandpaper". However, when I turned the instruction sheet over to start the kit-build the very first instruction is, "Using a vice....." I thought a vice WAS a tool. Anyway, the vice is needed to perform the wheel removal and, although I do own a decent vice, I am baffled as to how the remove the wheels using it without risking damaging the wheel flanges. The wheels are REALLY tightly attached to their axles and I fear excessive force will lead to disaster.

Does anyone have any solution or advice?

Many thanks.

Heating the wheels with a gas torch might help.

I don't understand why they supply wheels fitted to axles that then have to be taken off and fitted to other axles. Seems silly.

I had the same problem with something . I think it was an IP coach kit. Bent an axle.

Clamp the wheels in a vice and after heat gently tap the axles out using a piece of brass or wood block.

Seems very logical to use heat. ANOTHER simple and basic tool. Thanks for the suggestions. A bright idea I might try is to email IPE and ask what they suggest. If I get an answer I will post it here.

Busted Bricks wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 7:40 pm I don't understand why they supply wheels fitted to axles that then have to be taken off and fitted to other axles. Seems silly.

I think it may be because IPE don't manufacture their own wheels, they may buy them in from somewhere else pre-made. I bought a Hudson Tipper wagon recently and the cardboard flap on the packet declared, "BINNIE ENGINEERING" if that can be taken as evidence to support my notion. Perhaps IPE produce laser-cut wood models only with some 3D printed parts like the frame for their budget chassis but buy some bits from other manufacturers. I understand it is a one-man business so having to machine his own wheels for kits would cost too much and hugely extend manufacturing processes.

Just a thought.

I have sent IPE and email with my question. I'll feed back when I have an answer.

chrispearce wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 7:20 pm I recently bought an IP Engineering 4WD chassis. The kit requires the wheels supplied to be removed from their fitted axles and transplanted onto the new axles in the kit.

IP Engineering usually use their own wheelsets, which have steel wheels, black plastic insulating bushes and steel axles.

This same subject came up last year. You'll find my reply about removing the wheels with a vice and a pin punch four comments down in this thread.

https://gardenrails.org/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=12456

If these are the usual IP Engineering wheelset with a plastic bush, heating them would not be a very good idea. Some of Ivan's recent kits use Binnie wheels, which are injection moulded nylon and also don't take kindly to heating.

If this kit has Binnie wheels the same technique with a vise can be used, but they usually aren't that tight and can just be twisted off by hand.

Regards,
Graeme

The IP Engineering 32mm steel wheelsets are not insulated which are the only ones I have dealt with so you can heat them up.

These wheels are all-steel. I'll see what ?Ivan says. Thanks for the thoughts though.

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:12 am The IP Engineering 32mm steel wheelsets are not insulated which are the only ones I have dealt with so you can heat them up.

The design must have changed. The 32mm wheelsets I got had plastic bushes.

I had ordered some 45mm gauge kits and a couple arrived with 32mm wheelsets in the kit and a bag of 45mm wheelsets taped to the outside. I eventually fitted new longer axles and used them in something else.

Heat will work with Loctite, but not if the wheels are just pressed onto the axles with an interference fit. Either way makes it difficult for people without much in the way of a workshop to dismantle wheelsets to fit gears.

Regards,
Graeme