Post by chops on Sept 27, 2018 0:43:27 GMT -5
I got this really nice Lima chassis, on very favorable terms. It is a bit vintage, and after lubing the transmission with a splotch of Wahl Hair Clipper Oil (safe on plastic), the axle gears didn't just split, they shattered. A bit like on an old Toyota camper I once owned, and let my wife drive. When the mechanic opened up the clutch housing, it fell out in chunks.
It did make three nice, easy laps around the Henley layout, and then promptly ground up the axle gears upon a 15 inch radius curve. The motor runs like a Swiss watch, which of course is no value if it doesn't have a transmission. Any Lima axles out there?? I doubt that prying off the wheels will be a good idea, as it will probably be impossible to press fit them back on straight and tight.
If I can't find any, guess I will just have to bag it. You win some, you loose some. Chinese manufacturers and their habitually splitting gears, or is this just a lousy Italian job, like the Fiat ("Fix It Again, Tony")? Yes, it is a lot cheaper to manufacture things abroad, and use plastic where metal was once used. Reminds me of this Detroit product, I forget which one, that used a plastic timing gear in place of a steel timing gear. Guess the idea was to save a few ounces and save money, one didn't have to spend a lot of time grinding a new gear from a piece of steel every motor. When those things cracked, and they always did, there went the neighborhood: complete and utter engine failure, bent valves, the works. Like rubber timing belts. Kiss your engine bye-bye if it every lets go from prolonged heat and stress.
I won't foul the well water by naming certain manufacturers, though I am SORELY tempted to do that, but these model train manufacturers think they are boosting their profits 300%, and I know that it is a very risky and extremely expensive prospect to bring any new item into the market place, but they are doing so at the risk of tarnishing their reputation. If I wanted to buy stuff to put on a shelf, I would by static plastic kits to put on the shelf. I am extremely reluctant to shell out good money on a LOT of stuff for the simple reason that cheap, crappy drive gears (note the notorious pinion gear of the Tyco Powerless Torque motor, apologies to RP Model Railroads). For this reason, I generally stick to vintage Model Power and to vintage BB and forty year old Tyco MU2 motors and avoid the top shelf stuff like the plague. Here I sit, burned again, not by the seller, who is a reputable fellow, and it did test well for the first three laps, but by lousy manufacturing processes foisted on guys like me.
ARE YOU LISTENING, MANUFACTURERS OUT THERE?? WE ARE LOVE YOUR PRODUCTS THAT YOU PUT SO MUCH TIME, EXPERTISE AND MONEY INTO, BUT WE ARE SICK TO DEATH OF LOUSY TRANSMISSIONS. YOU ARE NOT GETTING MY MONEY. YOU ARE RUINING YOUR COLLECTIVE REPUTATIONS EACH AND EVERY TIME A GEAR SPLITS OR SIDERAILS FALL OFF. I DON'T GIVE A TINKER'S DAMN ABOUT YOUR WARRANTY. GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. IT IS TIME CONSUMING AND EXPENSIVE TO PAY YOUR SHIPPING AND HANDLING.
Is it time to start a thread on new releases and the likelihood of split gears, or would that be impolitic? Am I the only goof plagued by these indemic problems? I own fifty year old Triangs that are more reliable. They have metal gears.
Blast, blast, and double blast. I was really hoping to see this old girl do her thing. Maybe it is time for me to abandon this hobby and collect rocks or something that doesn't require much ability. I'd probably find a way to louse that up, too.
It did make three nice, easy laps around the Henley layout, and then promptly ground up the axle gears upon a 15 inch radius curve. The motor runs like a Swiss watch, which of course is no value if it doesn't have a transmission. Any Lima axles out there?? I doubt that prying off the wheels will be a good idea, as it will probably be impossible to press fit them back on straight and tight.
If I can't find any, guess I will just have to bag it. You win some, you loose some. Chinese manufacturers and their habitually splitting gears, or is this just a lousy Italian job, like the Fiat ("Fix It Again, Tony")? Yes, it is a lot cheaper to manufacture things abroad, and use plastic where metal was once used. Reminds me of this Detroit product, I forget which one, that used a plastic timing gear in place of a steel timing gear. Guess the idea was to save a few ounces and save money, one didn't have to spend a lot of time grinding a new gear from a piece of steel every motor. When those things cracked, and they always did, there went the neighborhood: complete and utter engine failure, bent valves, the works. Like rubber timing belts. Kiss your engine bye-bye if it every lets go from prolonged heat and stress.
I won't foul the well water by naming certain manufacturers, though I am SORELY tempted to do that, but these model train manufacturers think they are boosting their profits 300%, and I know that it is a very risky and extremely expensive prospect to bring any new item into the market place, but they are doing so at the risk of tarnishing their reputation. If I wanted to buy stuff to put on a shelf, I would by static plastic kits to put on the shelf. I am extremely reluctant to shell out good money on a LOT of stuff for the simple reason that cheap, crappy drive gears (note the notorious pinion gear of the Tyco Powerless Torque motor, apologies to RP Model Railroads). For this reason, I generally stick to vintage Model Power and to vintage BB and forty year old Tyco MU2 motors and avoid the top shelf stuff like the plague. Here I sit, burned again, not by the seller, who is a reputable fellow, and it did test well for the first three laps, but by lousy manufacturing processes foisted on guys like me.
ARE YOU LISTENING, MANUFACTURERS OUT THERE?? WE ARE LOVE YOUR PRODUCTS THAT YOU PUT SO MUCH TIME, EXPERTISE AND MONEY INTO, BUT WE ARE SICK TO DEATH OF LOUSY TRANSMISSIONS. YOU ARE NOT GETTING MY MONEY. YOU ARE RUINING YOUR COLLECTIVE REPUTATIONS EACH AND EVERY TIME A GEAR SPLITS OR SIDERAILS FALL OFF. I DON'T GIVE A TINKER'S DAMN ABOUT YOUR WARRANTY. GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. IT IS TIME CONSUMING AND EXPENSIVE TO PAY YOUR SHIPPING AND HANDLING.
Is it time to start a thread on new releases and the likelihood of split gears, or would that be impolitic? Am I the only goof plagued by these indemic problems? I own fifty year old Triangs that are more reliable. They have metal gears.
Blast, blast, and double blast. I was really hoping to see this old girl do her thing. Maybe it is time for me to abandon this hobby and collect rocks or something that doesn't require much ability. I'd probably find a way to louse that up, too.
