[modeleng] Re: Needle roller bearings

Ron,

I fitted them to my 5"g loco. I used plain steel axles and hardened 
sleeves, but I recessed the axles where the sleeves go so the outside 
diameter of the sleeve is exactly the same as the axle. Effectively the 
sleeve is recessed into the axle. Of course this results in a smaller 
axle diameter where the bearing and wheel are, but designed properly no 
one knows any different. They work just fine. I expect the bearings to 
be going fine when the loco is worn out.

I also used a similar technique on my 3.5in 4-6-0 and has been running 
for 30 years with no measurable wear or play in the main driver 
bearings, they are as good as day 1. (Can't say the same for the bronze 
bearings in the tender!)

David

Ron Head wrote:
> Hi chaps
> Does anyone have experience of fitting needle roller bearings to locomotive 
> axles, that they would like to share?
>
> I want to fit drawn cup sealed needle roller bearings to a 5" gauge battery 
> driven diesel shunter.  Ideally, I'd like to fit hardened sleeves to the 
> axles, but there isn't space to do this.  However, the axles are of silver 
> steel.
>
> The loco has six wheels, and so the middle axle will need to have some side 
> play.  If the axle is allowed to float through the bearing, there will be 
> sliding instead of rolling contact between the rollers and the axle, and I 
> wonder if there might be a problem with wear on the axle?
>
> Would it be better to constrain the bearing on the axle in some way, and 
> allow the axlebox to move in the horns?
>
> Over to you guys!
>
> Regards
> Ron
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