Athearn drive upgrade

[hi-f]

I have 8 rubber-band-drive F7's that I want to convert to gear-driven, using the original motors. Has anyone out there done this
or know of retrofit parts? I can copy and scratchbuild geardrives in the original trucks but will save time if parts are ready-made.
They should pull like crazy if I can get the power to the wheels. Thanks. Ted

 

[BillD53A]

Someone asked a similar question on another board a few months ago...Athearn sells all the parts you need, but you would have to replace the frame and the entire drive train, I guess you could get away with the old motor but why would you want to keep it? Athearn will also sell a complete drive....but the cheapest way would be to buy a whole new loco at a discount house, and put your old shell on it.

 

[brakie]

The only way we replaced those Hi Fi drives was with a Hobby Town of Boston drive made for that reason.You can still buy that drive today..See www.hobbytownofboston.com Then look under kits.

 

[hi-f]

Parts

Thanks Brakie, I'll use their driveshaft kits. Now to find plastic (nylon or delrin?) gears and I can layout the sideframes. If I can find bronze axle bushings I'll solder them in to the sideframe. I'm going to copy an existing design so I can get these A-B-B-A units up and running Atlast...Ted

 

[jon-monon]

Do the ernst gearsets fit these?

 

[brakie]

Jon,That Hobbytown of Boston drive has been around for years...IMHO one would not want to change anything in that drive as it is quite powerful and slow as it is when properly built....

 

[jon-monon]

and slow is goooood