Seems my existing white wheels have hairline cracks now and I think they’re affecting its performance. Does anyone know if replacements exist? I need to buy two of these special white back wheels.
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Iis pretty common for the rims to crack at the axle hole. Not knowing how yours are cracked, I was just going to say that axle hole crack happens a lot.
It’s due to the under sizing to ensure the rim fits very tight to the axle so the axle doesn’t spin in the rim. Over time that constant pressure cracks the rim.
Also those Fire Truck drive rims are very, very hard to remove. I was just checking them on my fire truck it is appears there is more of a “tube” that the axle fits into. I destroyed a rim before trying to get it off. I think because of the drive gear on the backside it’s even more undersized, and with the added “tube”. If you want to replace it, it’s no big deal if you do destroy it, I suppose.
This may help they are 3d printed parts. These are for the wrecker, but they should be the same. I have purchased the pinion and axle gears before they seem to work well.
www.shapeways.com
Tyco US-1 Misc. Wrecker Parts by mwturvey on Shapeways
Check out Tyco US-1 Misc. Wrecker Parts by mwturvey on Shapeways and discover more 3D printed products in Toys.
Thank you for letting me know about this and that you’ve purchased them. You mentioned they seem to work well. Are they still working well for you? Based on this, I will think about purchasing them.This may help they are 3d printed parts. These are for the wrecker, but they should be the same. I have purchased the pinion and axle gears before they seem to work well.
Tyco US-1 Misc. Wrecker Parts by mwturvey on Shapeways
Check out Tyco US-1 Misc. Wrecker Parts by mwturvey on Shapeways and discover more 3D printed products in Toys.
I haven't had any issues with the gears I purchased. The only other option is to buy a donor vehicle. I did buy another fire truck when mine was having problems. But mine was also one I got when I was a kid and I ran the crap out of it. Its was tired and worn out. They come around quite often on eBay.
Only one side needs the teeth, it is used to spin the gear that makes the lights flash. Typically this is the side that the wheel is cracked and I just swap the wheels.
Why do you think this is causing a performance issue? As long as the wheel that makes the lights flash is turning you should be good. If the wheel is spinning on the axle, I put a tiny dab of plastic cement glue on the axle, insert the wheel and it never spins again.
I am skeptical, but uncertain that replacing the wheels is necessary.
Why do you think this is causing a performance issue? As long as the wheel that makes the lights flash is turning you should be good. If the wheel is spinning on the axle, I put a tiny dab of plastic cement glue on the axle, insert the wheel and it never spins again.
I am skeptical, but uncertain that replacing the wheels is necessary.
Both wheels have teeth, but only one does anything. If the wheel is bad for some reason you can swap wheels. I doubt very much that the very common rim center cracks have gone up into the gear but possible I suppose.
I'd also check the worm and pinion gears for cracks first. I used the 3D printed gears on two fire trucks and they both started slipping after they warmed up, not simple as others replacing them on the fire truck. I've done lots of gears so I know how to do it and they should not have done that. I don't think they can handle the extra strain/ heat the mechanism puts on them with the material they're made of. I had to epoxy them on and was not happy, they work fine in the regular trucks so far except for one totally wiped out set I had to replace on the Christmas gift I gave my daughter that evening. I would stick with the ebay dark colored worm gears for wreckers and fire trucks at the least, muck more substantial IMO. They cost more but you get what you pay for, and a lot of the cost of the 3D ones is the ridiculously overpriced shipping.
I'd also check the worm and pinion gears for cracks first. I used the 3D printed gears on two fire trucks and they both started slipping after they warmed up, not simple as others replacing them on the fire truck. I've done lots of gears so I know how to do it and they should not have done that. I don't think they can handle the extra strain/ heat the mechanism puts on them with the material they're made of. I had to epoxy them on and was not happy, they work fine in the regular trucks so far except for one totally wiped out set I had to replace on the Christmas gift I gave my daughter that evening. I would stick with the ebay dark colored worm gears for wreckers and fire trucks at the least, muck more substantial IMO. They cost more but you get what you pay for, and a lot of the cost of the 3D ones is the ridiculously overpriced shipping.
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Hi Mike, yes. It’s also the one I’ve mentioned on here about the rear white wheels with teeth. It runs rough sounding on my track and I’ve cleaned the track. It looks like it’s running great in your video, just as it looked in this video you emailed me. I took it apart and cleaned it and added a drop of the proper oil to the little motor. I even tried switching wheels and tires from another Fire Truck that runs well and put them on this truck, but no difference. So maybe it’s not the hairline crackEd wheels. It’s unfortunate that one Fire Truck of mine runs normal and well and this one of mine not so. If I’m being too fussy, then I’ll accept the way it runs. I’m open to all suggestions.
Have you completely disassembled the truck? One thing that comes to mind is there is a non-conductive cover that goes over the motor. It’s like a piece of fiberboard. That may have deteriorated to the point the motor armature is dragging on it.
Or there is just excessive brush dust and it’s affecting the operation of the motor.
The drive rim and gear for the bell hammer and light flasher are pretty visible. You could check between both of your chassis to see if the rough runner looks visually different.
I’d check around that gear for any foreign material wrapped around the clutch spring. That’s the spring on the back side, it looks like a hook. When running in forward, that spring will engage a pin on the gear and begin driving that axle. When put in reverse that spring disengages and the gear doesn’t drive the axle.
Are the pick-ups in decent shape? Is the pick-up plate oriented correct so that the convex part is against the pick-up, and both screws are flush in the countersink of the pick-up plate?
Lastly would be the condition of the motor brushes. But you can’t check those unless you take the motor apart. That would be a last resort.