07-31-2010, 12:20 PM
Russ Bellinis Wrote:Reinhard, here are a couple of pages from a friend's web site that might help make the Athearns run better. His old Athearn blue box locomotives run almost as well as Kato & Atlas. The Athearn motors still draw a bit more power than can motors, but I did the mods he recommended and found that the amp draw on my Athearn motors dropped to less than 1/2 of what they were before I tuned them up. I also take the Athearn trucks apart, clean the gears, and put in a bit of tooth paste for brak in. I run them for about 15 minutes in both directions with the tooth paste, and then disassemble the trucks and clean out the tooth paste thoroughly and reassemble and relube the trucks.
Russ, something I wonder about is the Athearn - P2K connection. The trucks, gearing, drivetrain and motors look identical to the Athearns, yet rthey run smoother. Any ideas on that?
I have a couple of P2K GP30s that can be cannabilized, I am considering using those parts in the CF7s. But I still need to do the toothpaste run as you mention.
Awhile back, someone mentioned using rubber tubing between the motor and the worm gear insytead of the universal joints. Heard of that before?
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