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I have 5 passenger cars 4 axles apiece and these will need 8 ball bearings, that gives 40 ball bearings needed. Then I look at the freight cars (10) and see another 80 needed. That is 120 ball bearings for $120.00.
I added $80 and just bought another engine instead of ball bearings. I really like the looks of 2 SD-45's pulling my cars now. Plus i have double the power for plowing snow!!!

Ball bearings on axles may be in my future, but I doubt it. I personally would rather double head and where weight is a problem I go with ball bearing wheels.
I do like having cabooses with ball bearing wheels for electrical pickup on my track powered layout to keep the drag down at the end of the train.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
RPC, if you take a look at the ARISTO on line instruction manual tab on their site and look at the bearings manual you will see even with the Aristo Bearings you have to sand the axl ends down. These are a perfect match if not better. They have a better seal and only cost $1.00 each. I have both and the are size wise a perfect match. I have done over 200 cars to date. Jake
 
At well over twice the price of the RC bearings, I would hope U don't have to file the axles...
The AC bearings have a MSRP of $39 for10, probably $28-$30 street price !!!!!!!
Thanks, but I'll file the axles as necesary, once set-up for it, I can do both ends of
axle in about minute on average anyway... Don't know what VXB is getting for them
these days, bet its at least double the RC price though...
Paul R...
 
Discussion starter · #27 ·
Paul, You are right, all I do is place a piece of emery cloth on the axle end rotate 6-8 turns and they fit perfect same that is posted on the Aristo site for their bearings. Jake
 
Discussion starter · #32 ·
Bruce, I just completed my 8 ECLSTS show cars and the axles fit perfect. Even at Aristo's new lower price the best street price that I have found was almost $18.00 for 10 and these are $10 for 10 and they make a profit. I think Aristo is missing something here. I have done over 200 cars including the new ones and have not had to relube any and they stay out 3/4 of the year rain or shine. I have an old Pacific with the original drive system and it doesn't even hesitate on a 3.2% grade with over 53 cars in-tow. If you place electrial eyelets over the holes and press the bearing thru them you have a great electrical pickup. I have converted all the Aristo cabooses this way and all 18 heavy weights also. Jake
 
Posted By bdp3wsy on 02/03/2009 8:34 PM
You can get the same bearings for a buck each from this site. I have been using them for over a year and they are still working great rain and all. Jake

http://www.avidrc.com/shop/?action=item&id=137







The Bearings at this link DO NOT FIT Aristocraft axles. I just received a bunch of them and tried them out. The interior diameter is far too smal--it'd take a lot of work to get the exle ends to fitl. I'm going to have to send these back.

It's my fault for not actually measuring and taking the original poster's word for it. I put my digital caliper on the aristo axles and they range from 3.05 to 3.07 to 2.97 mm. The inside diameter onf the bearings is 2.90-2.95

It might be that if you had a run of Aristos with smaller axles, these would work. They do press-fit into the sideframes if you remove the plastic bushing
 
With much effort, I just managed to install some of these bearings on three bachmann axles on an aristo flatcar. My conclusion is that it is definitely not worth it. The axle without the ball bearing seems to turn more freely than the ball bearing axles. It takes a good deal of sanding--chucking the wheel in a drill and using an emery cloth-- to get the bearings to fit the axles, and in the end the tight fit of the bearing accentuates the uneveness of the bushing hole in the sideframe, so that the wheels roll less evenly and less freely.


I'm going to keep experimenting, rather than just send these back, but right now I'm thinking this is a big waste of time and money
 
I have a two sets of USA articulated container cars That is 10 cars Will the bearings we are talking about here fit the trucks from usa? I am surprised at the amount of drag those ten cars produce.
 
I don't know, I've never seen those USAT cars. The Aristo sideframes have a plastic bushing in them, a little piece of plastic tube with an outside diameter of 6 mm and an inside diameter of 3 mm. The bushing comes out of the sideframe, and then you insert the bearing in the hole. I only have two USAT cars and neither has that kind of arrangement--both would have to be drilled


I ended up installing all the bearings that I had, enough to do 6 cars. On some it may have been an improvement. On others it may have made things worse

You have to turn the Aristo axles down. I chucked them in a drill and held a mill ******* file against the axle end.
 
I went and ordered 16 of the bearings. I will see what I can use them for when they get here. I was thinking of striping down the steel wheels I have and modifiing them to a accept some kind of ball bearings.
 
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