Glue/Epoxy a Loose Gear

[686 Shooter]

I'm in the middle of resurrecting a Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidation. When power was applied, the motor spins but the locomotive doesn't move. These are famous for the gear on the motor shaft split, and I had a motor assembly, so I wasn't worried. But when I began to disassemble the locomotive I saw that the gear on the driver shaft was off to one side. I recentered it and when it got to the middle of the shaft it became very tight. A tight enough fit that I assumed that all was good. But when I went to have the loco run on its own power again, somehow the gear slipped to the side again.



So now I am wondering if any of you have ever had any luck gluing or epoxying a gear to a shaft? I've never tried it, but I have nothing to lose. I just wanted to check if any of you have any experience with the likes of this before I try it.

[Len]

If the gear is not split, I've had some luck using Loc-Tite Red 271 to keep loose gear in place on the shaft. While the gear is out of place, put a drop of Loc-Tite on the shaft and slide the gear back into place. I normally let it set for 24 hours before trying to operate the loco again. Loc-Tite Blue 242, which isn't quite as strong as the Red, may also work if the loco and your trains aren't too heavy. But I've had it come loose under load on completely smoot shafts.

Len

[russ daley]

Interesting...how did you make out 686 Shooter? I assume your wheel driver gear was not worn down or teeth condition was not an issue?

[686 Shooter]

I didn't make out well at all I'm afraid. I got the gear secured to the axle just fine. But it was cracked and clunked each time the crack got to the worm gear.

I posted on the HO Swap group on Groups.io and managed to find a set of drivers with a good gear. So with that and a Soundtraxx decoder, the old girl looks, runs, and sounds great.