# Traction Tires



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I have a SD40-2 and one drive on each motor block has what appears to be grov in the wheel for traction tires. One of the motors in this engine is dead. I am going to make a dummy out of it.

Will the fact that the traction tires are missing cause any trouble? 

JJ


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

JJ,
Go ahead nad make the dummy and pull it around your layout. It might be ok,but if it derails or rolls rough, you can order a couple non traction axles from USA. They have gone up in price a litlle,I think about $10.00 an axle. It would be cheaper to just put new traction tires on those axles.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

John:

Occasionally I have had a USAT traction tire wear out. Without the tire the wheel will click as the groove rides on and off the rail. USA sells a packet of replacements. They aren't hard to put on.

Other than the click, which can be a little annoying, nothing bad will happen if you don't do anything.

Chuck


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

You might want to take a look at my Traction Tire suggestion/tip that is printed on page 24 of the April GR magazine .

JimC.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

If you don't need the traction, why not fill with Liquid Steel? 
Dress lightly with a file and polisih with wet or dry 1200 grit glued to a popsicle stick. Use loco power to turn the wheels.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 22 May 2010 10:40 PM 
If you don't need the traction, why not fill with Liquid Steel? 
Dress lightly with a file and polisih with wet or dry 1200 grit glued to a popsicle stick. Use loco power to turn the wheels. 

Great minds run in parallel ruts. I was thinking the same thing only didn't think of the popsicle Stick


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

How do you use the loco power to turn the wheel when the motor is dead????? 

You can swap the traction axle to the other block, and place the traction tire on the opposite side, then the unpowered (removed dead motor) block can be used for track power pickup.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Power pickup won't work very well with JB weld. 

But since JJ runs battery, it does not matter Dan! 

Regards, Greg


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Naw Greg, 
He picked up on a suggestion of mine that over looked a dead truck/motor. 

One solution; I'd see if I could chuck the opp. wheel in my lathe for a quicker fix... 


The JB shouldn't affect pick up any more than a traction tire, if kept even with the tread.

John


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Another tip would be if you are going to make it a dummy, just remove motor blocks and wheels and install regular freight car wheel sets in the trucks and off you go, i have done this to a few locos and its just like pulling a car around the track.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep as he mentioned its going to be dummy loco anyway so no need to worry what you fill the wheel grove with or what type of wheels you could use. Later RJD


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## Joe Mascitti (Oct 30, 2008)

I have spare motor's...

Just send me your address and I'll send them to you....


I may even have a few traction tires for the SD-40


Joe


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