# Adding flanged drive wheels in an LGB crocodile loco drive trucks



## SRLGBer (Dec 31, 2014)

Has anyone tried adding a flanged drive wheel instead of the blank wheel on the LGB Crocodile locos? Will the plastic drive side rods handle the added stress? Just wanting to make a more realistic loco. Other locomotives have longer wheel bases with all flanged drive wheels as steam locos.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Should work, what will you increase your minimum diameter / radius to? (when replying please indicate radius or diameter)


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## Gion Caprez (Dec 21, 2021)

SRLGBer said:


> Has anyone tried adding a flanged drive wheel instead of the blank wheel on the LGB Crocodile locos? Will the plastic drive side rods handle the added stress? Just wanting to make a more realistic loco. Other locomotives have longer wheel bases with all flanged drive wheels as steam locos.


On my version the powered flangeless center wheels never touched the rails so all traction is from the geared outer wheels. So essentially only 2 out of 6 axles are powered. I switched the flanged wheels to the geared center axle and added new flanged wheels to the inner axles. Initially I experienced derailments even in R3 curves so I cut away some of the insulation in the wheel centers to give the inner axles some side play. Works well on R3. I guess all traction is on the two geared axles per truck and the inner axles are carried along by the side rods without much force being transferred.
Gion


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## phils2um (Jan 11, 2020)

Hi Gion, I like your weathering! Especially the little touches of red on the journal boxes and various handles.


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## SRLGBer (Dec 31, 2014)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Should work, what will you increase your minimum diameter / radius to? (when replying please indicate radius or diameter)


I have one slip switch which has R2 radius, but my yard switches are all R3 and main line switches are R5 as are most large curves on my layout are 5' radius. Only problem is I haven't been able to locate a couple of replacement (additional) sets of wheels yet.


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## SRLGBer (Dec 31, 2014)

Finally took time to search the LGB parts web site and found the part numbers for my needed flanged drive wheels. On order now. Eager to see how they will work out.


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## SRLGBer (Dec 31, 2014)

I searched the LGB website for parts and finally located part # E126169 for the LGB 23407 Crocodile #415 locomotive. Just got them in and will do some testing soon.


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