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Derek
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 Posted - September 24 2007 : 10:03:48 AM
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Perusing Kato's website I noticed they sell replacement motors for repowering projects.
http://www.katousa.com/ho-scale/HM-5-motor.html
Has anyone taken up the task of trying this? I love the Tyco engines but I have problems with basically all my engines and would like to have smooth running Tycos.
Derek
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Posted - September 24 2007 : 12:44:07 PM
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| I wish it were that easy...and for the most part, it normally isn't that easy. With Tyco, you not only have to replace the drive unit, but the frames don't lend themselves well to adding drive trains and motors. Probably the easiest, most popular way of doing it is to modify Athearn drives to fit Tyco bodies.
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Posted - September 24 2007 : 12:52:36 PM
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That would be a good motor to use.
However the motor would only be one part of the repower.
As stated by Shaygetz.
Due to the design of the Tyco drives it would be necessary to redesign the whole drive to use that type motor.
I would find a chassis from another brand loco. Find a Kato drive that fits or an Athearn, Proto 2000 or similar drive then replace the motor with the Kato motor if desired.
Ray
Edited by - Ray Marinaccio on September 24 2007 12:56:57 PM
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Posted - September 24 2007 : 1:33:20 PM
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Hi:
Ray & Shaygetz, nail this. Get a chassis. They, I and others have all gone down the Tyco Re-power road. I concluded I could machine a new front truck assembly to hold another motor. BUT I concluded, WHY! Part of my criteria was I wanted to keep using the Tyco "Vampre" trucks. The premise being they are a real Tyco identitiy item. SO If you like a Tyco shell, buy a cheap Athearn chassis, find one of Ray's Athearn improvement guides online and have fun.
There is a way to make a Super 630 into a twin motor unit, GIC popped a Shark shell on I think an Athearn F7 chassis which are dead cheap. The thing is at some point, how much time do you want to put into it? I'd rather build an old metal Penn Line or Hobbytown. Lot's of History and craft.
Hope this helps!
-Gareth
Edited by - romcat on September 24 2007 2:16:17 PM
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Posted - September 24 2007 : 9:44:57 PM
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DEREK
Brian here. As romcat stated-him -I-and a few others have experimented and toyed with the idea of a simple repowering solutions. The Technology exists but finding the right people to make it happen is another. I have emailed IHC with a suggestion and recieved no response to date of a replacement motor to fit Tycos since they own the molds for most or all of tyco's loco's. Stewart's Alco 630 chassis will work with Tyco 630 shells. Just drop the Tyco shell onto it. You now have a digital command capable tyco and has constant directional lighting. I have dropped a Tyco Golden Eagle shell onto a Stewart chassis and it runs great. Now if they made an alco 430 chassis-we would be set. G-I-C used an Athearn F unit drive to drop a sharknose onto. Some grinding of athearn chassis is required for fit. Tyco steam loco's would be easy to retro since motor is located in tender unless you have an early tyco/mantua which have a can motor. Another idea i have is to take the componets of a power torque motor to an electric motor manufacturer to see if they could remanufacturer the parts.
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Derek
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Posted - September 25 2007 : 08:53:48 AM
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Thanks guys! I figured there have been a few that have tried to go down this road before. I just wish there was a few thousand NOS engines lying around like the Aurora Thunderjet motors. That is an idea to see if an electric manufacturer would retool this motor. It probably would require a 1000 motor order at the very least. I saw that someone asked for an exploded diagram of the Powertorque motor. Did anyone ever find one?
There are tons of motor manufactures on the net:
http://www.electric-motors.net/
For those that have rebuilt the PT's, is there 1 part that keeps burning out over all others?
Derek
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Posted - September 25 2007 : 09:40:11 AM
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Hi Derek:
The problem isn't the motor as such. It's power to weight. A Tyco C-430 or 630 with only 4 or 6 wheels driven respectively, simply are too heavy for the job of hoisting themselves and any real length of cars up any kind of grade. They are driving too few wheels even with rubber tires to assisit.
SO, you enjoy them for what they are. If you must use Tyco for reasons of nostalgia great, do it. Read GIC's Trailer Jet Article and he talks about the traction limit somewhere being I think 27 cars, with 3 locomotives or 9 per engine. There is a Tyco F7 variation with twin motors and that will help but if you want that generation of hO then I recommend the Roco powered Atlas stuff usually can be gotten off Ebay for $25-30 and they are just wonderful. Now if you get that nasty disease of "making a silk purse from a sow's ear" by all means enjoy and chronicle it for the rest of us and posterity. I have a Phase 3 630 I'm going to convert to dual PT power just for kicks and cause it's already mildly "cluster-f_____ anyway.
Enjoy the forum Derek. Go Tyco-naughts!
-Gareth
Edited by - romcat on September 25 2007 12:05:22 PM
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Posted - September 25 2007 : 12:32:55 PM
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I did remotor a few PT trucks with motors from a portable CD player.
The problem is they are 3 Volt. I put a resistor in series but I would like to find a 12 Volt motor to replace them with.
It required machining out the PT truck frame to fit the motor in and I also added some extra gearing and added extra weight to the loco. 
Ray
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Posted - September 25 2007 : 12:55:23 PM
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Hey Ray:
Thats beautiful fella. I was looking at the similar Rivarossi motor as you know and even figured out how I could mount a shallow/large diameter flywheel on it. Actually making a gear that was the flywheel if you understand my meaning? Remember the pic I sent you way back of that motor?
I came to the conclusion after looking at an article on building a brass chassis from scratch (was that you or Brian?) that it could be done, but why?
As I see it if you've replaced the chassis and motor (Stewart-630 example) you don't have a Tyco anymore. Without changing chassis they are just too underpowered.
If we were talking 1929 Scott Flying Squirrel motorcycle, sure I would find a machine shop or get a small Mill and relearn my machining skills for years ago, but for a 70's Tyco, not happening. Like I said before I'm going to mod a Super 630 with two PT's cause thats in theme. I'm even going to build a Tyco shelled 430High Hood, but thats it.
Gotta draw the line somewhere.
-G
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Derek
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Posted - September 26 2007 : 09:19:28 AM
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Thanks for your thoughts guys. I will definitely enjoy the Tycos for the nostalgia and for what they are. I am definitely having fun collecting the different Locos and rolling stock I never got as a kid. Wish I could just find at least 1 engine that runs smoothly. I have 4 NOS engines on the way that supposedly never have been run so hopefully they will run good. I guess I should probably oil them before I even try to run them correct?
Thanks,
Derek
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Posted - September 26 2007 : 12:32:11 PM
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Hey Derek:
Check the trading post, I put up a pile of Locomotives for sale.
Don't be suprised if whats coming doesn't run well at first. Theres a good chance thay have been idle for 30+ years! Some wheel cleaaning and lubrication, LaBelle 102 or 106 I think and run in time, should get them going!
-G
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