Kato GS-4 Traction Tire(s)

[Mike Madonna]

Good evening all,

I was running a first run Kato GS (4449) at the N Scale weekend. It not only threw one, but both TTs. Surprisingly, it still ran and pulled it's train. I've read some of the remedies are: painting the driver groove, then mount TT, CA the TT to the driver and install the new GS/FEF TT. Looking for a workable, permanent fix. Thanks in advance!

[peteski]

Good evening all,

I was running a first run Kato GS (4449) at the N Scale weekend. It not only threw one, but both TTs. Surprisingly, it still ran and pulled it's train. I've read some of the remedies are: painting the driver groove, then mount TT, CA the TT to the driver and install the new GS/FEF TT. Looking for a workable, permanent fix. Thanks in advance!

I guess the permanent fix is not to work your loco so hard! 
But seriously, I don't think there is a permanent fix (unless like you said, you glue  the TT the driver).  But since you mentioned the original run, those tires did come off rather easily. I think the currently available TTs are a bit tighter or stiffer, so they stay in the groove better.
This loco, with large diameter drivers and with the mechanism which is actually designed to put lots of weight on the TT-equipped driver, will be prone to the TTs coming off when it slips under load or is mishandled. All it takes is some ham-fisted modeler to slide the loco back and forth on the track trying to re-rail it and the TT will come right off.

[seusscaboose]

Mike
Same thing happened to me
On both the gg1 and the gs4

If I recall
I just didn’t replace them

I know for a fact the g unit runs fine

I can’t 1000000% recall if the gs4 was ok

But I kinda recall it was

Probably not much help to ya here

Carry on

Eric

[RBrodzinsky]

I used some dilute acrylic paint on the driver, then put the TT on. This was about 4 years ago, and have not had a problem since, and my GS4 gets run more than any of my other locos.

[tlaswell]

I've heard of this stuff call Bullfrog Snot.  It is sold as a paint on Traction Tire.

[peteski]

I've heard of this stuff call Bullfrog Snot.  It is sold as a paint on Traction Tire.

To steal someone else's GIF.


Not a fan of BFS.

[drbnc]

Thin it out a bunch with HOT water, and it works.  My BLI F3s and F7s pull like monsters now, just doing 2 wheels on one axle.

[Mike Madonna]

Thanks for the speedy replies! Contemplating new TTs with the thinned paint method. The rest of my Kato GS roster are from the second run....

[peteski]

The rest of my Kato GS roster are from the second run....

And do those throw the TTs as frequently as the one from the 1st run?

[Paradise275]

drbnc, thin what out?

Rick

[drbnc]

Bullfrog snot.  Make it really runny, almost full-on watery.

[Paradise275]

Thanks

[Mike Madonna]

And do those throw the TTs as frequently as the one from the 1st run?

A few years back, I ran the 4453 (second run) Kato GS on a friends home layout; Similar "Mail Train" as in Altoona, 2% grades and curves between 20 and 30" Radius. Ran loco for 30 minutes straight, no TT issues whatsoever....

[peteski]

A few years back, I ran the 4453 (second run) Kato GS on a friends home layout; Similar "Mail Train" as in Altoona, 2% grades and curves between 20 and 30" Radius. Ran loco for 30 minutes straight, no TT issues whatsoever....

That seems to be confirming that the TTs used in the subsequent runs of this loco are tighter/stiffer that the first run.

[NorsemanJack]

That seems to be confirming that the TTs used in the subsequent runs of this loco are tighter/stiffer that the first run.

If this is true, wouldn't the correct solution just be to skip the snot and purchase and install the improved TT's from Kato?