Rapido replacement wheelsets?

[Cajonpassfan]

The current issue of N Scale has a review of Rapido’s new 33” and 36” wheelsets. Great news. Unfortunately, no dimensions, other than axle length (.540”) are given, nor is a photo showing the wheelsets closeup. Flange depth, thread width, face profile? Availability?
Anyone have these? Thoughts? Pics? Rapido’s website is not very helpful, either; a photo of the 100 pack box...is all I can find.
Otto K.

[bdennis]

While I don't have any Rapido wheels other than those on coaches I have, I have just received a bunch of packs of ESM 33" wheels that fit MT trucks.
They are great wheels and very fine in detail and they have them in stock.. unlike many other brands..

[John]

The current issue of N Scale has a review of Rapido’s new 33” and 36” wheelsets. Great news. Unfortunately, no dimensions, other than axle length (.540”) are given, nor is a photo showing the wheelsets closeup. Flange depth, thread width, face profile? Availability?
Anyone have these? Thoughts? Pics? Rapido’s website is not very helpful, either; a photo of the 100 pack box...is all I can find.
Otto K.

Doesn't sound like much of a review then ..

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I don't think Rapido has changed the wheel profile since their first batch of wheels were produced last year. I do remember reading these had a different profile than the ones on their meat reefers.

I've played around with the wheels a bit, and they are okay - the tread is wide, and the flange is a bit taller than on FVM, Exactrail and BLMA. A few had rather rough surfaces like they were milled but not polished. Because they cost about as much as FVM or Exactrail wheels, I prefer to use those.

The Rapido wheels are .540" to fit MTL and Athearn trucks.

[Cajonpassfan]

Thanks for the responses. I too would prefer FVM, if I could find them in 33”... Still, would someone mind posting a closeup photo and some dimensions?
Thanks, Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, I ordered a 100 pack. Hope I don’t regret it...
Otto K.

[CNscale]

I bought a bunch when they first came out. Flange diameter is 6.46mm (0.254"). Wheel thickness  (rim to back of flange) is 1.77mm (.069").
I have some FVM .553 axle wheelsets, and the equivalent measurements I have on those are 6.43mm (0.253") and 1.71mm (0.067").
So pretty close.

In these images the FVM wheelset is on the right. The only distinguishing feature ( to me) is that the Rapido wheelsets have a more discernable flat edge on the rim face.

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[peteski]

Rapido wheels also appear to have a sleeve protruding from the wheel face around the axle. Again, a trivial detail.

[Maletrain]

Rapido wheels also appear to have a sleeve protruding from the wheel face around the axle. Again, a trivial detail.

So do my FVM wheels, on the end with the insulated bushing. 

I am not seeing any real difference, unless I can still notice the flat edge on the Rapido flanges when they are installed and photographed.

[thomasjmdavis]

Looking at CNScale's photos, it appears to me (granted, new bifocals supposed to arrive any day, so take with a grain of salt) that the FVM wheelsets have a "steeper" angle to the point. (I am sure the machinists among you can put that into better language) If really there and not an optical illusion of my screen/glasses, I would think the angle would impact how it would fit in a given pair of trucks and the wear on a delrin truck frame. 

[Cajonpassfan]

I bought a bunch when they first came out. Flange diameter is 6.46mm (0.254"). Wheel thickness  (rim to back of flange) is 1.77mm (.069").
I have some FVM .553 axle wheelsets, and the equivalent measurements I have on those are 6.43mm (0.253") and 1.71mm (0.067").
So pretty close.

In these images the FVM wheelset is on the right. The only distinguishing feature ( to me) is that the Rapido wheelsets have a more discernable flat edge on the rim face.

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(Attachment Link)

Thank you @CNscale, that’s the kind of information I was looking for. Appreciate the photos, too, the wheels look good.
I took a caliper to my FVM wheels this morning and get 1.5 mm In thickness. I think they are the original narrow thread though.
OttoK.

[Lemosteam]

Looking at CNScale's photos, it appears to me (granted, new bifocals supposed to arrive any day, so take with a grain of salt) that the FVM wheelsets have a "steeper" angle to the point. (I am sure the machinists among you can put that into better language) If really there and not an optical illusion of my screen/glasses, I would think the angle would impact how it would fit in a given pair of trucks and the wear on a delrin truck frame.

Optical illusion.  The FVM axle diamtewr coming through the wheel is a larger diameter.  The 60 degree included angle point is an unwritten industry standard now I think.  Otherwise a larger included angle cone rub on various truck maker's axle pockets.

[MetroRedLine]

I just bought a pack of these just to try them out. They're okay, I guess (i.e. if there's nothing else available). Otherwise, they're not that great, and compared to the quality of Rapido's locos and rolling stock, they're actually a disappointment - you would expect these to be much better. They look a lot like the MTL metal wheels (which is not a compliment). Certainly not of the FVM or BLMAtlas quality, but it'll do I guess. Put them on a MTL 89' autorack recently, they don't look as good as a FVM or free-roll as well as the BLMAtlas wheels do. I don't plan to buy them again.

[peteski]

I just bought a pack of these just to try them out. They're okay, I guess (i.e. if there's nothing else available). Otherwise, they're not that great, and compared to the quality of Rapido's locos and rolling stock, they're actually a disappointment - you would expect these to be much better. They look a lot like the MTL metal wheels (which is not a compliment). Certainly not of the FVM or BLMAtlas quality, but it'll do I guess. Put them on a MTL 89' autorack recently, they don't look as good as a FVM or free-roll as well as the BLMAtlas wheels do. I don't plan to buy them again.

Those "new" MTL metal wheels were actually white metal castings with some sort of strange glossy thick dark brown coating, and plastic (Delrin) axles.  I was going to do an in-depth review of them, but they disappeared from the market very quickly and MTL announced that "all new" metal wheels will be offered in the future, so I don't think I'll bother reviewing them. Like you, I wasn't a fan of them.

But the MTL wheels are nothing like all the other brands of metal wheels, which are usually machined out of brass, with metal axles.

[MetroRedLine]

Those "new" MTL metal wheels were actually white metal castings with some sort of strange glossy thick dark brown coating, and plastic (Delrin) axles.  I was going to do an in-depth review of them, but they disappeared from the market very quickly and MTL announced that "all new" metal wheels will be offered in the future, so I don't think I'll bother reviewing them. Like you, I wasn't a fan of them.

But the MTL wheels are nothing like all the other brands of metal wheels, which are usually machined out of brass, with metal axles.

Didn't know that about the MTL wheel composition, but judging from their looks, they look *exactly* like the plastic version, except they're made of metal (or so we assumed...). Kinda sad, or ironic, since you can't spell the word "metal" without the letters "M," "T" and "L"...