Athearn Hustler Re-Powering

[Dave O'Halloran]

Hello:

I have an old Athearn Hustler with elastic band drive that i would like
to re-power to get a little more realistic speed control. Have tried an
Ernst super gearing kit, but could not get all of the binding out of the
gears after lots of greasing and smoothing of the gears. Does anyone
know of any other method of re-powering this little guy? Somewhere,
years ago I remember reading that someone made a re-powering kit for the
Hustler. Anyone out there remember this, or possibly know where I can
get this kit?

thanx
Dave

[Trainchasr]

IIRC, NWSL once offered a self-contained power truck to repower the engine, but
I haven't checked Walthers to date whether such truck is still in production.

Dieter Zakas

[RFan]

NorthWest Shortline made a PDT for the hustler. I don't know if they still
do or not. It wasn't cheap. (about 3 times the cost of the hustler) but it
sure runs smooth. You might try contacting them.
www.nwsl.com

RFan

Dave O'Halloran" <what...@home.com> wrote in message
news:3BC108B5...@home.com...

[Robert-François Trudeau]

Hello

What problems have you en-countered exactly ?

I am in the process of re-powering a Hustler with the same Ernst super
gearing kit.

From the instructions it seems that if the body doesnt square out the motor
and the gear assemblies they will try to bind. I plan on replacing my motor
mounts with fresh one's befor doing my conversion.

See if one of the elastics was pulling one end of the motor more than the
other it will deform the mount enough to not have a great pinion to gear
lash.

Just a thought i can keep you posted as i am in the process of installing
the kit know as i have received my mounts last Thursday.

Robert François Trudeau

"Dave O'Halloran" <what...@home.com> wrote in message
news:3BC108B5...@home.com...

[Robert-François Trudeau]

Well i received the incorrect mounts ! So i used the same one's.

 

Anyway i still installed the super gearing kit.

 

First thing is i assured i had very loose fitting assemblies ( Image D )

 

On image ( H & K ) you see the completed assembly . Note the spacers are not in their final position.

 

On image ( N )the 2 top posts that hold the assembly in place are loose in the frame i added small pieces of match sticks 3/8" long between the side frame and the posts.

 

Also i had to file both ends of the frame at the back of the coupler location to clear the idler gear. This was binding when the body was attached.

 

The spacers are then pushed in further than the edge of the axle , this aligns the bottom of the assembly, dont push in or this will cause some drag.

 

( O ) Do not remove these yet as they will be filed to adjust the motor height for the meshing of the gears.

 

(R & S) Install your first worm gear flywheel assembly in a vise, then make a push pin with a small nail 1/2" this is to hold the shaft (in the center of your first installed assembly) while you press the second assembly in place.

 

Adjust the body pressure on the motor via the instructions of step O

 

You should have a very fine Hustler after.

 

If you have any other question feel free to post.

 

Robert-François Trudeau

 

 

"Robert-François Trudeau" <rf...@videotron.ca> wrote in message news:yLDw7.22670$Hw5.1...@weber.videotron.net...

[Dave O'Halloran]

Got a reply from NWSL re: the Athearn re-powering kit, that reply is below this
email. Thanks to all that replied and i will be following up on Robert-Francois
Trudeau's method of building the Ernst repowering kit.

thanx
dave

reply from NSWL:
Subj: Athearn Hustler repower
Date: 10/11/2001
From: FRM2...@aol.com (F R Martin-Northwest Short Line)
To: Dave O'Halloran <what...@home.com>

Thank you for your inquiry: " Do you still manufacture the re-powering
kit
for the Athearn Hustler? If so where can I purchase the product?"

Manufacture of the Hustler PDT #7080-4 was discontinued more than 5
years ago
when the motor manufacturer refused to make the required motors any
longer.
Our new motor builder has recently shipped a small motor which may
permit us
to manufacture this PDT again - we are presently studying the economic
and
market practicality of such low volume specialty product project.

Sincerely,

F R Martin, NWSL
206-932-1087 fax 206-935-7106
FRM2...@aol.com
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