Change wheels/rubber on the traction wheels A9811 of steam micro ace

[Little-Kinder]

Hello there,

 

I recently bought a used A9811 micro ace.

 

I'm having some issues at the rubber traction band around the last wheels doesn't appear to be tight enough and is slippering causing the train to be stuck.

 

I checked the micro ace website and even in the part they sell couldn't find what I needed.

 

Do you know exactly what I need and where I can buy it? (In japan).

 

Worst case scenario I will go to the Kato store and see if they have what I need. Usually they have been really helpful 

 

(It's the last big one here)

[Little-Kinder]

Edit. It appears I'm looking for something called traction tire. Not sure which diameter I need here. Also what's preventing me from puting traction tire everywhere to help it to climb ?

 

Thanks 

[bill937ca]

There was stuff called Bulldog Snot that can replace traction tires.

 

https://www.amazon.com/BULLFROG-SNOT-Universal-Plastic-Traction/dp/B001NG2ECC

 

https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/bullfrog-snot-universal-traction-tires-1-oz-jar/

 

 

Not sure how forthcoming Microace is.  Don't send the train back.

Edited February 27 by bill937ca

[Little-Kinder]

1 minute ago, bill937ca said:

There was stuff called Bulldog Snot that can replace traction tires.

 

https://www.amazon.com/BULLFROG-SNOT-Universal-Plastic-Traction/dp/B001NG2ECC

 

 

Not sure how forthcoming Microace is.  Don't send the train back.

They only accept fax and phone call to contact them :') 

Will go to the kato store and see if they have the right diameter, usually they have been helpful.

But if someone knows the diameter that would help me. I will tyr to measure but i feel it won't be that accurate

only found this from micro ace
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/release/pdf/A9807.pdf

 

not helpful 

[cteno4]

Yes microace has very very few spare parts they will sell. They will try to repair stuff but usually they want the item returned thru the store you purchased the item from. One big issue with micro ace unfortunately.

 

Good chance if Kato or tomix has that diameter traction tire it will work. Only issue would be if the thickness or width is too big for the slot in the drive wheel. 

 

One thing is to install a traction tire on a steamer you will need to pull the pins on the drive rods to you can move them out of the way to put on the traction tire. Then put it back together. The pins are usually pressure fit an you need to use a fine screwdriver and fine needle nose pliers to wiggle the pins out to pull the drive rods aside. Take pictures of everything before and as you do it so you can make sure how to put things back together. Also these are tiny pieces so be careful where you work on this so you don’t dose a pin as that may be impossible to replace. If you have a hunk of plush velour fabiric, best black you can lay that down as it will stop little parts from rolling away on a hard surface and going poof.

 

Might look at picking up a cheap digital caliper as you can then precisely measure the wheel slot diameter for the traction tire. It’s a handy tool to have for modeling and they can be had very cheap these days and a cheap one will be plenty good enough. Even an old manual one would work fine.

 

Not sure how Kato center folks will respond to bringing in a micro ace loco for parts and help. I just wouldn’t walk in expecting them to jump being helpful for a competitor. But maybe they are cool and will be helpful!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Little-Kinder]

1 hour ago, cteno4 said:

Yes microace has very very few spare parts they will sell. They will try to repair stuff but usually they want the item returned thru the store you purchased the item from. One big issue with micro ace unfortunately.

 

Good chance if Kato or tomix has that diameter traction tire it will work. Only issue would be if the thickness or width is too big for the slot in the drive wheel. 

 

One thing is to install a traction tire on a steamer you will need to pull the pins on the drive rods to you can move them out of the way to put on the traction tire. Then put it back together. The pins are usually pressure fit an you need to use a fine screwdriver and fine needle nose pliers to wiggle the pins out to pull the drive rods aside. Take pictures of everything before and as you do it so you can make sure how to put things back together. Also these are tiny pieces so be careful where you work on this so you don’t dose a pin as that may be impossible to replace. If you have a hunk of plush velour fabiric, best black you can lay that down as it will stop little parts from rolling away on a hard surface and going poof.

 

Might look at picking up a cheap digital caliper as you can then precisely measure the wheel slot diameter for the traction tire. It’s a handy tool to have for modeling and they can be had very cheap these days and a cheap one will be plenty good enough. Even an old manual one would work fine.

 

Not sure how Kato center folks will respond to bringing in a micro ace loco for parts and help. I just wouldn’t walk in expecting them to jump being helpful for a competitor. But maybe they are cool and will be helpful!

 

cheers

 

jeff

They sell stuff from other brands there, don't think that will be an issue actually. (even trains)

 

I also have kato stuff to buy there anyway for kato trains (couplers)

 

Also for bullfrog, unless i can get it i japan, that's not a solution for now as shipping would be like half the cost

Edited February 27 by Little-Kinder

[cteno4]

Actually would probably be a lot more than the price of the bullfrog snot to ship it from the us to japan.

 

will be interesting to hear how Kato center reacts to a microace loco.

 

jeff

[Little-Kinder]

Nevermind it's not this at all.....

 

I think something is wrong with the gears?  

 

 

 

I managed to open it completely and check the gears  but didn't notice anything wrong. It works a bit when going backwards but once I go onward. It doesn't work.

 

Not sure what I can do here. I need your opinions please 

Edited February 28 by Little-Kinder

[Little-Kinder]

Edit. Opened it again. Squeezed stuff tighter and it's working again

 

Happy again 

[cteno4]

What stuff did you squeeze?

 

It looked either like a gear or driveshaft slipping or not engaging.

 

jeff

[Little-Kinder]

5 hours ago, cteno4 said:

What stuff did you squeeze?

 

It looked either like a gear or driveshaft slipping or not engaging.

 

jeff

Not sure the name but the metal frame around the motor and gears 

[cteno4]

Sounds like the main metal chassis body that usually surrounds the motor and drive chain. Sounds like it may have separated some and let the gears not quite mesh. Is the chassis/frame held together with any screws? If so make sure they are tight. Could also be some sort of plastic clips holding it all together and at times some may have gotten unclipped so not holding it all together tightly.

 

good thing is its working! But do see that its all screwed/cliped together well as later it may loosen up on you and start slipping again.

 

cheeers,

 

jeff

[RS18U]

@Little-Kinder I was at Ginzatenshodo Honten https://models-store.tenshodo.co.jp/ in Tokyo last November and they seem to do repairs, just a thought if you can't get this as a permanent fix and Kato Center can't help.  May be worth a call/visit to them.

[Little-Kinder]

On 3/2/2025 at 4:54 AM, RS18U said:

@Little-Kinder I was at Ginzatenshodo Honten https://models-store.tenshodo.co.jp/ in Tokyo last November and they seem to do repairs, just a thought if you can't get this as a permanent fix and Kato Center can't help.  May be worth a call/visit to them.

All good for now but they seem to repair only their products

Edited March 3 by Little-Kinder

[RS18U]

1 hour ago, Little-Kinder said:

All good for now but they seem to repair only their products

Good to know, thanks, and sorry for the bad info, hopefully you did not go to the store to find this out.  I know they sell others as I bought a Kato HO scale caboose/van there in November so thought maybe they fixed all others too.

[Little-Kinder]

1 hour ago, RS18U said:

Good to know, thanks, and sorry for the bad info, hopefully you did not go to the store to find this out.  I know they sell others as I bought a Kato HO scale caboose/van there in November so thought maybe they fixed all others too.

No no, that's what it's saying on their website, and it's not that far from my workplace anyway so i will go check and see what they have.

 

Yep they do sell other brands but unless i buy there i don't think they will help

[cteno4]

Might be worth asking around at some of the local smaller shops if they have anyone that works on fixing stuff or know someone. Im betting there are folks out there doing repairs in japan, the market is pretty big!

 

jeff

[Little-Kinder]

2 hours ago, cteno4 said:

Might be worth asking around at some of the local smaller shops if they have anyone that works on fixing stuff or know someone. Im betting there are folks out there doing repairs in japan, the market is pretty big!

 

jeff

I called micro ace and you always have the option to send them for repairs. Wanted to drop by since they are in Saitama but it's not possible.

 

Although they said since the model is 17 years old. Maybe they cannot fix it. But as I said, for now it's working 

[cteno4]

thats nice micro ace lets you send in a model directly in the japan. From outside the country it has to come to them thru a hobby shop [presumably the one you bought it thru] for possible repairs. Shipping costs of course make that pretty impossible anyway these days.

 

I would expect there are some small shops that do ad hoc repairs or work with an individual that does some. Its such a big market just gotta be some filling those niches.

 

another route is to see an out getting involved with a club as there you might find someone in the club that helps with repairs and the benefit there is they may train you in how to do repairs as well. One of the thing we have done a lot with in our club over the years.

 

jeff

[Little-Kinder]

11 hours ago, cteno4 said:

thats nice micro ace lets you send in a model directly in the japan. From outside the country it has to come to them thru a hobby shop [presumably the one you bought it thru] for possible repairs. Shipping costs of course make that pretty impossible anyway these days.

 

I would expect there are some small shops that do ad hoc repairs or work with an individual that does some. Its such a big market just gotta be some filling those niches.

 

another route is to see an out getting involved with a club as there you might find someone in the club that helps with repairs and the benefit there is they may train you in how to do repairs as well. One of the thing we have done a lot with in our club over the years.

 

jeff

I searched for clubs actuallly, found one that does N track (basically T track but with 3 rails and not 2), they just meet like once every 2/3 months to assemble their modules and that's it really

A lot of highschool clubs for highschool kids, but not much aside from that

[cteno4]

Hugh, might check with some of the local hobby shops, gotta figure tokyo has a number of clubs. Our sister club in Iwate is quite robust adult club in a much much smaller city. An Ntrak club is something of a very rare beast for japan due to its size it never took off all that much in japan, but i would expect it in tokyo with the huge population there would be enough to get momentum. Since ntrak requires a big setup space many ntrak clubs only set up when they have a space at an event. Ttrak and other small modular systems are more popular in japan. keep looking a club could get you some good local knowledge in where to get stuff, folks to play with, and maybe someone to help figure out and learn repairs.

 

Jeff

[Little-Kinder]

4 minutes ago, cteno4 said:

Hugh, might check with some of the local hobby shops, gotta figure tokyo has a number of clubs. Our sister club in Iwate is quite robust adult club in a much much smaller city. An Ntrak club is something of a very rare beast for japan due to its size it never took off all that much in japan, but i would expect it in tokyo with the huge population there would be enough to get momentum. Since ntrak requires a big setup space many ntrak clubs only set up when they have a space at an event. Ttrak and other small modular systems are more popular in japan. keep looking a club could get you some good local knowledge in where to get stuff, folks to play with, and maybe someone to help figure out and learn repairs.

 

Jeff

Definitely

 

Maybe i just didn't look that well.

[cteno4]

Clubs at times can be hard to find. We have folks come up to us at shows and say wow i didnt know you guys were here. They just never ran across our website of social media stuff. It can be a big pond to fish in. Hobby shops are usually a good place to check. Even hobby center.

 

jeff