Standard size wheels with pin holes for rods.

[4beenevil]

Does anyone make train wheels the standard size of LEGO ones but with pin holes to run rods between them?

[ColletArrow]

Do you mean technic-pin-sized holes or bar-sized holes? If you want to use bars then any technic axle-hole will grip onto a bar. Side-note: even the socket on many small wheels, including the mini train wheel, fits over but won't grip onto a bar. 

I'm not sure anyone creates wheels with technic pin holes at their centre, since using an axle would always be preferable. But I expect to be proven wrong! 

[1963maniac]

I think he wants the pinhole for a rod not for an axle.

[zephyr1934]

As far as I know nobody makes them for sale but at least a few people have made them by drilling the train motor wheels. A few people have also used technic crankshaft parts, e.g., 2853, but they are long and don't have much clutch.

[ColletArrow]

On 7/5/2020 at 1:25 PM, 1963maniac said:

I think he wants the pinhole for a rod not for an axle.

Ah yes, "rod" as in "connecting rod", not as in LEGO bar/ rod!

In that case, I don't think there's physically enough space within the diameter of a standard LEGO wheel to fit both the central axle hole and an off-centre pinhole.

However, on his shapeways shop, @Shupp sells "small-medium" wheels with off-centre pinholes: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/shupp-s-brick-train-stuff?section=Medium-Small+Train+Wheels&s=0.

Small-medium is Shupp's size between standard LEGO wheels and Big Ben's Bricks medium size, and the clearance between the central and offset holes looks to be as close as possible.

 

[Pdaitabird]

If you're willing to modify Lego, you can achieve a similar result yourself without even drilling holes in the weels. I glued a short cross axle to each rear wheel of a 9v motor for my shunter. A cross axle fits where a pin doesn't, as you can angle it 45 degrees.

The Kragle is strong enough that you wouldn't have to worry about it working loose over time.  If you use separate wheels it should be easier than gluing onto a 9v motor.

[LEGOTrainBuilderSG]

16 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

As far as I know nobody makes them for sale but at least a few people have made them by drilling the train motor wheels. A few people have also used technic crankshaft parts, e.g., 2853, but they are long and don't have much clutch.

Ahh. I have been wanting to try this for a future shunter that I'm building. 

Do you by any chance have links (Flickr?) of those models using this? 

Also, does the train run well with this? 

[ColletArrow]

7 hours ago, LEGOTrainBuilderSG said:

Ahh. I have been wanting to try this for a future shunter that I'm building. 

Do you by any chance have links (Flickr?) of those models using this? 

Also, does the train run well with this? 

I've just shared a 7760-inspired 0-4-0 shunter MOC that uses these crank pieces, see the link in my signature. 

I've found that the poor clutch power of the axle socket on the crank is not helped by the fact that standard LEGO wheels are slightly thicker than a half liftarm, resulting in less than sufficient axle for the crank to grip. I ended up using blu-tack to keep them in place on the wheels, but they still fall off occasionally. 

[dr_spock]

I found that a 6.5L axle works best with that crank piece. LEGO doesn't make a 6.5L axle though...