Quick & Easy Lima Motor Replacement

This method superseded by ezClips: • Lima ezClips - quick a...
Using a DVD ROM drive drawer motor to replace a Lima pancake.
Better to watch a short video a few times than a laboriously detailed one twice IMHO! This is hardly Rocket Surgery!

[@jeremynorman1330]

Great video.....and fantastic music.

[@theottinger4394]

Perfect, everything you need to know in three minutes.

[@fildowns]

Thanks! I'm not a big fan of LONNNNNNG videos....

[@abbush2921]

That's pure genius ! How did you come to this idea , in the dead of night no doubt ! Two thumbs up.

[@fildowns]

Thanks for your comment! It's been a known hack for many years now...but the danger is these drives are a dying breed! Most new PCs now either don't have an optical drive or they have a slimline, laptop-style one that doesn't have the motorised drawer. It's the drawer motor we need!

[@railway187]

Wow, super tutorial! Thanks!

[@philkyle8919]

I love this guys video could watch him all day just to update you guys Fil Downs sells these items on ebay to convert our locos :)

[@pierpa_76pierpaolo]

Exact engine code? I don't want to retrieve it that way. :)

[@michaeltoppo6469]

I love this train But I wnt to know how the powered bogie is attached with body If u can make a video please make it

[@gooldscross8702]

Hi fil want to fit one these to the lima Yankee dock shunter will I have to fit any resistors or caps as I am using an old h&m duette which isn't shy of pumping out 16 to 19v ?

[@fildowns]

I test these on a H&M 'singlette' and they're fine...but if I were double-heading with a loco with a standard motor (of any other make) I would stick some diodes in as shown in the notes above (Link now fixed btw) Let me know how you get on. If you have any difficulty getting hold of the tube let me know I have loads I thought I was going to use a bit for every loco but now an inch will do you for life....as long as you remember where you keep it!!

[@fildowns]

...of course, unless you have younger operators who like to wind up the speed knob...in which case use diodes, several! :)

[@pierpa_76pierpaolo]

Powering it with 12 vdc is better. That motor has a range from 6 to 12 vdc !!!

[@Bandito900]

Heres a dumb question from me. I noticed from looking at these motors, that most seem to operate from 3V to 9V. Would this be an issue, as DC for model railways is 12V?

[@fildowns]

Kev Pugh yes it’s an issue for DC, so you are best to fit a diode array to reduce the watts as the PWM drive can damage the motor even if you’re reducing the speed. With DCC adjust CV5 to reduce max volts.

[@JPMiller14]

I have just had some 12mm depth motors sent to me, and they do foul the centre wheelset of my 37, I assume by what you say about grinding 2mm off the motor is ok to do as long as it is 90 degrees from where the brushes would be? And I'm concerned about any metal filings from the cutting Dremel getting into the magnet / rotor?

[@fildowns]

JPMiller14 Yes keep the solder contacts at 3 and 9 o’clock that’s what I did. I have converted several this way but mainly use the 10mm motors for the 31/37/40/47/52. Any filings inside I presume fix themselves to the magnet. None have caused a bind so far but all of them appeared to dry out from the heat generated requiring lubrication straight away. Hoping if you have watched the other video you gleaned the tip of not having to solder-in the sleeve in the existing bearing but just use it as a spacer to site the new motor spindle centrally until the glue has fixed it.

[@JPMiller14]

I have done it different now. On Ebay you can buy Mitoos slot car racing pinions with a 2mm bore. The ones that are 10 tooth enable the motor to be mounted higher up. I have removed the Lima bushing assembly completely to enable this to be done. With the mesh at a satisfactory level, the motor is now clear of the centre wheels of the 37 bogie.

[@fildowns]

JPMiller14 excellent! 10 teeth are the ones for the Hornby ringfield too. The only concern I would have is this makes it run 25% faster when it already pretty much reaches orbit as it is! 😆

[@Synthematix]

Just dont fit them with glue, use milliput epoxy

[@trevkickful]

Is this oo gauge ? Thanks

[@fildowns]

Yes but they also work in the 0 gauge 33/4F etc....if you can get them with long enough spindle...

[@trevkickful]

Fil Downs I’m trying to repair an old n gauge 37

[@fildowns]

Trev K Doesn’t sound like a Lima loco....and these motors are way too big for N gauge I’m afraid.

[@nicolacelentano6946]

Cosa cambia niente