I thought the idea of the flanges was to lift the abrasive wheels off the plastic frogs on the points and cross overs to stop them wearing the plastic away. The threads then presumably come from friction between the flanges and the frogs?I changed the cleaning wheels on mine a couple of weeks ago. It runs better. Sometimes, on particularly crusty track, the cleaning motor was struggling, not now with nice new wheels. I think the groove that was beginning to show in the wheel surface was increasing the friction on the motor. I checked back to when I last changed the cleaning wheels - 2011. For 20 quid i suggest a new set of cleaning wheels is a blinking good investment.
Also, with new wheels you don't get the dreaded threads that jam up the axle - because the flanges don't touch anything.
I have a 2067 that takes a decoder plugged into the board under the rear hood.I assume the older 4 digit number models are just that, older and not DCC ready ?
Alex
I have just had a look at a new set of polishing wheels and the flanges bottom in the frogs and I guess this is deliberate otherwise the plastic would soon get ground down. As for the "strings" I can't imagine where else the would come from other than friction from the frog. This set is clearly due for a change and the threads are starting to develop as can be seen from the pics.The flanges keep the front truck on the track clearly.
I had to read the posts several times to get the point: if the cleaning wheels are very worn, then the flanges will ride into the flangeways of frogs and guardrails.
That makes sense, the thin nylon flanges rubbing the bottom of a flangeway could make "strings" from the friction. Normally the cleaning wheels are so worn at this point, they are out of round, and bounce up and down, giving you the "zebra stripes" on the rails.
Greg
They were replaced with a full set of wheels and flanges and the whole lot being given a good clean. And yes very well worn but not really out of round particularly.Massoth sell just the cleaning wheels - LGB sell the full set. I agree Greg - a full set is recommended.