Micro-Mark Truck Spreading Plier, HO & On30

I'm new to HO trains as of October 2019 and my first step was purchasing a work bench with the most crucial tools I needed to build rolling stock kits.

I really didn't know the importance of removing the plastic wheels and replacing them with metal wheels, on the rolling stock. I fortunately have a model train shop close to where I live, with extremely knowledgeable employees who told me about this. Before I purchased this tool, I found that taking off and replacing wheels by hand was extremely difficult for me.

When I first saw this tool on Micro-Mark's website, sometime in October or November of 2019, I knew it would be an extremely useful tool for taking off the plastic wheels and adding the metal wheels to the rolling stock trucks. After I purchased this tool, it has been a very useful and important tool for me. I highly recommend this tool for anyone with model trains.

After braking finger nails, wearing my finger skin raw, swearing a lot, watching parts fly all over the place, I finally surrender and order the pliers. Seems pricey, until you gently slide in a new set of wheels without breaking anything on several trucks and you realize what a dream tool it is. The old wheels drop out effortlessly.

I purchase my trucks in packs of 10 or 20 at a time. When I receive them I remove the plastic wheel sets and tune the trucks then reinsert the wheel sets prior to painting them. After they are painted I again have to remove the cheap plastic wheel sets and replace them with metal wheels. These pliers make the whole process a lot easier on my fingers. I highly recommend them.