truck coil springs

[lechee]

When changing to steel wheels is there any simple way to install the coil springs back into the trucks ? I'm not having much success. I finally get them installed after chasing them all over the room and allot of patience.

[Tom The Brat]

You're talking about Aristocraft trucks?

Here's the trick... Steal a piece of thread about a foot long. Loop it through one of the coils and hold it so when (not if) the stupid thing flies away, you have a handle on it.

It's a knack. Sometimes I can put them in in a couple tries, other times it's a 20 minute task. I avoid getting them out!

[lechee]

Thanks , They must have a simple way at the factory or that is all they would be doing is installing coil springs. Do you just spread the frames apart enough to get the new axels in? I was afraid of breaking something. You know I just thought of something, could you compress them , freeze them, set them in place and let them thaw out.
John

[Anonymous]

I think the answer is to make a specialised toool or jig even or else grow another few fingers and toes.


Rgds Ian

[Marty Cozad]

John
If I showed you once how to do it , you'd say ,OH that was simple. Takes about 6 times to get it the first time.
Heres a bad photo tring to share with others how to do it with a small flat screw driver


Put screw driver into lowest part of spring. Pu***op of spring into upper holes while holding it to the driver with your thumb.



Then fold it into the lower hole slowly.
Some one needs to make a video of it.
I hope this helps?[:I]

[cacole]

I'm not sure why you're removing the springs in the first place. I have changed to metal wheels and also drilled out the sideframes and put ball bearing adapters into all of my rolling stock without removing the springs. You should be able to spread the sides far enough apart to remove or install wheels without doing anything else. When I had to drill out the sideframes for ball bearings, I discovered that you can just squeeze the two bolster halves together and rotate the sideframe 90 degrees. After drilling out the hole for the ball bearings, I reverse this procedure, and install the new metal wheels and ball bearings without any further disassembly. This worked equally well on Bachmann, AristoCraft, and Delton trucks.

[lechee]

When I tried to bend side frames out carefully , the whole thing come apart springs and all , thats when the battle begun. I did sucessfully freeze two of them and got them into place but is was more trouble than it was worth.