Just purchased and received a new 82498 3 truck Bachmann 1:20 shay and found the draw bar is installed backwards as the end with the 2 holes is mounted under the main chassis of the engine, it is mounted in the farthest hole which means that it should run tight turns ok but was wondering if these is a mistake or done on purpose as maybe they were having problems of people running the wrong hole and having problems. Another thing I noticed is that on the main frame end the draw bar has a coiled spring on it that is on the up side of the bar and pushes the bar down, and being as the water car part attaches to it and the post with the screw in it isn't too long should the spring be on the under side so that it pushes up on the bar instead of down. Any input would be appreciated as I have contacted Bachmann and haven't heard back from them. Also viewed the DVD and was wonder what every one else uses of lubricants or where to by the Bachmann ones ? Bill
Supposed to be that way. In the original review, we surmised the reason, then it was confirmed by Howard Lee Riley at Bachmann.
The issue was on tight curves with heavy train you would snap the plastic u-joint between second and third truck.
Shipped that way to ensure the purchaser/hobbyist/end user was full aware.
Instructions at the time were to remove bottom cover of end beam on main loco chassis, flip the drawbar around and re-assemble.
Can't recall on the spring, but assembled on track, if the drawbar is fairly level leave it alone.
I think if spring on bottom, drawbar will bind on end beam and angle way down.
You did get the bit about hot gluing the wires from harness to circuit board above second truck and securing to slots in chassis with wire ties?
Hope so, or that you at least took pictures to fix it later. Maybe Kader finally read the review and fixed that. I know when I reported it, HLR was furious, as he said he had instructed the factory how to fix that.
Lubricants? Fash in the pan. We all figured that and just used (from the beginning) plastic compatible oils and greases like LaBelle.
Curmudgeon, thanks so much for your reply and no i didn't see anything about hot gluing the wires in the provided DVD and sort of figured that the draw bar was install backwards on purpose sort of dumbing it up for some who don't follow directions. As far as the spring if it was the other way around it would probably prevent it from uncoupling but then the bar would rub on the wires coming from the 2 truck and after testing on some up and down track it doesn't seem to even want to come uncoupled. Would be interested in where to go to get information on on the hot glue thing. Don't know if you have seen it or not but on LSC under "skunk train" Scott Johnson has posted his pictures of his train and it is built around the 3 truck shay but is painted red, quite a site to see, thanks again Bill
I am searching for the data to copy and paste...so far no joy.
The issue would be visible when you remove the fuel bunker over second truck, no need to connect the third truck and water bunker, but looking down on the circuit board, right rear, move the plug on the end of the harness full swing left to right and see if any wores move at the circuit board.
Typical smal number of wires cost saving PRC, and NO strain relief in soldering (NASA certified?) the wires in the un-tinned section between board connection and end of insulation will "brillo-pad" and fail.
Resolder any failed connections, then lift wires and hot glue under them, pressing back onto board, then hot-glue across the top.
Find the unused slots on the floor just forward of the drawbar mount, cross the wires and using small zip-ties, affix them.
Oh, and if your third truck is uncoupling from the drawbar......I have never had that happen here.
Again thanks, I think from your written description I should be able to do ok, Bill now all i have to do is find my hot glue gun
Just for grins I ripped all the wires and boards out of my B-Shay and installed AirWire and Phoenix Sound. It's been running great. My Battery is located in a log car.
Rex
Rex in Pinetop Just for grins I ripped all the wires and boards out of my B-Shay and installed AirWire and Phoenix Sound. It's been running great. My Battery is located in a log car. Rex
Cool! I've converted probaly 20-30 of them since they cam out. Try to leave as much of the boards as I can to retain firebox flicker. Of course, new wires and upgraded plug between send and third truck (same pin spacing...same board).
Odd that you need a log car......every one I have done has had on-board radio, BATTERY and sound...fully self contained.
And no hairwire.
Curmudgeon, perhaps you would like to share your trail to sucess, Bill
I still have pictures.
Interspersed with review photos for GR.
First step is replace the wires and plugs between loco and water tank. Surge current can fry that three-strand PRC wiring. The plugs I use are halfway between K-27 and 3-truck Shay....allows plug/unplug without tools, same pin spacing, use the same water tank socket mount circuit board (and lordy, have I seen some doozies.....like computer serial port plugs epoxied into the hole).
NiMH batteries in water tank, 7.2V per side on the sides to balance the load. Radio gear and sound system in fuel bunker. I know they run for hours and hours on 4500MAH NiMH.
Some of the later ones got RailLinx, before somebody got stupid, the rest are RCS, and those are all still running...most with Sierra sound.
Well do a 1 page project for GRW and get paid, some of what you speak is greek to me but am in the process of learning as I wish to battery power my mason bogie project and there isn't a whole lot of room in there, I will stay tuned, Thanks, Bill
Here's a page with tips on Shays, many of them from TOC...
https://elmassian.com/index.php/large-scale-train-main-page/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips/bachmann-motive-power/shay
And another on the 3 truck, with TOC's "hot glue" tip:
https://elmassian.com/index.php/large-scale-train-main-page/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips/bachmann-motive-power/bachmann-3-truck-shay
Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
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