I am totally frustrated. I am trying to change out plastic wheels with metal ones. When these trucks come apart, the dumb *** springs pop out. How in the heck are you supposed to put these back together. I'm about ready to chuck them against the wall. Dick
What brand of trucks are they?
Probably Aristo... lots of techniques listed.
Put a piece of dental floss through the spring. Then use tweezers or fine needle nose to get one end in, then press the other end in towards the first, compressing it. Lastly pull out the dental floss. I think waxed floss works better.
Some people glue one end in first, I don't like that because it's easy to get too much glue in there.
Regards, Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
Thank's Greg, I was wondering myself how to repair aristo truck's
Dave
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
I did not state it, but the dental floss keeps the spring from flying away while you are trying to get it in place.
Another thing I tried is tying the dental floss to compress the spring fully, shoving in in place and then cutting the floss with an X-acto. Seemed like a good idea, but it was too hard keeping the spring tied, all the knots tried to slip on one side and then the spring arched in a semicircle.
If I knew more about knots or tying or maybe the dental floss was too slippery, maybe this technique would work better.
Thank you Greg for the very detailed website for the repair of the Aristo trucks. I've purchased a couple pair of tweezers and have yet to try this but it looks like it could work. I hope so. Thank you for the information.
Dick B
Dick,,
I think most of us, when we have had to change from plastic to metal wheels have, in our early learning stages, had this issue.
Much good has already been said here but I would just add that I find that by removing only one axel at a time dramatically reduces the likelihood of 'flying springs' .
Alan, Oliver & North Fork Railroad
https://www.buckfast.org.uk/
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Lewis Carroll English author & recreational mathematician (1832 - 1898)
Dick,
Most of the time you don't have to disassemble the truck to get new wheel sets in. If you just pry them apart using your fingers one axel at a time, they will pop right out. Reverse procedure to install new set. The only ones I've ever had to disaassemble has been the Aristo Evans Box cars. Those are impossible to seperate, so you have to pull one of the side frames out, which of course means you have to remove the springs.
Greg's suggetion of the Dental Floss is good, although I've lost a few springs even using that method.
Mark
M. Gilger - President and Chief Engineer MM&G web
Web Site: http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com/
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