I have a LifeLike HO E6A that (you guessed it) started exhibiting cracked gear noise. It requires 11 tooth gears (not the Athearn version often used) so I am installing new Walthers gear appropriate replacement wheelsets #920-584494. I have 3 on hand (for the noisy truck) and have more on order to update the other truck.
I converted this particular E6 to a LokSound Select decoder years ago. I did a pretty neat job, but failed to consider maintenance. The wiring is so short that I could not remove the weight to get to the clip to remove the trucks (and to oil the motor bearings and grease the worm gear). So I have cut the 4 truck wires which allows partially removing the weight and gives me enough access (without cutting the motor wires). I will be using Soundtraxx 810058 mini-microconnectors to re-connect the 4 wires. I wish I had done that originally, or allowed much longer wires for trucks (and motor) to facilitate maintenance.
Though a bit late considering I have converted quite a few locos to DCC, I'm wondering what others do regarding future maintenance ease:
a) For complete lubrication, the shell (and weight) must come off to get to the motor bearings and worm gear. Do you include disconnects, ensure wires are long enough, or just cut the wires (and re-connect)?
b) Given the difficulty, how often do you do a shell removal maintenance? Do you do an interim short-cut gear lube by just popping off the wheelset covers underneath and lubing the lower gears, hoping some gets to the top?
c) As an aside, this particular loco had some interesting trucks to disassemble. The unique issue is that the side frame halves fit together (at the ends) by a small pin and hole in the plastic, completed by securing a small U-shaped wire that must be fit again into some tiny holes. That was fun! Both my E6As are like that. Some other LL diesels have sideframes that snap on, much easier.
I will be interested in any insight and ideas offered.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
I didn't think about it either. Fortunately I was reluctant to cut wires that might be too short.The Infamous Mel connector looks like the same size as the Soundtraxx connector, as far as I can tell.
I'm lax on maintenance. Proto 2000 locos I've bought on Ebay desparately needed cleaning and lubrication. My mid-1980's Atlas locos which were packed away for 20 years, run fine, with no maintenance. I suppose I should clean and lube the gears, but if I do, it will be the last time in my lifetime that they will need it.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Not quite, I was referring to the header strips for use on headlights, which in my case, are glued to the shell. They could also be used between the trucks and decoder, had I thought of that on installation.
BigDaddy Not quite, I was referring to the header strips for use on headlights, which in my case, are glued to the shell. They could also be used between the trucks and decoder, had I thought of that on installation.
You got it man
When I install a decoder in an old P2K loco I completely gut all of the original electrical claptrap. Then I install a Decoder Buddy if I have room, or hard wire the decoder. The motor and track leads are soldered onto the DB. These can be easily unsoldered in case removal is necessary. The lands on the DB are big and robust enough to allow this and the operation can be performed very quickly. It's just 6 wires, or 4 depending on how you initially installed the track leads.
If I can't or don't use a DB, I make my own little circuit board out of stock 'perf board' (search for 'perf board' on the Bay). I use the kind that has long parallel strips of copper conductor. I just cut a hunk that has enough parallel strips with enough length in the other dimension to allow soldering. My little board creates a connection between track/motor leads soldered on one edge to the decoder's equivalent leads on the other edge. Again, it's very quick and easy to unsolder the leads when required. And until then the board provides a reliable and inexpensive connection. It is smaller than any connector solution.
I use a similar circuit board to provide a connection to my LED leads coming down from the shell. In this case the board also contains surface mount current limit resistors required for the LEDs. Again, this provides a means to disconnect when required. But mostly it facilitates installing the LEDs in the first place while not having the shell attached to the chassis, and to provide a place for the resistors.
Have fun,
George
I do use Soundtraxx disconnects from time to time wheren a unplugable connection is needed. However, I've found that most of the problems I encounter with decoders is due to the wiring. Introducing another set of connections with the tiny disconnects doubles the number of connections that could potentially fail. I try to leave enough slack in wiring so that the shell can be easily disconnected with the wires intact.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I have the impression that most folks with installed DCC & sound do not often lube the motor bearings and worm gear, which in most diesels requires removing the weight (as well as the shell). My hindsight is mainly to have included disconnects on the 4-6 truck & motor wires involved (besides the lights) or simply make those wires longer and find a way to neatly fold the excess against the weight.