"New" Bachman Spectrum doodlebug with DCC runs rough. It kind of jumps as if there was something wrong with the track or the wheels. Wheel flanges look small which may be causing the jumping. But I've read elsewhere that problem could be a cracked gear. Anyone have similar problems or have any suggestions?
I've had a pair of Life-Like GP9s with the cracked gear problems. Is there a clicking sound which accompanies the jerkiness?
Unless you know what to look for, spotting a cracked gear by eye is tricky. Maybe someone could suggest some kind of marker fluid that would settle into the crack to make it visible. My gears were black, so maybe white India Ink.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Something like that might work, but you have to clean off all the grease first. Which isn't a bad idea anyway, since most Bachmann powered units I've worked with have all had WAY too much grease on them, the worst being an E33 electric with literal puddles on the plastic inner shell under the trucks, luckily it didn't get on the shell and ruin the finish. Brand new, and it looked like someone poured half a bottle of Labelle's in there. On a Spectrum class model.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yes, there is a clicking sound. At first I thought it was something dragging, hitting the ties. Or, it sounded like a wheel was off the rail.
Yes. Cracked gears is a known issue. Do an Internet search. Check the Bachmann site and NWSL site for replacement gears. The Bachmann site has a HO forum and a Parts list and diagram page for the loco.
NWSL has been helpfull to me.
Neither site make you wait after you sign up the like this site does. But you can look with out signing up.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I purchased a used Bachmann doodlebug because I wanted a UP version and that was available. It had a cracked gear. I don't recall the details but put in the NWSL Stanton drive after discussing options with a helpful fellow there. Not cheap but there must have been a reason I went that direction.
https://nwsl.com/collections/ho-stanton-drives
https://nwsl.com/products/repower-kit-ho-bachmann-doodlebug
I added a Loksound Select decoder. When powered up, it ran extremely jerky, totally unsatisfactory. I think it had to do with the Stanton drive being so different and the default decoder BEMF motor settings. Running the Loksound auto-tune (CV54) procedure adjusted the BEMF CVs such that it then ran fine, after some minor tweaking. You might discuss with NWSL regarding whether your existing decoder type will run the Stanton drive smoothly as set or whether you can successfully adjust CVs to get smooth running.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Did you by any chance use the PC board in the loco? It probably had the caps and two inductors that cause isuues with BEMF. Users remove the caps. The inductors are not an issue.
I have removed the caps with a better decoder.
Thanks. I have an n scale doodlebug and a quick look showed only ho scale Stanton drivers. and, as much as I'd like to find a solution I don't want the remedy to be more expensive than the original cost. I do have an older, pre-DCC doodlebug. Perhaps the gears can be interchanged.