Loose screws!

[Anonymous]

I have several Athearn HO cars, especially gondolas, on which the screws for wheelsets have stripped out the plastic on the bodies. I can no longer sufficiently tighten those screws to hold the wheels in place.

I welcome any and all suggestions, and I thank you in advance for your help.

C.S. Williams

[Anonymous]

If not totally stripped, try cotton fibers from a Q-Tip or cotton balls as a fill. Might be sufficient to catch on.

[cmrproducts]

Charles

Try using some Testors plastic glue (tube). Put a little in the screw hole and then put the screw in and let set for a day. When the glue dries the screw will be held solid.

BOB

[Anonymous]

C.S.

I suffer from loose screws too and some of my rail cars have them too. One in particular is an HO RailGon model which I think is produced by Athearn. I intend to file off the tip of the offending bolsters and replace them with a thicker piece of styrene and a very short piece of tube to give the truck the support it needs.

Good Luck. - Ed

[Anonymous]

Hi Charles,
Glue in some styrene rod and cut even with the top of the bolster, drill for a #2-56 screw. This has always worked for me.

Dave

[Anonymous]

Put a thin coating of vaselene on the screw, put it in the hole with out the truck. Put it in as far as it will go and CA it from the inside of the car. When CA is dry, you can back the screw right out.