Truck repair

[jscola30]

I have a few pieces of post war and MPC low end freight cars that need truck repair. While the items are cheap, there are at least two I would like to make repairs to. How do I take the old trucks off?

[TrainLarry]

If they have plastic trucks, they probably are riveted in place. Carefully drill out the rivet from below and remove the truck. Assembly needs a new rivet, part #566-16. Metal trucks have a stud going through the car frame held in place by a circlip that you carefully snap off.

Larry

[jscola30]

Thanks! Any specific drill bit I should use?

[TrainLarry]

I drill them out starting with a #38 (.101) drill bit. These rivets are a pain to drill out, because you need to back up the head of the rivet to keep the rivet from spinning as you drill it out. There is a set of hand tools that are used to help remove and install rivets. One tool, BR-S, comes in very handy for the job at hand. Another option is that if the truck is broken and is going to be replaced, to break the rest of the truck around the rivet, then use a diagonal cutter to cut the rivet shank above the cinched (rolled over) portion.

Larry

[cwburfle]

Another option is that if the truck is broken and is going to be replaced, to break the rest of the truck around the rivet, then use a diagonal cutter to cut the rivet shank above the cinched (rolled over) portion.

I often remove broken trucks this way. If I am trying to salvage trucks from a cruddy plastic car, I will often break the body to free the rivet.

I have one of the various anti-spin anvils that are on the market. I have mixed results with it.

Some MPC cars had the trucks attached with plastic "rivets" that just snap in. They can be removed by squeezing the part of the "rivet" that sticks through the bottom of the truck and pushing it out.

[sir james I]

I use a Dremel cutoff wheel. Cut an + into the rivet head and then snap off. As mentioned above be careful not to melt the truck.