Adjusting Steam Loco Stance

[selector]

Does anyone know how to adjust the stance of my BLI J1E Hudson? It 'squats' slightly over the trailing truck, thereby making it seem to point its nose higher than it should. It is just one of those things that one picks up after watching a loco for a while; not a big problem at all.

I'd appreciate any advice. Washers? Shims? How-to hints, all and any ,would be welcome.

[Fergmiester]

Is there any possibility that your Boiler is not sitting on the wheels properly? Take a look at your assembly joints to ensure everything has been alligned and seated properly.

Fergie

[mcouvillion]

Selector,

Not having seen one, I can only suggest that the springs supporting the leading truck and trailing truck may need adjustment. The one on the leading truck may be too strong, raising the front of the engine, or the one on the trailing truck may be too weak. I would bet the leading truck spring is a little too stiff and is raising the front of the engine up a little. I doubt the trailing truck spring being soft would adversely affect it's stance. If the drivers are sprung, there may be a problem with one or more of the rear axles, but I think that is unlikely. Good luck in finding the problem.

Mark C.

[selector]

Thanks, to both of you. I will have a look to see about both your ideas. I had a quick look under the loco and see that I will need to invest in a jeweler's tool set. The rear truck spring doesn't seem very substantial, so I will try to shim it up to a stiffer setting...assuming I can unscrew that teensy phillips heads screw!

Fergie, I can't discern any misalignement or bad positioning of the boiler. And, the front the leading truck spring seems awfully powerfull compared to the rear. The former is a stiff copper blade-type, and the latter is a Bic ballpoint steel coil-type. Sheesh! Yet, I really like this loco from BLI. I'd rate it a 7 or 8 out of ten for use and looks. It was expensive, but about 60% of the cost was for sound and DCC.

Thanks, again, guys.

See you out and about.

[mikebonellisr]

You may want to cut some spirals out of the pilot spring.I had the same problem with another brands 4-6-2 and that worked on that engine.

[Anonymous]

Careful.... Pilot trucks are notoriously light and will derail everywhere. I suspect the strong front end is there for just that reason.

[selector]

Thanks, gents, for the last two replies.

Mikebonellisr, the pilot truck spring is not a coil, but a single copper or brass bent leaf. As HighIron2003ar has guessed, it is quite stiff compared to the trailing truck coil spring.

I favour removing the trailing truck, and either carefully lenghtening the spring, or finding a more suitable one that will offer more resisitance to the weight of the firebox and cab. That will hopefully get it up off its butt. Again, the settling, or squatting, is very slight, but noticeable...at least, to me.

I thank both of you for taking the time to consider my question.[:)]

[Virginian]

Unless there is something amiss, I wouldn't suggest fooling around with the truck springs, unless it's to lessen any downward force on one or the other a little bit. Increase the force on a truck and you take that much away from the drivers. Look at the drivers. If all the drivers are flat on the track, changing the truck springs isn't going to do much, and either the boiler and cab are not fully down or are down too far to be in the correct position, OR something was messed up in assembly, OR perhaps it is designed to sit exactly like it does. Unlike the real thing, the trucks on a model steamer are not supposed to support any load. I do not have this model, but I would suggest the first thing you ought to do is look at another one just like it to try and determine if you have a problem. If yours does indeed sit differently, I would suspect some kind of issue with the driver suspension or boiler/cab mounting.
Good luck.

[selector]

Thanks, Virginian; sage advice. I won't be too hasty about this, and will attempt to have a look at another like it to see if there is any variance before I start messing with it.

[Virginian]

One more thing, beware of optical illusions. When I got my first Class A, I was watching it run, and it was tilted to one side. I couldn't believe it. I took it in and set it on the kitchen table and sat down to assess the problem. Hmmmmmmm. It wasn't sitting tilted on the kitchen table. At this point I got a level. Well, my eyes had not gone, it was level. Well, then my darned track must be crooked. Checked that; it's okay. Took the A back and put it on the track. In the meantime it's gotten dark and I have the overhead lights on. Now it's not tilted on the layout either.
I double checked the next afternoon with just the ambient light from the windows, and that engine surely looks tilted. Since noticing that problem, I have also noticed the same phenomenon with my Bachmann Spectrum 4-8-2 with a Berkshire style tender. But, nothing else looks tilted in that light.
Conclusion; never rule out gremlins playing with your mind.

[selector]

Yes, I had not thought of the optical illusion. I will continue to think about this and investigate.

Funny, today it looks fine..........how about further down the track?