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Disassemble a Proto 2000 U28B - Part 2 - The truck gearbox lids

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  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Franklin, OH
  • 153 posts
Disassemble a Proto 2000 U28B - Part 2 - The truck gearbox lids
Posted by rrlcommish on Monday, January 22, 2018 8:43 PM

Ok, so now that I have the body shell off, I absolutely cannot get the gearbox lids off the trucks.  It appears that there might be four plastic "hooks" (for lack of a better word) that are holding it in place, and I spent two horus trying to pry these things off and they simply will not budge.  So, again, has anyone got experience getting these darned things off?  BTW, I thought maybe if I took the truck sideframes off it would help but I can't figure out how to get those off either!  HELP!!

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Monday, January 22, 2018 8:59 PM

Go to HOSeeker.net.  I'd post links to all of this, but links to HOSeeker don't always work.  It's easy to find.  Click on Literature, on the left hand column, scroll down to Life Like, and click on the drop down list for EngineDiagrams/parts list.  Scroll down until you find the U28B, it's at the bottom of the list, and there are 4 pages.  Page 2 gives part numbers, pages 3 and 4 show diagrams.

The bottom cover of the truck assembly just might hold on the side frames.

Good luck!

Mike

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Heart of Georgia
  • 5,406 posts
Posted by Doughless on Monday, January 22, 2018 9:16 PM

On most trucks, the bottom cover comes off by sliding a small thin bladed screwdriver under the cover from the end.  They are designed to be pried off from the end.  Usually, once I pop one end off I have to put the screw driver in the other end to pop it off.  Always use care, but they do require some forcing.

I believe these are the Kato-cloned trucks, aka Atlas like.

Once the cover is off, the sideframes should slide out from the sides, with the copper/phosphorous pickup array clinging to it.  You'll break the sideframes if you dont get the cover off.

- Douglas

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • 7,500 posts
Posted by 7j43k on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 11:26 AM

Doughless

On most trucks, the bottom cover comes off by sliding a small thin bladed screwdriver under the cover from the end.

I've noticed that the choice of tool is very important here.  I sometimes use a very sharply pointed scribing tool, and sometimes an X-acto blade.  You've got to get the tool in between the two parts and pry/twist them apart.  Gently.

 

They are designed to be pried off from the end. 

Meaning, the tool is inserted from the end of the truck.  Potentially four times, although after the first two times, the cover gets awfully loose.

 

It's a "trick" that's very obvious and easy ONCE YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

 

Ed

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