Trying to remove the weight from the subject loco, I have the 2 screws from either end out, however the 2 larger screws under the fuel tank act as if they are stripped. They will turn but not back out.
I tried seperating the frame and weight while backing out the screws with no luck .
Am I missing something, and/or has this happened to anyone else?
The purpose is to remove the trucks to find a driveline bind preventing the motor to turn. I already replaced the bad gears.
I don’t remember how many screws, but I did not have a problem. The micromark screw gripster is useful for my large fingers inserting and removing little screws from tight places.
Perhaps the weight is simply “stuck” and some careful prying will separate the weight from the chassis. Once you apply a slight prying pressure, continue to turn the longer screws to work them out.
I agree on the screw grippers, especially for coupler box screws— but— these Life-Like weight screws are recessed and there is very little clearance in the counter-bored hole [:(]
I seem to recall the screws are brass, as well (I’m sure of it on the E7-E8 weights)
Below you can see the two, recessed, brass screws in the bottom of the fuel tank. Also note the two rather large holes in the frame that engage the round bosses molded under the walkway near the air reservoir. These require special, wide washer-head, short screws to secure the shell to the frame.
Great photos Ed, just what I was looking for. I have tried prying between the frame and weight with some small screwdrivers while backing out the screws to no avail.
These locos were recently purchased off the bay supposedly NIB and don’t appear to have ever been run or assembled. There were 2 of them, one had the bad gear syndrome, and then this one that acts like a truck is locked up and I changed the gears on it as well thinking that might be the cause.
Your pic of the corroded worm is invaluable. Were you able to clean it up, or did you have to replace the bushings?
I wonder if it’s possible to get a drop or two of something like PB Blaster on the screws, and let it sit. There must be corrosion holding them in place.
Wondering if you can drill them out, going through the top? I dunno, just taking some guesses.
The P2K’s I had, the grease in the gear towers was like stiff putty. I didn’t have a problem with the weight scews. Mine were GP 18’s, but I’m sure they are the same as the GP 7.
There are umteen different versions of P2K early GP chassis. Some actually do have six (six) screws holding the weight to the chassis. The two big gold ones, two at the ends and two more that are hidden above the truck or something like that. There are also the screws that go into the shell walkways.
They cleaned up very nicely and the engines run silky-smooth now. The grease that Life-Like chose back then seems to have reacted with some of the copper compounds in the bearings, that green oxide being a clue.
As others have noted, the gearcase grease also tends to thicken to a paste-like consistency. I’ve always had good luck with Labelle Teflon #106 grease here.
Drilling out the screws sounds like an exercise in futility to me. If they are truly “stripped” I can not see what would be holding the weight in place. Again, more careful prying at strategic points should loosen it eventually.
Keep in mind that some of the die cast frames of Life-Like locomotives have been known to become very brittle so the location of your prying efforts has to be carefully considered.
I wasn’t going to drill the screws themselves, but the weight alongside the screws as it’s a softer material. Also pondering on maybe just grinding the heads off the screws.
Not enough room to get a blade between the weight and frame, I was using some small screwdrivers to pry between as I was backing out the screws, but that didn’t do anything either.
I’ll get it sorted out somehow, right now I had to go back to work so it might be sometime before I can follow up.
If the screws turn reasonably easily, use a power driver to spin them fast, perhaps loosening them further so the weight can be pulled / pryed off.
Drill and tap a small hole in the screw head. Add a small screw, epoxied in place, that is long enough to protrude past the frame bottom. Use pliers on the added screw head to turn counterclockwise (if clockwise does not work) while pulling outward. If there were left hand thread small taps & screws there would be no need to use the epoxy.
Just brainstorming. The challenge is as interesting as the project!
Re: the “bronze” bearings for the LL worm screws. These are the same size and shape as the bearings in Athearn engines, but the Athearns are better quality and not magnetic like the LL pieces. Either way, soak them in alcohol to clean them up and then let them sit in light oil for a day or two.
Regarding the original problem, sometimes there is enough paint on the frame that it “freezes” to the weight. A little WD-40 or other penetrating oil can loosen the bond.
I inherited a Craftsman tool chest that had a “rubber” mat on top. The rubber was some sort of plastic, like fishing worms, and melted, not from heat, just because it happens. WD40 took it off along with the paint.
That is a possibilty. The scews were stripped, so he wanted to make sure the weight stayed in place.
Could’ve happened.
Not sure if there’s room for this, but I would try see if the trucks can be taken off, by getting the worm gear cover off, and use my under-cut saw ( used to flush cut trim to the floor, like cutting off the bottom of a door jamb for new flooring) and see if I coud cut between the weight and the frame.
It’s been awhile since I’ve had my P2K GP18’s apart to see if this is possible.
You know, I hadn’t thought of that, but it is a possibility as I couldn’t get any movement of the weight off the frame, but it would be the cleanest glue job I have ever seen.
