Looking for some ideas. I have IHC lightweights that I am converting over to metal trucks with electrical pickups for lighting. Here is my challenge and I need some ideas: The IHC plastic trucks are awful and the pivot is offset from center of the truck toward the middle of the car.
I am using a truck assembly other than IHC that has a center mount. Now I have mounted a pair already on one of the cars by using a brass tube as a mounting post, and a machine screw though that with a nut loosely tightened to hold the trucks. I am not sure I am getting the travel or the swing I want, so I am looking to more ideas. I hope my description makes sense.
BTW: I am converting to body mounted couplers too. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks everyone and Merry Christmas.
Tou are on the right track. You will have to fabricate a mount. May have to clear all of the old mounting of the underbody to prevent interference. Also the new trucks probably are 36" wheels which may be part of the problem. Lightweight cars should be 13’6" at the peak of the roof so you may be able to raise the whole carbody and gain clearance. Then you will have to shim the coupler down to the right height
The original IHC trucksare - as you almost say - (God)“awful” - as are the couplers - and 31"wheels.
BY FAR the easiest solution is to replace the trucks with IHC’s metal trucks (yes) and some Kadee couplers.
The IHC TRUCKS are excellent rollers, and have 31" wheels which keeps the couplers and car’s height intact. Kaydee #36 couplers cemented to the cars bottom with a piece of plastic to shim the coupler & match the Kadee #205 height gauge. They also add much needed weight down low, to improve tracking. They also have metal wipers to pick up voltage for lighting.
Adding 36" passenger wheels requires cutting out moulded-on brakes to roll, plus raises the car, (which doesn’t improve looks). Just replacing the wheels doesn’t deal with the sh***y plastic, nor adds as much weight for tracking. I spent almost as much money for NWSL wheels, A-line weights. Jaybee coupler pads, and tools and a tube of Trflon grease, - and my cars are still higher.
Walthers released more than just Budd built cars. They have released Pullman Standard lightweight and heavyweight cars, and they have recently released ACF built cars. The early run of the Walthers plastic passenger cars have problems of their own, but are easily “fixed” (primarily out of gauge wheels and height issues).