how do you replace the pickup on a standard gauge 10E loco??..Do you have to take apart the framing of the motor housing?? or just pull out the old one…solder a wire and slip in the new one…i hope it is that simple…thanks.
anyone?
I think you just pry back the tabs holding the old one in place. I’d have to go dig mine out but I remember that the pickup assembly was a sandwich of parts including an outer stamped brass holder, the roller assembly and some insulating cardboard pieces. There wasn’t any direct wiring. The Olsen Toy Train site has diagrams in the Library for Pre-War as well as Post war trains and you might want to reference these.
Well…its a cardboard piece sandwiched between the outside motor plates…I am afraid to spread these plates, because i dont want the motor parts to all fall down or out of place…maybe i can unscrew those plates just enough to slip out the old pickup…then slip in the new one…let me know what you think…thanks.
I’ve never had luck trying to pry a pickup plate assembly out of a super motor with a screwdriver and replacing by trying to snap into place. I’ve always had to pull a side of wheels off, ungeared side my preferece, and split the motor frame. I know this can be a PITA, but it gives you the advantage of a complete inspection of the motor. I usually start with a big can of CRC motor cleaner and hose down the inside to get rid of grime and carbon dust buildup. Then comes inspection of wiring and cleanup of of the armature commutator and brush holders. Any replacement of frayed wires or badly worn brushes can be done at this point. Make repairs to that pickup plate, or put in a brand new repop plate. Wheels can be pressed back on with a bench vise if careful, or better with an arbor press. Good luck, have fun, and git-er-done. This thread inspired me to get out my 10E last night and make needed wiring repairs to get it running for Christmas.
My 10E has a Bild a Loco motor. The pickup assembly is attached to the motor frame by a pair of large knurled knobs on the ends. These are backed off and the pickup assembly drops. This is where the sandwich analogy comes into play. The pickup assembly is a discrete part that is held in place by some tabs. You have to be careful when bending these back to avoid breaking them. I will dig out the unit and post some pictures this evening. If don’t have a Bild a Loco motor the assembly may be different. Check the Library on the Olsen Toy train web site.
I don’t have the Std Gauge 10E. I am assuming, from your description, that the pickup assembly is similar to that on O-Gauge engines. If so, here is how you can easily swap out the pickup assembly.
You will have to destroy the old pickup plate to remove it. Just pry out the old assembly with a screw driver whhich will end up bending the tabs on the pickup. Then file or grind down the tabs on one side of the new pickup assembly. Solder the wire in place. Then slide the full length pickup tabs into their slots. Next, slightly pry the frame pieces apart while pushing the shortened tabs down until they engage their slots. Finished…
Earl
Yeah, But my original pickup is in place very loosely…i feel i can take it out with out breaking it and then pry it out…but the new one will have to go in with some ease…maybe some filing…thanks.
I was able to reference the standard gauge repair guide and found my 10E motor assembly. The pick up rollerplate should be a drop down assembly held on by two screws on the motor frame. On some units the screws have knurled ends and stay on the frame, you just back them off to drop the plate. Other units the screws need to be removed using a screw driver. The pickup plate assembly for the knurled units is slotted (this is the type I have). Looking at the diagrams, I suspect the pickup plate for the other units is not slotted and requires removing the screws to drop the plate. I don’t see any documentation that involves disassembly of the motor frame or prying anything apart. I will upload some pictures shortly.
The 10E I have looks a little bit different…looks as if my pickup assembly just has 4 notches in the motor plates…and when you spread those sides of the motor plates the pickup will come off the motor plates…then i can just replace the pickup assembly…mine does not have all that brass around the rollers…mine is just like black cardboard, with the lionel tab thing in the middle…thanks for pictures.
Before you start tearing stuff apart, does the motor frame have the knurled knobs like the ones on the photo? It is possible that someone over time decided to made “improvements” by dropping “uncesseary” parts. If the motor frame looks like the one in the photo’s just get the extra parts when you order the replacement rollers.
No, I suspect he has a Super Motor, not a Build-a-Loco.
The SuperMotor units I referenced in the repair guides have the same style pickup as the Bild-a-Loco. Some of them do require soldering, but they do not require disassembly of the motor frame to replace. The “Early Motors” have the more complicated pickups. 10E’s should only have Bild-A-Loco or SuperMotors.
My motor is a supermotor, The engine is an early run from 1926…it has no knurled knobs…just screws on the sides of the motor plates to seperate the plates…but the seperate the plates would you have to remove the wheels…nto sure how to do that…i have no wheel remover…but if i was a loosen the screws a little bit, would i be able to slide the new pickup in?? thanks.
Yours is just like mine. I haven’t had to replace the pick-up plate, but I suspect you are right. I have rewheeled mine, and that required me to do a bit of prying. I would NOT recommend prying on original wheels! A wheel puller for these things is available from some of the parts suppliers, but I don’t have a reference to hand.
My 10E has been rewheeled as well…So looks like I dont need to do any prying or anything like that…just a little work with the screwdriver to get that old pickup out and put in the new one…wish they were as simple as a lionel postwar turbine…just 2 screws and out she comes…oh well…just have to do a little thinking with this 10E…thanks.