I have a Bowser HO scale covered hopper that sits way down on its wheels as well as leaning to one side. I have thought of shims to raise the car up off the wheels, but are not sure if this will work. Do any of you have any ideas on how to fix this car?
lois
Are these the trucks that belong to this car? Assuming that the body is correctly assembled, the car should be at the right height. How is the coupler height?
If you’ve got the wrong trucks and they don’t correctly match the truck bolsters on the body, the car might sit low, and the leaning would also indicate that the bolsters don’t sit on the trucks properly.
Thank you. I will definitely give this a closer look.
lois
Hi lois:
When you say the body “sits way down on its wheels”, how are you measuring this? Do you have other similar cars to compare it to, or have you measured the coupler height against a KaDee guage? Here is the guage:
http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page206.htm
If you are only speaking of a few thousands of an inch, KaDee has fibre washers that go between the truck and the bolster. They come in two thicknesses, .010" and .015". You can put in any combination up to two of the .015" washers in, but beyond that you will pretty much have to look at other methods. Here are the washers:
http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page208.htm
http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page209.htm
To deal with the leaning, one suggestion is to tighten one truck until it just pivots freely but will not tilt. That should keep the body upright assuming that the truck and bolster are square to the body. The other truck should be allowed to rock from side to side somewhat. That will keep all the wheels on both trucks in contact with the track, assuming that the track is reasonably smooth.
Hope this helps.
Dave
On the Bowser car make sure the bolster/frame is installed into the car body evenly. The frame may slip into the body to far on one side and cause the bolster to tilt. The part of the frame under the slope sheets is very thin and may not be seated in the body right.
nedthomas,
That is a very,good point,makes more sense,than anything else…
Cheers,
Frank
Clarification: when I meant the body sat far down on its wheels, I meant that when I rolled the car, there is little or no clearance between the trucks and the bolsters. The car is hard to move, even though it had recently received metal wheels.
lois
Have NO experience with this problem, but it sounds like the recent wheel replacement might have been with 36" in lieu of 33" metal wheels. Check it out and let us know. Happy MRing JWH
On the first run of this car the wheel flanges rubbed the underframe–the brace between the corner and the bolster. Shave a little off with a knife. This was corrected on later runs. As stated this car had 33" wheels.
My car has 33" wheels. However, I have been wondering if the weight inside has shifted. Any ideas on fixing this?
lois
Gidday Lois, No magic fix from me unfortunately,but the weight should not move if the weight retainers have been glued in as per the instructions. If you give the car a shake and it rattles then the weight must have come adrift.[:(] At the risk of sounding like a Smart Alec I generally give all internal weights a dab of adhesive, though I have heard that the adhesive can warp the car,[^o)] , and if the roof sits properly just put a dab of glue on the four corners if I have to take the roof off in such eventualities. (Not that I’ve had any so far, touch wood, grasps head firmly with both hands).
Just a thought, I presume that the replacement wheel sets have the correct length axles???
Good luck, Cheers, the Bear.
Silicone bath tub caulk will stick metal weights down good and it won’t attack your plastic. I use it all the time.
Check to see if the new axles are shorter than the old ones. If you can’t measure put the old ones back in and see if the car straightens up.
Don’t know where the old axles to this car might be. But I am pretty certain the problem seems to lie in how the body sits down on the wheels, as this problem existed before I changed the wheels. Lois
Friend611,
Where have you been?? Seems odd that it took,2 months,to answer and it sounds like you didn’t solve the problem…
Cheers,
Frank
Gidday Lois, really at at a loss if this is of any use to you, but have just measured some original Bowser axles. 1.020 inches.
Cheers, the Bear.