I need to get inside this loco. Has anyone dissected one and kept a record of the take down?
All I can find at Accu is the wiring diagram, which helps.
Thanks!
John - I can’t help you out, as I’m in a similar situation myself, but looking for anybody who’s torn down an AccuCraft K27…
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Tac,
I asked Jon Bliese if Accu ever published exploded drawings of their products and he said they didn’t.
How are we supposed to fix them? I know TOC has torn down at least one K-27. He replaced the motor in a friends. You could e-mail him.
John, maybe you aren’t supposed to fix them, Maybe they aint supposed to break. 
My loco is not broken, but I AM trying to install r/c in it, hence the request. And I bleeve that TOC changed out a motor on the Bachmann version, which bears no mechanical resemblance to the AccuCraft version.
tac
OVGRS.org
Tac,
I can assist you with disassembly of your locomotive. Do you have a 4-6-0 or K-27 (mentioned in the discussion). The first thing I need to ask is why are you installing R/C in the locomotive? All R/C applications I have seen with Accucraft locos have the R/C receiver in the tender. I am using AirWire in my C-21. The instrctions insist you remove the electrical distribution board in the tender to prevent burning out the receiver. Since the R/C receiver is the power source for the motor, it’s much easier to leave the loco alone and simply connect the motor wires to the receiever in the tender…
Tac, it was a genuine brass Accu lokie.
Jim, to avoid possible electrical feedback to the rails, the brushes, wipers should be removed. Or the feeder wires cut.
Only way to find out is to dive in.
Just three screws: 1 under the steam chest and 2 on the drawbar assy. Plus a few fiddly bits such as braces and handrails. It turns out the cab does not need to be removed.
Look at the size of this Pitmann motor.
Why did I want to get inside this beasty? I wanted to remove all the guts, brushes, and the main plug. It is too hard for the owner to plug it in and then pull it out. I am going to change out the marker and head lights, make a simple 2 wire plug to the tender, gut the tender and add AW and Phoenix.
Jim Kottkamp said:
Tac,
I can assist you with disassembly of your locomotive. Do you have a 4-6-0 or K-27 (mentioned in the discussion). The first thing I need to ask is why are you installing R/C in the locomotive? All R/C applications I have seen with Accucraft locos have the R/C receiver in the tender. I am using AirWire in my C-21. The instrctions insist you remove the electrical distribution board in the tender to prevent burning out the receiver. Since the R/C receiver is the power source for the motor, it’s much easier to leave the loco alone and simply connect the motor wires to the receiever in the tender…
Jim - as I noted, I have the AccuCraft K27.
I am NOT installing the r/c in the locomotive, but here in UK an r/c specialist - who has done literally hundred of installations in Gauge 1 locos of which he is an importer, needs to know how to get into the locomotive to re-arrange the wiring - FROM the tender in which he will be installing the receiver unit and batteries. As you know, the loco operates from picking up the current on one side of the tender and putting it back on the other side of the loco - or vice versa. Here in UK this is a >$4000 model, and he does not want to screw up the thing by cutting the wrong wires.
Meanwhile, I would be grateful if you could email me the instructions for what screws to remove and so on, so that I can pass them on to him.
TIA
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Tac,
How I agree this needs to be done off line. How do I get your email?
Tac,
I have a copy of the Dec 2002 Finescale Railroader magazine with an article on how to Remotor an Accucraft K-27. I know you didn’t ask about putting a larger motor in your model, but if you are going to open it up you might as well beef up it’s pulling power. The article has photos and an explanation, of how to open the back of the boiler (the back section of the boiler slides back to open up the motor area of the frame without having to remove the entire boiler). So, do you want to have me go through it here or do you want me to copy the article and email it to you?
Thanks Jim - my email address is in a PM to you.
Best
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Since there are two members who need this I will do a narrative here and email Tac the article. John, if you need the article send me your email in a PM and I’ll send you the article too.
Remove the pilot and trailing trucks…less to flop around and chip paint.
First you will need to remove the cab. Remove the 4mm hex nuts on the inside cab-end of the handrails and slide them forward. Then remove the 4mm nuts and bolts at the bottom end of the rear cab handrails (the top of the handrail is soldered to the cab and the bottom bolted to the frame). Remove the four Phillips head bolts under the cab. Note that the cab light wires will restrict movement of the cab…be careful not to break them. Cut the light wires in a place where you can splice them back together. The cab should now come off.
The boiler on the Accucraft K-27 has a front and rear section…you will need to remove the rear section to get to the motor. The split in the boiler is halfway between the Generator and the Bell stand. You will see a 2mm hex bolt head sticking up forward of the boiler band…that is the top retainer for the back section of the boiler. There are four3.5mm bolts, two on each side of the boiler located on the exterior firewall of the boiler - about half way between the the cab floor and the ash pan. To help you know what you are looking for one of these 3.5mm bolts is right next to the boiler blow down on the fireman’s side of the boiler. Once the top and 4 side bolts are removed the back section of the boiler will slide to the rear and fully expose the motor.
If you are interested in installing a more powerful motor (it does make a difference) now is the time to do it. The old Pittman has a 19:1 gear ratio. The more powerful replacement is a Pittman GM9234E373 with a 38.3:1 gear ratio. To remove the old motor, turn the engine over on it’s back. Rotate the drive shaft until you can see the Allen set screw and loosen it. You will also see the 2 flat-head bolts that will need to be removed using aling shaft screwdriver. Once removed, just slide the old motor out and the new Pittman will slide right in (be sure to position the flat spot on the shaft to line up with the set screw before sliding it back in). I suggest you contact either Gragory Posta as RGS Hobbies, or Phil at Phil’s Narrow Gauge Hobbies for the replacement motors.
The motor issue was why my friend had TOC do the swap.
Jim,
I can copy and paste your instructions and put it in my Files. Thanks.
I finished up the loco yesterday and will move on to the tender today. She has all new lighting, new simple wiring and no electrical track pickups. Drive rods and other moving parts lubed. Bench tests out real smooth and quiet.
Jim - many thanks for your help in providing me with details for the tear-down of the AccuCraft K27. This will be extremely helpish to the gentleman fitting the r/c and replacement sound system - Peter Spoerer - known to some here, no doubt, for his involvement in G1MRA-type stuff as well as anything else that he can fit into his v. impressive shop in deepest Narfolk.
tac
OVGRS.org