Large Scale Central

AristoCraft Dash 9 wheel removal?

Problem Solving
#1

With all of my nearby ‘guest’ tracks having either gone over or are in the process of going over to fine-scale Code 180 track, I’m having to turn down the flanges on my AristoCraft locos to not only clear the switches, but to stop the machine-gun noise of the flanges hitting the ‘rail chairs’ moulded into the ties.

Sadly, the wheel sets, although easy to get to after the truck-sides are removed, are not responding to fairly determined effort to remove the retaining screws, and I’m very loathe to use excessive force on these now irreplaceable items.

Are they ‘super-locktited’ in addition to the screws?

Anybody else done this?

TIA

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS

#2

I’ve done three engines worth so far, every axle. I would make sure you have the exact size Phillips screwdriver for a tight fit. I have them on the bench, on a hard surface covered with a cloth. All of the 36 have come off with a good sharp twist. You do have to break that locktite bond. I see evidence of it after the wheel’s screw is off.
Maybe lightly tapping on the screwdriver first would help?

#3

On the steam locomotives that Artisto made, its recommended that you heat the locktite so it softens and releases the screw. I read somewhere that you should use a throw away (cheap) screwdriver that fits well into the screws. Then heat the shaft of the screwdriver up with a torch so when you engage the screw with it it heats the screw. This of course will take the temper out of the screwdriver. After reshaping the tip a few times its shot, hence the use of a cheap throw away screwdriver.

Now this is what I have read on another site, but I have not tried it.

I do know that Northwest Shortline sells replacement wheel-sets for some USA diesels, I wonder if they also sell replacements for Aristo diesels. I haven’t looked, so I am not sure.

http://www.nwsl.com/

#4

TAC

I did as Joe says and snapped the heads of of 2 screws so be forewarned after that i used a minnie torch on the head of the screw for about 25 sec.

Richard

#5

Hmmmmmmm.

The guy doing the work for me, who has a wheel-profiling lather tool, is not happy to use this kind of force on a loco for which there are no longer any spares, and dang it all, I have five of 'em, five SD45’s nd four FA+Bs

He’s happier working on the USA Trains locos I have - seems they are way easier, AND there are still spares if it all goes T-U.

I’d like to say a big thank you to you all for this advice and assistance.

tac, ig, ken the GFT & The Port Orford Traffic Light Appreciation Society Boys

#6

I would refrain from removing the screws and brute force. First pre heating the screw. I broke one screw head off prior to learning of heating the screw. What I use is a pen torch pre heat the screw by putting heat directly to the screw. I do this in several steps so as not to have the flame on the screw to lone. I apply several time to let the heat penetrate. Once this is done then one should use the correct Phillips driver and they will come out pretty easily. As mentioned make sure to have the truck held firmly. Heating a screw driver never provides enough heat for removing screws with loctite. I have not broken another screw since. and I have removed a lot of wheels. Later RJD

#7

If all goes south, you can always replace the Aristo trucks with USAT trucks. I have a friend who did that prophylactically.

#8

Northwest Shortline does have replacement wheel-sets for the Aristo SD45s. I didn’t see the FA listed, and I don’t know if they are different.

#9

Some times lucky is not the right way! I’ll try the heat on the screw next time if I get a tough one. Some have come off easier than others.

#10

Joe Paonessa said:

Some times lucky is not the right way! I’ll try the heat on the screw next time if I get a tough one. Some have come off easier than others.

Make sure that you have your moaning chair close by. Its an essential piece of equipment for exercises like this.

#11

Better yet crying towel. Biggest difference in FA wheels and SD45 is the flange thickness. I have installed the FA/RDC wheels on my -9s and SD45 becuase of the smaller flanges which helps traverse through the diverging route of the AC wide radius switches. Later RJD

#12

R.J that is why i’m changing all of my 40’s to the new sd45 d-center wheels

richard

#13

I remember taking a router to my frogs to make them deeper on the Aristo wide radius switches. Some equipment would hop up. I didn’t have any problems since. I have to look at the newer ones still in boxes to see if they ever made them deeper.
I haven’t got my SD45’s running on the layout yet. I’m not sure if flange thickness is a problem. I’ll have to go check.

#14

I have used a soldering iron to heat screw-heads with good results many a time… Safe, easy to control and heat transfer is good too.

Michael

#15

Steve Featherkile said:

If all goes south, you can always replace the Aristo trucks with USAT trucks. I have a friend who did that prophylactically.

You mean, like a suppository? :open_mouth:

I would never have thought of that.

tac

#16

tac Foley said:

Steve Featherkile said:

If all goes south, you can always replace the Aristo trucks with USAT trucks. I have a friend who did that prophylactically.

You mean, like a suppository? :open_mouth:

I would never have thought of that.

tac

Well, more like the stretchy kind of prophy… The kind supplied by our “Doc” before we went out in the “Ville.”

His opinion of the Aristo trucks was based on something that I couldn’t understand, so he just replaced all of them before they “Failed.” I have no experience of any Aristo diseasal trucks failing, so I can’t explain his prejudice, however.

#17

I’ve done plenty, RJ’s method is best, get a small hobby torch, with a pinpoint flame.

Loosen the screw right away after heating, seconds count.

Richard, how are you changing to D cut wheels? are you swapping wheels and axles? Where are you getting them?

Greg

#18

Terry, if you still have the CNR FA-1/FB-1 set I sold you, they have the old motor blocks. They are similar in design to 2-axle USA Trains motor blocks in that they have chrome wheels with half axles that push into the sleeves on a plastic drive gear. You will have to open the motor blocks and pivoting gear boxes to remove them. The wheels could then be turned down in a metal lathe. This also true of any vintage U25-B and RS-3 motor blocks.

#19

Afternoon, Paul - good to hear from you. I certainly DO have the old girl and her hanger-on, and they are staying just like the way I bought them off you

What I HAVE done, whinemeal, is to give up on running these locos on Code 180 track, and concentrated on running them on our portable track instead - mostly Code 250 from AMS or Cliff Barker here in yUK. I swapped out the Aristo connectors for the Tamiya race-car type, and run them using a pal’s battery car and r/c-style Train Engineer - until THAT breaks, no doubt.

Thanks to all of you for all the advice - at one time, when Aristocraft were a going concern, I might have risked the soldering iron method, but now I know that I’d have to use USA Trains replacement trucks -at around $400 a set, I’m just going to run these locos until they wear out, and then shelve them.

Best to all there, from us here.

tac, ig, ken the GFT & The Train of Thort Boys
Ottawa Valley GRS

#20

Are you loath to try heat? It’s really simple and I’ve done dozens.

Of course then you need a lathe… but why not just reduce them with the poor man’s lathe? A file or sandpaper while the wheels are turning.

I’m surprised that you seem to be “giving up”.

Greg