I’ve been messing around with a big hauler kitbash. I’m just wondering–the center drivers, the blind drivers, have a long pin to mount the drive rods. Is it possible to remove that pin, and put it on the rear drivers? I’ nt sure how to get it off or, if I got it off, how I’d get it back on. But the thing I’m trying to bash requires th drive rods connected to the rear driver
Does that make sense?
Mike,
what you want is achievable. I have done it numerous times, you just need basic handtools and a keen eye to get the mount spigot sitting squarely. some may think that a lathe is required, but to date I have had no problem.
Separate the centre (blind) drive wheel half from its plastic insulator/spacer. You will need a 3.0 mm tap or in my case I used several new 3 mm machine screws from a hobby store (this size is used extensively in radio control cars). With a decent (not worn) Phillips headed screwdriver, carefully work the machine screw into the threaded section of the spigot and 'cut' a new thread all the way through the length of the spigot (some model Big Haulers have very little 'meat' inside the spigot to cut a thread as the centre bore is oversize). With a Dremel (or similar) with a cutting disc, carefully remove the drive rod spigot as close to the wheel as possible. This will leave a shoulder on the end of the removed spigot, around 1 mm in thickness. Using a careful 'eye', file the base of the shoulder on the removed spigot to enable the spigot to sit squarely when placed on its end on a flat surface. Carefully rotate the spigot and check from various positions to determine the spigot is sitting squarely to the surface it is sitting on. Now scew in the machine screw and check that the screw goes all the way through the spigot.
Disassemble the rear wheel assembly and as before, carefully cut off the 'shorter' mount spigot, leaving a shoulder on the spigot around 1.0 mm in thickness (this removed shorter spigot will be fitted to the centre blind driver wheel halves). Turn the rear wheel half over and using a drill bit the size of the head of the 3.0 mm machine screw, carefully drill the hole that passes through the centre of the mount spigot, regularly checking that when the screw is inserted the head of the screw is recessed in the back face of the wheel half. The head needs to be inset to avoid clearance problems when the wheel is refitted to the chassis. Check that when the longer mount spigot (removed from the blind drive wheel) mates neatly and squarely with the mount location on the rear wheel half. Easiest way to check this is to insert the machine screw in the back half of the wheel casting and screw the long mount spigot onto it. You will observe if the spigot is not sitting squarely, when tightened down. If not square then carefully file the spigot mount on the wheel half (do not alter the spigot shoulder as this has already been checked square on the flat mounting surface, as detailed earlier). Now you need to alter the length of the 3.0 mm machine screw so that when tightened into the spigot, there is still sufficient screw depth in the spigot to enable the drive rod securing screw to be fitted.
When satisfied that all is OK, then bond the screw into the rear of the wheel half casting and then bond the spigot onto the exposed portion of the mount screw standing proud of the wheel face. Check that it is sitting squarely before bond time expires. If satisfied, then proceed onto the wheel half on the opposite side and carry out the same procedure. This procedure can also be used to mount the shorter mount spigot removed from the rear wheel half and mount to the centre blind driver. A cutting disc on a Dremel removes very little material thickness, so there will be no clearance problems on reassembly. If using a hacksaw, then more material will be removed when cutting off the spigots and there may be clearance issues with the rods upon assembly when rotated.
This all may sound a little long winded, but it is a process that I have used numerous times on my many Bachmann chassis modifications. Once you start the process you will get the idea of what I have written of.Thanks very much Tim. It sounds like more than I’m ready to try/manage at this point, but I’ll keep it in mind.