04-19-2024, 08:22 AM
I started with an older model Athearn F-unit. One with the metal sideframes on the trucks, the newer engines with the square axle bushings won't work.
This unit was well used and needed some wheel cleaning and lubercation before I got it moving. I ran it for a couple minutes Before dissasembling it.
I then dissasmebled both trucks, cleaned them with isopropyl alcohol and let them dry.
Six parts have to be modified in each truck, the four wheels and six axles. The wheels need their axles respaced and moved outwards. I used a NWSL Sensipress to do this. The modified wheel will have .14" of the axle on the inside.
The axle gear will also have to be shortened, but equally on both sides. I found that shortening the axle from the end to the gear to .113" did the trick. I used a sanding disk in my dremel and a digital caliper to check my work.
I also check the competed wheelsets on my test track and they worked just fine.
Now the re-assembling is a bit tricky. Since the wheels have been moved on the axles, they don't just drop in to the trucks. The wheels have to go in first, then press the axles onto them.
Then instal the rest of the gears on that side, add the wheels to the other side, then place the two sides together, pressing the wheels into the plastic axles and reguaging them.
The only problem now is that the bottom cover will nt fit. I just left it off but the MR article has a template to make a new styrene cover that can be glued on with contact cement.
I reassembled the chassis and it runs just as well as it did when it was standard guage.
This unit was well used and needed some wheel cleaning and lubercation before I got it moving. I ran it for a couple minutes Before dissasembling it.
I then dissasmebled both trucks, cleaned them with isopropyl alcohol and let them dry.
Six parts have to be modified in each truck, the four wheels and six axles. The wheels need their axles respaced and moved outwards. I used a NWSL Sensipress to do this. The modified wheel will have .14" of the axle on the inside.
The axle gear will also have to be shortened, but equally on both sides. I found that shortening the axle from the end to the gear to .113" did the trick. I used a sanding disk in my dremel and a digital caliper to check my work.
I also check the competed wheelsets on my test track and they worked just fine.
Now the re-assembling is a bit tricky. Since the wheels have been moved on the axles, they don't just drop in to the trucks. The wheels have to go in first, then press the axles onto them.
Then instal the rest of the gears on that side, add the wheels to the other side, then place the two sides together, pressing the wheels into the plastic axles and reguaging them.
The only problem now is that the bottom cover will nt fit. I just left it off but the MR article has a template to make a new styrene cover that can be glued on with contact cement.
I reassembled the chassis and it runs just as well as it did when it was standard guage.