
perform perfectly adequately and retain much of its hauling capacity. If you wish to
take this option, you can skip the remaining steps in this section.
Remove the power transmission plate etches from
the fret. Check that the 1.5mm dia idler axles, that
you removed earlier from the drive train, are a free fit
through the holes in the plates (Note: one pair of holes
is slightly larger than the others). Fold up the spacers
on one of the plates and solder the plates together as
shown, making sure that the larger holes are opposite
each other. A chevron notch in the top spacer of the
assembly indicates at which end the larger holes are.
Check that the assembly is square.
Returning now to the three gears which you removed from the drivetrain, thin
dow n their widths over bosses such that they are a free fit between the two
power transmission plates, a dimension of about 2.9mm. There may be a small moulding
pip on the side of the gear which should be removed. Ensure that the thinned gears
each rotate freely on the idler axles.
The bosses of the plastic gears can be
thinned by filing them down. To hold the
gear while working it, clamp one of the idler
axles into a collet pin chuck with about
2.7mm projecting. The gear can then be
plac ed over the axle and worked with the
file while holding the pin chuck in the other
hand.
The filing operation will leave 'fuzzy clods'
of deconstituted plastic around both the
outside edges of the bosses and the axle
holes. It is essential that this waste is
removed, using a sharp scalpel blade, as
the smallest amount will cause the gears to run tight on the axles or bind against the
transmission plates. Use the scalpel to put the tiniest of bevels around the
circumference of the axle holes and outer edge of the bosses. Finish cleaning with a
w ash of methylated spirits scrubbed by an old toothbrush. Do not be tempted to
relieve the axle holes with a broach or reamer - any tightness will be down to dust or
swarf.
We now re-assemble the drive train in its
articulated form as per the diagram here.
Modifying the bogie drive
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04/05/2017