You may recall MRL Mick looking into replacement trucks for those damaged on a Kato SD45 from a fall. It was suggested to use those from an Atlas SD35. Well, this works very well. The gear boxes and frames are interchangeable between Kato's SD40/45 and Atlas's SD35 plus, as a bonus, the SD35's trucks have higher gearing. This makes the SD40 and U30C/C30-7 run at the same speed when the Atlas gearbox (or truck complete) is used in the SD40/45's sideframes. Before that, the SD's ran faster than the GE's. So. Whilst playing around with the SD35 trucks, I thought back to previous complaints brought up in numerous model forums regarding Kato's use of the later low-mounted brake cylinder Flexicoil trucks on the SD45's when many were built with early trucks with two high-mount cylinders. Looking at the trucks, it's apparent these are similar in design (being an early Flexicoil-style) to those used on early-built SD45's except for the additional brake cylinder over the centre axle and brake calipers. Modifying the trucks is simple. Remove the end caliper and trim the sideframe end to shape. Remove the unrequired brake calipers then carve the centre brake cylinder off and sand the sideframe area smooth, using a Kato Flexicoil truck as a guide. Add .010" x .015" strip between the bearing plates just like the Kato trucks. This give a good representation* of these early Flexicoil trucks without too much work, and they are as free-rolling as the Kato trucks. Of course, being Atlas these parts are readily available and are a quick and inexpensive fix for a damaged Kato 6-axle truck. FWIW - Gary. * - Additional work can be done by filling the off-centre inspection hole over the centre axle and drilling a new one centred, removing the braces between the sideframe and caliper supports located between the axles and filling the notches, and adding the shock absorbers between the calipers (if you're really keen).
Modifying the trucks is far more complicated then that, as Ive done it twice so far but differently. The delrin plastic used to model the sideframes is extremlly resistant to any chieseling and cutting, making my blade slip more then once into my skin as well as slipping into the surrounding plastic. When sanding the area, the delrin quickly clogs up sandpaper and the sideframe being challenging to work on if you want to save the surrounding detail. Its a pain in the butt simply. What I did was the opposite for my project as I wanted freestanding brake cylinders, so I managed to get ahold of some SD40/45 sideframes and slighly cut off the low-mounted brake cylinders on the bottom. I couldnt completly remove them because they acted as support for the entire sideframe, but it worked well enough. Then using some of Sunrise Enterprises brake cylinders I added those on and I was done. If any other people are looking for the low-mounted sideframes and cannot get ahold of the Kato ones, what you can then do is buy some Precision Scale Flexicoil sideframes (they also make one for GP units). You will have to sand the sideframe completly down and attach these on. Mike
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by atirns: Modifying the trucks is far more complicated then that, as Ive done it twice so far but differently. The delrin plastic used to model the sideframes is extremlly resistant to any chieseling and cutting, making my blade slip more then once into my skin as well as slipping into the surrounding plastic. <snipped><hr></blockquote> Mike, I have to say I did not have any trouble at all working on the sideframes. Neither cutting them, nor chiselling, nor finding it complicated. I used an OLFA designer's knife and a narrow chisel blade that was available many years ago from a Japanese company. I'd have to look up the brand when I get home. The chisel blade is approximately 2.4mm wide and comes with it's own oilstone for sharpening and is well weighted and easy to control. The OLFA has a small replaceable blade with an acute angle, like the No.11 blade but finer and not so acute, and is very sharp. It made short work of anything it was put to task on and with care I had very little, if any, sanding to do. Personally, I wasn't worried about having freestanding brake cylinders but merely having a representative truck. I know of the Precision Scale sideframes but haven't tried replacing the sideframes only so will reserve comment on their pros and cons. My thinking is: in the end I would rather a unit I could use daily than a museum piece that needs kid gloves to handle. Since the Kato sideframes are near impossible to acquire, particularly in Australia, it was something I tried and it worked for me and felt I could share it. Gary. Now, if Atlas would do a 6-axle GE we would have spares for our Kato GE's.
I first used the old #17 Xacto to remove some of the trucks, and later moved on using a scalpel with a surgical chisel blade which being so sharp it cut alot easily, but since the area has so many angles it still gave me some slippage. It was tough for me to say the least, so maybe the Australian weather softened the plastic or something, I dont know! The Precision Scale sideframes are injection molded and there are 2 of them. I have a couple of packs of the 3 axle Flexicoil ones with hidden brake cylinders but I know they make a 2 axle GP version, exactally what kind I do not know, maybe Bloomberg? Anyway what you have to do is basically sand the front of the sideframe and glue this one in place, sort of what Craig did on his SD70M to have the correct trucks. This method is not that bad actually, it does not weaken the trucks so bad as long as one carefully sands the area, and the PC sideframes are very prototypical and scale, so it wouldnt require any special treatment. Mike
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by atirns: It was tough for me to say the least, so maybe the Australian weather softened the plastic or something, I dont know! Mike<hr></blockquote> Well, it's not hot weather - it's winter! Fortunately, not the type of winter you get in NJ. Maybe it's two slightly different grades of plastic used, one softer than the other? The Kato trucks seem to be of a harder variety. BTW, the complete trucks were bought as spare parts. Gary.
Make your own hot chisel setup! I have a very small tool maker's vice, jaws are 3/4" wide. Its available at any industrial tool and die supply, (but not in hobby shops). This vice will hold the tiny parts for N and HO securely for the type detailing you guys are needing to do. Clamp this vise in your regular workbench vise for easy access. Get an extra chisel shaped tip for your 30 to 100 watt soldering pencil, or soldering iron. Use an X-acto slitting saw, or jeweler's saw to make a slot parallel to the edge of the chisel point, about 3/8" deep (or more), using 3-in-1 machine oil on the saw blade. Saw slowly with just enough pressure to cut, and keep the oil on it to wash away the copper chips. You want the slit to be only as wide as the thickness of an X-acto knife blade. Get an extra chisel point tip #17 for an X-acto set, (the narrow flat one). WORK CAREFULLY, THE TIP IS RAZOR SHARP! Wash the oil off with rubbing alcohol. I slipped the #17 tip into the slit in the soldering tip, then smashed the soldering tip tightly down on the X-acto tip using my regular bench vise. This held the two together until I could have a jeweler spot weld the two on either side. The way they do it, the #17 steel tip retains the hard temper and does not turn blue color. He charged me $10.00, so was well worth it. (By occasionally re-honing the tip sharp, it has lasted over 20 years, carving plastic only.) Get a 100 to 200 watt house light dimmer switch and wire it up to allow you to plug the soldering iron into control the temperature at the tip. Screw the new tip onto your soldering iron, turn the dimmer switch to "OFF" and plug it in. (The dimmer switch might get hot)! Clamp a scrap piece of truck side frame, or sprue in your vice so both hands are free. Slowly turn the dimmer switch up a few notches and feel the tip for 60 seconds. Turn it up a little more and wait again, feeling some warmth start in the tip, wait a little longer and feel again just to make sure the tip is not going to get warmer than you had it set for. When you have the tip ALMOST too hot to HOLD between your fingers, you will know how hot it gets for each amount you turn up the dimmer switch. Turn it up a little more and hold the tip edge against the scrap plastic. Keep turning up and stop when the tip just begins to slice a chip along the plastic!!! IT MUST NOT MELT THE PLASTIC! Regulate the dimmer switch until the tip will cut a chip easily along the plastic yet not stick or make the plastic sticky. Now mark the dimmer switch, so you can return to the setting again. This is important, because the dimmer switch knob might get turned a little betweel uses. Always check your setting, and you will not have to go through all this safety stuff the next time. You can get the tip to cut plastic like cold butter, and do a much easier job using one hand to steady the other. The main advantage is the tip will not slip if you take thin cuts and allow it time to soften the plastic. It wont damage adjacent detail unless you get careless. Remember, the idea is to just soften the plastic, not melt it like a hot wire does. You may end up making several different tips. JUST UNPLUG THE SETUP WHEN FINISHED, AND REPLACE THE CUSTOM TIP (WHEN COOL) IN A SAFE PLACE TO PROTECT THE SHARP EDGE. You will find many uses for this setup.
I guess I will have to order a set of SD35 trucks from Atlas to replace a damaged KATO SD40 truck. Thanks for the tip! Brian
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by brian: I guess I will have to order a set of SD35 trucks from Atlas to replace a damaged KATO SD40 truck. Thanks for the tip! Brian<hr></blockquote> WHAT!!! Using Atlas parts to repair that fine running Kato. What is wrong with using repair parts from Kato? Kato's customer service chalks up another one. But it was a good running mechanism. This is exactly why Kato is not No.1 with me.
Yes, Kato parts are as scarce as rocking horse poo! However, necessity is often the mother of ingenuity. WHAT!!! Using Atlas parts to repair that fine running Kato. What is wrong with using repair parts from Kato? Kato's customer service chalks up another one. But it was a good running mechanism. This is exactly why Kato is not No.1 with me. I was at a loss as to how to get a Kato running again, so I tried something and it basically worked. Gary has taken the project the next step further. [ 23 July 2001: Message edited by: MRL Mick ]</p>
My Atlas SD35 trucks came today. I compared them to the Kato assembly and they look almost identical except for the brake cylinders. I installed them first as a complete assembly in my damaged SD 40. They fit, so far so good. I then tried to replace the shell, heres where the problems started. The Atlas sideframes are longer and have some brake detail extending beyond the truck. I replaced the sideframes from the original Kato gearboxes and the pretty much fit right in place. The shell was now a much closer fit. The Atlas gearboxes are more offset than the Kato ones, so there was still a minor rub. This was fixed with a little sanding to the truck and shell along the backside of the step assemblies. After all of this there was still some binding in that could cause problems in curves and switches. I still get this binding with the shell off. The original trucks were free "swiviling". I may need to sand a little off the Atlas gearbox where it presses into the Kato frame. Still, for $9.50 I am satisfied. Thanks Atlas, BOO Kato Brian
Brian I to modified the tower of the truck to allow for a better fit into the Kato chassis. I however did not fit an original SD40 or SD45 body, I placed an SD40-2 body on the mechanism, this alleviated the problems you are experiencing. When I installed an SD45 body onto the chassis I experienced the same problems you have. I had a spare SD40-2 body and solved the problem that way.
