graham farish class 08

[markb]

Hi im a bit stuck with my 2 week old 08 . I got it home it ran very jerky at slow speeds even tried it on dc to make sure it was not the decoder at fault .I made sure the contacts were touching the wheels and every thingwas clean including the track .

 

I took it back to the shop who had it a week and said it was the factory weathering causing problems......i got it home and guess what it still ran badly.I called the supplying shop friday and said all we will do is send it back to Bachmann.I called Bachmann who said they won't touch it if myself or the shop sent it back as its the shop fitted decoder.

 

Dcc supplies were very good and said they will look at it but i will have to pay cor a brand new loco to be looked at which is fair enough as its not one they supplied.Bachmann are in there rights which is fair to them .

 

Im wondering if anyone has any ideas as to what could be wrong with it as im quite new to dcc and looks like im stuck with a duff loco

[Nigelcliffe]

Yes, factory weathering is often a problem - they just squirt some brown paint at models and it goes everywhere (and looks nothing like a real loco!).  

So, first step is to get the wheels cleaned properly.   This probably means dismantling the loco to clean them thoroughly - treads and wheel backs.  I don't know if the factory weathering will come off the wheel treads and backs with a cotton bud soaked in thinners, but worth a try first.  If not, clean with a glass-fibre pencil brush, and/or a nail polishing stick (from the cosmetics counter at any pharmacy or supermarket).  It is a slow process to clean, but not difficult.   

 

Then, re-assemble, checking that every pickup is clean at the dimple where it should press against the wheel back, and is correctly contacting the wheel back.

 

If a quality decoder was fitted (in my opinion that means CT, nobody else makes decoders for small motors that come near), then running on the 08 should be faultless - slow speed barely moving wheels to full speed should be totally smooth.

 

 

If it has a decoder fitted, then running it on DC does NOT bypass the decoder, so won't tell you anything about the decoder (unless you disconnected the decoder and electrically by-passed it).  

Your statutory rights are all against the shop, assuming the one shop supplied the loco and fitted the decoder - it is the shop's responsibility to make it run properly unless they had previously warned you that fitting a decoder might lead to a badly running loco.  The shop can't shirk their responsibilities by saying "Bachmann won't honour the warranty".     

 

 

- Nigel

[Izzy]

In my experience with the smaller Farish locos, 03/04/08 etc, the circuit boards need removing for the locos to run well i.e. without jerkiness, whatever the quality of the decoder fitted. This isn't much of a hardship as the decoders need hardwiring in as the locos aren't DCC ready. Perhaps you could suggest the shop that installed the decoder try this remedy.

 

Izzy

[markb]

I tried by disconnecting the decoder and still ran bad i cleaned the wheels and pick ups look good too . Track's clean i guess a call to the shop tommorow when they next open . Thanks for the replies ☺