Bachmann EWS class 66

[Oliver]

I have recently purchased a Bachmann Class 66 of eBay... my question is, how many drive wheels are there? Are both front and rear bogies driving or is it just the one. 

[newbryford]

All wheels should drive on both bogies.

 

Early releases didn't have pickups on the outer axles.

 

(As an aside - on early Bachmann 37s the inner axle on each bogie wasn't driven)

 

If the bogies have been removed from a 66, the driveshafts can be a pain to refit.

And they also need fitting the correct way round as the two ends are slightly different and can sometimes disengage from the drive couplings if fitted the wrong way round.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

1 hour ago, Oliver said:

I have recently purchased a Bachmann Class 66 of eBay... my question is, how many drive wheels are there? Are both front and rear bogies driving or is it just the one. 

Is this just for information, or does the model have a problem when you try to run it?

[Oliver]

Yes as I’ve found to my dismay... the drive shaft in one of the bogies was dislodged whenever I unscrewed the bogie. I got it back in place and tested it out on work bench and both bogies worked fine. But when I put it back on tracks and run it, after a few seconds it came out again. Any solutions as to what keeps it in place. I don’t want to remove the bogie completely as that’ll mean resoldering drive cables back. Thanks.

[newbryford]

Push the drive shaft into the coupling - there should be a soft "click" as it engages properly with the other half of the coupling.

This will only happen at one end of the drive shaft - the other end floats within the joint

 

 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

It should stay in place because it is physically 'trapped' between the two locators. If you inspect the ends of the drive shaft, one has flat projections, that goes into the cup in the flywheel; the other end has a ball with cylindrical projections, that's the one that should 'click in' to the connector on the bogie as Newbryford has already mentioned.

 

Check that the drive shaft is straight when you go to refit it.  I once had one brought to me with a bend in it which repeatedly disengaged; and straightened it using a hot air gun to heat it enough to reset straight, since the owner was willing to take a chance. (Bachmann are good on such spares, I knew it was safe having a go at a DIY fix as I couldn't make it worse and if all else failed a spare could be obtained.)

[Oliver]

Okay then... I got it inserted into the motor side, then with some difficulty I got bogie back on. I then applied power, but that bogie wouldn't drive.. Nothing inside has moved and is all tight. Only thing I can put it down to is wear and tear.. I've just ordered 2nr genuine Bachmann driveshafts and I'll replace them both. Thanks all.. 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

A new driveshaft won't fix a locked up bogie or the plastic coupler slipping in the flywheel so that's two things that need to be looked at. The coupler should be firmly seated in the flywheel, and the worm on top of the bogie gear tower should turn freely and smoothly, with the wheels seen to move.