Fitting High Level gearboxes

[melmerby]

Hi all

I have done a search but can't find what I'm looking for.

I'm currently building a 00 chassis and have selected a Mashima 1624 with a 45:1 High Level Road Runner +

In the past I have used much wider gearboxes (Branchlines/Comet etc.) where I can fix them to the chassis but the RR + is much narrower.

How have others fitted theirs?

 

 

 

 

[Siberian Snooper]

I don't fix the gearbox, which is held by the axle and fashion a restraint to stop the motor and gearbox rotating around the axle, unless its a snug fit in the loco body. Some solder a piece of fret to the outside of the gearbox and solder a bracket to the frame. These methods allow the motor, gearbox and wheel set to be removed, when using hornblocks.

 

 

 

 

[hayfield]

Usually I have found that quite often the gearbox fits quite snugly between the frames, though I guess this alters according to which gearbox you have chosen and the gauge you model in

 

When using either one of the + gearboxes its worth working out what angle you require between the drive stretcher and the gearbox body, then either use Loctite, superglue or solder to hold the position

 

You could leave the motor loose and add some packing into the body to stop movement, or get some stiff wire and solder one end to a motor pickup the other end either to a side frame/frame spacer or PCB, this depends on whether you have a live or insulated chassis

Edited December 3, 2020 by hayfield

[Captain Kernow]

32 minutes ago, hayfield said:

When using either one of the + gearboxes its worth working out what angle you require between the drive stretcher and the gearbox body, then either use Loctite, superglue or solder to hold the position

I'm sure I've seen Chris Gibbon actually recommend that you do this to the drive extender.

 

A number of High Level gearboxes are indeed a fairly tight fit for OO chassis, but not all of them. If in doubt, I'm sure Chris himself can offer advice.

 

I like, if possible, to have a small 'cradle' for the motor to rest on and usually rely on wires from the pick ups underneath to the motor and the presence of the bodyshell, to stop the motor and gearbox from rotating when in operation.

 

[melmerby]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I was going to solder the extender in place and was wondering about how to restrain the motor.

 

 

 

[RexAshton]

I too fit a motor cradle to the chassis. I then fix the motor with a little blue tack. So long as the surfaces are grease free this works well and seems to have the advantage of damping noise to an extent.

Quote

 

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by RexAshton
Typo

[mikeg]

To stop the motor from moving I use a cube of sponge just large enough to fit over the motor and into the body, sometimes I have to cut off the top edges of the cube with round top fire boxes. I use closed cell plastic sponge ether the yellow or blue made for upholstery and 10mm thick which usually comes in 450 or 600mm squares you will only need one, but it can come in useful for other things ie in wagons to support the load.

 

regards mike 

[DLT]

You do need to fix the swinging portion of the gearbox to the main bit, once you have finalised its position.  You DON'T need to fix the gearbox to the chassis though.  I've used all the methods listed above; Blue-tac to a frame spacer, stiff wires to the motor terminals, loose but restrained by foam buffers etc.  The assembly needs to be able to find its own position on the axle, and not be fixed too rigidly.

[Mark]

I drill a hole in one of the frame spacers and solder a length of rod to the gearbox which passes through the hole. This acts as a torque reaction arm but doesn’t stop the gearbox moving with a sprung or compensated axle.

 

Mark

[corneliuslundie]

I have only used a High Level gearbox once, but used a simple plastic saddle fixed between the frames and a very small dab of superglue - having made sure the gearbox was in the correct position. I didn't fix the pivot of the "drive stretcher" as this gives a bit of "give". It seems to work OK.

The one I used is very narrow, chosen intentionally so I can use split frames and keep it away from the chassis.

Jonathan

[5050]

I have some thin (1.5mm approx) self adhesive black foam that came with a kit for a loco/wagon work cradle and I stick a small piece of this to the underside and/or topside of the motor depending on how much clearance there is inside the boiler.

 

But I have also done this where the motor has had to be positioned 'high' to fit right inside a boiler. A short lengths of brass tube soldered to both the back edge of the gearbox and the top edge of the chassis.  In practice I solder one longer length and cut as necessary.  In use the drill is replaced by a length of suitable wire.