Adjusting wiper pick ups

[RonnieS]

What is the best way of adjusting wiper pick ups.? Despite having  60 plus locos and having no previous problems my recent acquisitions of a 94xx and a 61xx are not good. A quick google search on "tweaking  pick ups" comes to nought.

[John Isherwood]

Looking at the underside of the loco, push an axle / wheelset assembly to one side.

 

Does the pick-up on that side still touch the wheel?

 

If not, using fine tweezers or some other fine implement, bend the pick-up towards the wheel until it touches it; (release the pick-up, and check that it remains in contact with the wheel).

 

Push the axle / wheelset assembly to the otherside, and repeat the check / bend / check.

 

Now repeat the above operations on the other wheelsets.

 

Done - but don't overdo it or you'll add too much friction, which itself will cause poor running.

 

John Isherwood.

Edited February 8, 2021 by cctransuk

[Right Away]

If the above doesn’t do the trick (it usually does), unscrew the keeper plate and ease it very gently away from the chassis TAKING GREAT CARE not to put strain on the wires and the wipers, so that the latter are free of the wheels. The wipers can then be bent to a more acute angle giving greater contact pressure. Reassemble, guiding each wiper carefully to the wheel rim.

Obviously this process involves removing brake rigging and is more of a last resort but ultimately a very effective solution.