Mainline quartering help

[vikingsmb]

Hi all,

 

I have just replaced the axles on a mainline pannier (trying to have a go at it) and I cant seem to get the quartering right, 

I have tried the jig that you can get off ebay but still struggling,

 

Any Ideas?

 

Thanks in advance everyone

Cheers 

[DCB]

Generally you get one chance to get the quartering right with a Mainline split chassis loco,  Once the wheels have been turned on the axles they will continue to slip in service.  Crankpins have to be  at 90 degrees to each other on the same axle and offset the same way on each.   The split chassis also have to be aligned accurately, they often get out of line which leads to really bad running not unlike quartering being out.  I generally sight through the spokes when quartering locos but its a bit of an art with judgenent of what is half a spoke or even a quarter of the gap between spokes.  

[Tim123]

I've found that dismantling the chassis and removing either the pod motor or one of the intermediate gears helps. Line up the wheels as per David's reply. De-grease the slots for the axles and the wheel inner rims. When the quartering is correct the loco should push along the track without binding. On re-assembly screw the baseplate retaining screws into the two spacers first, it will make it easy to pull them back into position. Tiny drop of Power Lube on the axles helps conduct electricity and quietens the noise a bit.

[vikingsmb]

I tried that, 

Does anyone do this professionally as I'm willing to pay 

[vikingsmb]

update I have now scrapped it and bought a Bachmann split chassis one 57xx from about 1995 ish, after a good strip down it runs beautifully. also quartering is much better using square peg axles

[BJB]

On 24/12/2024 at 13:29, vikingsmb said:

update I have now scrapped it and bought a Bachmann split chassis one 57xx from about 1995 ish, after a good strip down it runs beautifully. also quartering is much better using square peg axles

Yes Bachmann abandoned centuries of British Military doctrine and adopted the expedient of using a square peg in a square hole.  However rather sadly Bachmann used a different Journal diameter to the mainline so wheelsets cannot be swapped.