Bachman Class 08 running in one direction only

[Blue and Grey all day]

Not completely sure if this is the right place to ask, but I recently picked up a second hand older Bachmann 08 from Hattons for a pretty good price, however it just arrived in the post today and only runs, quite noisily, in one direction, and won't budge in the opposite. 

I'm a bit wary of dismantling it, as my usual subjects are 1980s vintage models, that are a fair chunk less complex and detailed. (though I will once I know what problems I'm looking for)

Any ideas what could be causing this?

[Pete the Elaner]

Can you hear the motor buzzing?

Do you have an ammeter in the system to see if any current is flowing? (unlikely but it is worth asking).

Will the wheels move with a little encouragement?

 

My first suspicion is that it is DCC fitted & the decoder has an issue. You would need to take off the body to see this though.

[Izzy]

ISTR the body fixing screws are under the couplings, or one of them. You have to remove some bits to get to them anyway. Not to be pessimistic but the motor in mine failed after just 3months from new. I stuffed a Mashima 1833 in as a replacement. I’d wonder whether getting your money back might be a better option as with a duff motor it’s not really much of a bargain, depending on the price of course.

 

Bob

[Halvarras]

If the motor is working, it's running noisily in one direction and not at all in the other could the pick-ups be binding on or in the wheels? Just a thought.

[Blue and Grey all day]

20 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

Can you hear the motor buzzing?

Do you have an ammeter in the system to see if any current is flowing? (unlikely but it is worth asking).

Will the wheels move with a little encouragement?

 

My first suspicion is that it is DCC fitted & the decoder has an issue. You would need to take off the body to see this though.

The motor was clicking over once in one direction and then dead silent, but I had a bit of a go with the wheel cleaning brush, and now it runs, reluctantly, and noisily in both directions. 

 

I'm starting to think it might be some sort of physical resistance, something rubbing where it shouldn't.

[Blue and Grey all day]

20 hours ago, Izzy said:

ISTR the body fixing screws are under the couplings, or one of them. You have to remove some bits to get to them anyway. Not to be pessimistic but the motor in mine failed after just 3months from new. I stuffed a Mashima 1833 in as a replacement. I’d wonder whether getting your money back might be a better option as with a duff motor it’s not really much of a bargain, depending on the price of course.

 

Bob

 

I'll have a look at dismantling it this weekend I think. Given it's pretty much flawless cosmetically I'll probably have a go chucking a new motor in if it's irreparable.

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, Blue and Grey all day said:

The motor was clicking over once in one direction and then dead silent, but I had a bit of a go with the wheel cleaning brush, and now it runs, reluctantly, and noisily in both directions. 

 

I'm starting to think it might be some sort of physical resistance, something rubbing where it shouldn't.

 

I have to say that does very much sound as if the wheel collection 'scrapers' are bent wrong and catching on the spokes as others have mentioned. They stick downwards from the footplate. I replaced mine with PB wire pressing on the wheel treads instead to get rid of the problem.

 

 

 

I can post a few shots of the re-motoring if that would be of any help.

 

Bob

[Blue and Grey all day]

16 hours ago, Izzy said:

 

I have to say that does very much sound as if the wheel collection 'scrapers' are bent wrong and catching on the spokes as others have mentioned. They stick downwards from the footplate. I replaced mine with PB wire pressing on the wheel treads instead to get rid of the problem.

 

 

 

I can post a few shots of the re-motoring if that would be of any help.

 

Bob

 

Ahh right, thanks so much for the photos, is it much of a job to separate the footplate?

[Izzy]

8 hours ago, Blue and Grey all day said:

 

Ahh right, thanks so much for the photos, is it much of a job to separate the footplate?

A bit. Nothing too bad and especially if your used to stripping locos down. The body off first of course, then more screws to get the footplate off the chassis. The brake gear has to be ‘un-plugged’ first. It has to come off even if you just want to undo the keeper plate and drop out the wheels. It’s quite logical once you understand how it goes together.  I’ll try and see if I’ve any shots to assist.

 

Bob