Replacing Fairburn Chassis

[Matador]

Looking at putting a Comet Chassis etc in a Bachman FairburnTank

The question is sprung or straight chassis

DC Snr

A Brit in the USA

[Happy Hippo]

My first foray into 4mm after 40 years of larger scale stuff was a Comet chassis under a Mainline Pannier body.

 

Because I had decided to use P4 standards, the chassis was duly sprung using Comet hornblocks.

 

I've never regretted the decision to spring the loco and the quality of the ride is much improved. I've a sneaking feeling it pulls more and it is less prone to stalling on dirty track.

 

As an aside, my next loco will be sprung using the Continuous Springy Beam (CSB) principle.

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

If you do consider CSB, info can be found here: www.clag.org.uk

[Matador]

Thanks for the info and what a wonderful website mmmmmmm, been thinking about P4 but being here in the US and not having any quick phone call away contacts it could prove a little hard although its what I would love to do.

DC Snr

A Britin the USA

[Mike G]

Sprung every time. Haulage and road holding improved beyond belief. If you access this thread you'll see another form of springing from Gordon Ashton, to be honest this is the method I prefer - on my first CSB loco a 56xx, from Bill Bedford. So, I'll have a direct comparison between the two methods.

 

http://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1038

 

GA units about half way down the first page.

 

Mike

[MarkC]

Sprung/compensated for me every time now

[Grovenor]

If you are using a Comet chassis stick with the Comet springing its designed for, same as Brassmasters and works well so why complicate things modding the chasis for someone elses springs.

Regards

Keith

[Mike G]

Sorry Keith I don't believe that using another 'method' complicates anything. You will still have to set the hornblocks using the coupling rods. The fact that you get a far superior ride with the GA units and you can alter the ride height should the springing be too 'taught' or harsh. You cannot do that in either of the systems you mention...unless of course you want to look for tiny springs with different compression ratios.

 

Mike

[Grovenor]

I don't believe that using another 'method' complicates anything. You will still have to set the hornblocks using the coupling rods. The fact that you get a far superior ride with the GA units

 

Certainly complicates things, the Comet chassis is designed for the Comet springing, all you have to do is assemble it, to fit GA units you have to modify the frames, possibly modify the spacers depending if you have clearance then you have to set the hornblocks using the coupling rods. Whether or not you get a superior ride, and how would you tell?

 

What none of us know is the experience level of Matador so it is rather tricky to get into detailed advice.

 

Regards

Keith

[craigwelsh]

If you aren't modelling in P4 what was wrong with the Bachmann chassis as supplied? The Fairburn is a modern chassis and should run pretty well as supplied and convert well enough to EM if you model in that.

[Matador]

"What none of us know is the experience level of Matador so it is rather tricky to get into detailed advice".

 

 

I am a pro Model Builder and Custom Painter in the USA and have not done any personal modelling fo the past 28 yrs (hobby becomes a job lose hobby etc).

I have worked with US Brass in most scales for most of that time, but retirement is imminent and I intend building a simple branchline to remind me of the things I remember in my spotting days back in Yorkshire.

I am not a rivet counter at all but I do enjoy working on the mechanical side of models therefore I want to build my own chassis.

I have a Hornby 8F and a Bachman Fairburn tank both of them are fine models but chassis and motor wise are not what I want.

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

DC Snr

A Brit in the USA

some pics attached of what I do.