A jig to line up wheels on axles :-)

[swiftbeam]

Hi Guys,

 

If this does not belong here, can a Mod move it please :-)

 

I had a new model today, and although quite good, it did have a slight wobble. I'm a bit super sensitive about wobbling locos, so I racked by brains on how I could get all the wheels better fitted on the axles.

 

This is what I came up with and it works.

 

I'll not go into huge detail, but basically you'll need a dial indicator and mount, plus a strip of brass to make a wheel mount.

 

Fold up the brass into a 'U' and file a 'V' into each side so the axle assembly can be mounted. 

Screw the 'U' to a piece of wood, clap the wood to a flat surface and setup the indicator so the wheel tread is just moving the dial.

With a thin steel rule, hold the wheel set down firmly and turn the opposite wheel with your fingers that is not being measured.

Decide on if you will mark the high or low spot and with a very small dot of white paint, mark that point on all wheels.

 

Once you have a dot on each wheel, rotate the wheels so the dots are at the same point on all wheels.

If you have any wheels that run perfectly true on both sides, that axle would go in the centre of the bogie.

A little mix and matching maybe needed if you find some run true and others don't.

Make a note of the 'run out' on each wheel and match up each pair.

(all my wheel sets ran out by 0.004", so was just a case of a small twist to line up the dots)

When fitting back into the model, assemble so all the dots line up.

 

Now my model runs nice and still. If you want to be fussy, I guess my model is now bobbing up and down by 0.004", but you really can't see it if it is !!

 

This may help somebody with a wonky model, even if it does mean buying tools, and I know how that offends some people! 

Nothing here is expensive and all can be found on Ebay. You'll want the type that needs the arm to be pushed back, NOT the plunger type!  The tools will last a lifetime and in the long run it's cheaper than return postage constantly and never really getting the problem fixed.

 

The dots do line up in the last pic, just the camera bending the image!

 

Trust in yourself, fix yourself :-)

Edited November 13, 2017 by swiftbeam