How do I remove the roof to troubleshoot failure if the interior lighting system?
I use a small screwdriver. Wedge the blade between the roof and the side near the end of the car. Pry the screwdriver upwards to force the side away from the edge of the roof. Keeping the side pried away use a screwdriver with a slightly larger blade I insert that into the opening, give it a slight twist and the tab holding the two pieces together should give you an opening. Work your way down the side of the car and the roof should loosen on the side you've been working on. The opposite should let loose with a bit of wiggling or you can repeat procedure.
The roof is held on with slotted tabs so you are trying to get the side walls away from the roofline as best as possible. When reinstalling roof just try to flex the walls outward a bit and press down roof. It may require a bit of force, just make sure you are dead on for alignment of tabs and slots.
Others may have better methods but this works for me.
Mark B.
Thanks. I am getting ready for some lights. I will try to get a picture of the tabs for the next person.
John
When you get the roof off you may want to file back the tabs or enlarge the slots they go into.
This makes it easier when you want to remove the roof again for further tweaking. I just did one of the baggage cars converting it into a MOW supply car. Added doors and windows and probably had the roof off and on 4 or 5 times and finally it hit me to modify the tabs.
The plastic side walls are fairly flexible but nothing broke. Have fun....
Mark B.
Thanks for the help. I am ready to try.
If you haven't attacked it with a screwdriver as of yet, the best way to remove the Bachmann passenger car roofs is to gently squeeze the side of the roof-you can normally "pop" the tabs free of the side and just lift away, one side at a time. Use a screwdriver only as a last resort, as you will surely scratch the paint. John Tumolo
Yep, just stick your thumb nails under the edge of the roof on the corners, and GENTLY find the place where the tabs let go.
Easy. :D
Try to avoid using screwdrivers etc. You will break something.
And strange to tell, today I had to pop the roof off a coach when one of the windows in an end door fell off inside the car.
I gently squeezed the sides while putting my thumb nail between the side and roof. Et voila!, as the French never say. off it came. Tiny bit of CA adhesive on the window, put it back on, and then gently clicked the roof back on.
Notice the operative word is 'gently'?