Just received an E-Bay buy of a Climax that someone has added DCC and sound to. Sounds great but only rolls forward and back for about an inch before the rear drive line binds up causing the rear wheels to stop turning. I have moved the drive manually and it feels like there is a burr or something causing the thing to bind. Any help on fixing this problem?
Thanks,
John
Morning,
John :)
I suspect as you stated there is a burr, as the gears are injection molded and perhaps do have some flash on the gears, and one would have to use a strong glass or loupe and find the burr and use some assorted needel files and remove the flash. If that scares you contact E-Bay and protest the sale as the buyer has more rights than the seller.
Also check the axels and look for hair or string rapped around them, as when I got my first "Climax " Loco I found kitty hair in the trucks after running a few hours, as I like the kitty I found it prudent to ban Miss Kitty from the train room, and she is most sad. :( I have often thought of putting a couple of pieces of styrene and mounting them on the bottom of the trucks. I hope this helps, and I also hope you get your problem fixed.
Good Luck and have fun,
Wes AKA Smokinporter
Thanks Wes,
I generally don't complain to EBay since I believe it to be a "buyer beware" type set up. The guy did have to know this was a problem though since it only moves about an inch before binding. No hair in the axles so I guess I had better start looking through the loupe. There are a lot of gears and this could take some time, but it may be that it is the first set of gears just past the drive shaft. I am not real sure what I will have to do to get into them though. I really don't want to disassemble the entire rear truck.
OK John,
Great Job, I always love a project.
First you can begin by gently pulling the truck off (it is a snap fit be careful of the pickup wiring) the loco and disconect the drive shaft and turn the shaft check for binding if the first truch is ok put it back together. Then go to the next truck and do the same, if it is ok than you will have to look inside transmission and check those gears.
The Bachmann Co did a heck of job of planning and building both the "Climax" and the "Shay" as all the gears and shafts really do the work. I hope this helps and I am not out of place by explaining procedure as to how to work on these locos but been there and often wished I could have had some help. But my grandfather always said "if it is already broken you can fix it or forget it as you cannot hurt it" But anyways Good Luck John.
Have fun,
Wes :)
I do not ever bid on any engine this is not brand new never run as in this case they had to run the engine and knew there was a problem. Just can't trust people to always disclose the true.
Now if you got this engine at a big discount, that might be worth it IF you are capable of fixing it.. Me ? Don't have the Patience or time.
Your version might be different ?
Cheers, TOF