Mikado axles

[tassietrains]

G'day, All.
I have a Spectrum 2-8-2 Mikado and one of the plastic axles is beyond its use-by date as it's distorted and loose. The wheels just slip on it. This of course results in the rotational angles misaligning and locking of the drivers. I tried gluing ("Araldite"), making up a replacement axle from plastic, and various other patches up. None of them were satisfactory so I would like to buy a new axle. I've made enquiries to numerous dealers to no avail and can't find the axle listed on this site. Does anybody know where I can get one

[Yampa Bob]

This is a tough one.  The best I can suggest is contacting Bachmann service for advice.  I doubt if they will have the exact part, but you never know without trying.  Email is not usually advised, but in your case you might try a few.

Since you are "down under", the cost to send it back for repair or replacement might be high.  However, that may be your only option.

Good luck

[SteamGene]

Are you sure it's a Spectrum Mikado?
Gene

[tassietrains]

Actually... No. I bought it 2nd hand as a non-runner (because of this problem, I assume). When I get a moment I'll check and let you know, but for now it has white, plastic axles that are slightly smaller in diameter at the nds where they fit inside the wheels and the wheel has a centre pin that engages in the end of the axle. The wheel itself runs in a metal cup in the chassis. I assume it's a split chassis.

[SteamGene]

Look at the trailing truck.  Does it seem squished or out of scale?  Is the firebox very large? Does the pilot have an operating coupler?
Gene

[tassietrains]

Look at the trailing truck.  Does it seem squished or out of scale?  Is the firebox very large? Does the pilot have an operating coupler?
Gene

Gene... I guess, "No" to all of those criteria. A pic of the loco is attached and it's in HO scale.

[Pacific Northern]

The picture says it all. A junker from yesteryear.

I had the same engine and it ran for about three days. 

I would urge you to forget about bringing this engine back to life, use it for static display.  Get a new Spectrum 2-8-0. You will not be sorry.

[tassietrains]

Ah, mate... We Aussies don't give up that easily! This loco will live again.

[SteamGene]

Bowser may have a rebuild kit for it.  It actually looks nice - not that the UP had any Wooten fireboxes, especially for a tender hauling oil!  I had one that got traded to Bachmann for a Spectrum 2-8-0, but I was the original owner.
Gene

[jsmvmd]

Good tip about Bowser, Gene.  I'll remember that one!

Dear "Tass,"

Here is the Bowser link, about 2 hours from my home.  The Bowser folk are very cordial and knowledgable.  If I get there with my friend Ted, I will post some pix of the factory for you. Hope to do this before Christmas.

http://www.bowser-trains.com/

Best Wishes,

Jack

[Yampa Bob]

Tass
That's the Aussie spirit, if I had the loco here, I could fix it.

Even if you found an axle, it has to be secured to the drivers. If you have access to a digital caliper, let me know the exact axle diameter, to .0005 accuracy, and I'll send you instructions.

Remove all the side rods, take several closeup pictures of the wheels, axle, and casting "bearings", from various angles.

"Where there's a will, there's a way."

[tassietrains]

Cheers. Bob.
I'm a bit ahead of you (I think!) I've already disassembed the running gear and fabricated a "new" plastic axle....would you believe from a bit of an old Peugeot emisson control valve (?) I turned down the plastic to the correct diameter for the wheels and epoxied them on after carefully quatering them and making sure the rods were at the correct angle. She ran after that, but not as well as I would like. The plastic I used is too hard and doesn't sit well in the wheels. The original Bachmann plastic is more of a nylon and even though I tried hard I couldn't get the drivers perfectly "true". Really, the only solution is a new axle as this is the one that takes all of the strain of transfering drive to the other wheels through the motion.

Thanks for the link, Jack. I'll give the Bowser people a try.

Gene... This really is a very nice looking loco. The detail is excellent and the motion faithfully reproduced. I don't know enough about the fuelling of US steam locos to pass comment on the size or type of firebox.

[SteamGene]

G'day.  The Wooten firebox was designed to burn anthracite coal. 
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

I was thinking styrene rod made by "Plastruct", available in many diameters. I would drill the holes all the way through the wheels. With a very tiny round file, make a "keyway" notch on one side of the hole.

Turn the axle ends for a tight fit on the wheels, letting the axles protrude through the wheel holes.

When everything is lined up, apply one drop of CA Thin cement (super glue) to axle on both sides of wheel.  Wait 15 seconds, then spray the joint with accelerator.  Cut off axles flush with outside of wheel.

Drill a hole with a tiny bit, about #77, at the junction of the wheel keyway notch and axle, so as to cut slightly into the axle.  Take a 1" end of a very sharp toothpick and drive as a "key" into the hole, then cut off flush with wheel.

With the wheel keyed, it should never slip again. If you don't want to mess with the keyway, just drill a small hole in the axle center end, and drive in the toothpick as a wedge.  (The old "secure the hammer handle to the head trick") For this method, you could use styrene tubing for the axle, drive in a piece of tapered styrene or a tiny nail as a wedge.

To "stiffen" the styrene tube axle, slip a short piece of "music wire" inside the tubing.

[tassietrains]

Thanks, Bob. All good stuff. As you say, the "key" is the "key"! I have some plastic rod and as long as I have the right size drill this may work out ok. Quatering the wheels again and getting them dead square will be a challenge! I'll let you know how I go. If this remedy works, you'll be the saviour of what will be a very nice engine.