Can anyone recommend an easy way of removing the trucks from AZL's SD75's for cleaning without it coming apart in one's hands? After this past weekend, I'm sure that mine can use a good cleaning, plus I need to replace a truck and the last time I took these off, they all came apart and I had to struggle to get them back together again. Is there a simple way to do this?
They should not 'come apart', I mean, by themselves. If you have split the chassis to remove the entire truck, it should be all in one piece, not falling apart. You could then just clean it as an assembly and put the SMALLEST about of proper plastic compatible lube, a micro-drop on each of the gears. If you don't want to take them out of the chassis, you can either: - just blow them out with the compressed gas in a can, use some fine tweezers and a visor to get out the stragglers or - turn the loco upside down (WATCH the horns on the top). Pop the truck cover off without pulling up the axles. Note: the electrical pickup is on the axle ends so when you try and lift up this truck cover, the friction wants to pull them up. .
Jeff: I'm a bit confused by your response. If I read it right, the chassis of the AZL 75 can be split into two halves. Is that right? If this is so, then I don't have to try to pull the actual truck out of the inner gears in order to clean or replace it like I have been doing. That way I don't have to concern myself with the truck coming apart and fighting to get it back together. I think that would make things infinitely simpilar. Ken
Ken, you really dont want to split the frame. Its really hard to put all the parts together. what you do is take off the locking tabs right on top of the trucks and wiggle the trucks off. Then I use a RC electronic motor cleaner to rinse off any grime or lint on the trucks. Reoil it, and wiggle it back into the chassis.
I really am confused now. Are we talking about AZL or MTL? I was seeking a way to take trucks out of AZL SD75's without the trucks themselves coming apart in my fingers. After reading the responses above, I'm not sure which one's we are talking about. I accidentally dropped one of my AZL's on the floor this weekend and a truck popped out on it's own, so I took advantage of the situation and cleaned the gearing and wheels and gently put it back in. But the last time I took trucks off of my SD75's they came apart and it took me almost all day to get them back together again. Those copper pickups can be a real pain in the butt. That's why I was asking if there was an easier way. I don't want to be getting in to things that are going to be too detailed with parts and cause me no end of worry about getting everything back where it is supposed to be.
I was talking about the AZL SD70. Thats what you were asking. To put the truck back, remove the tabs about the truck, then loosen the frame a little by inserting a small screw driver in between the chassis. Do it gently, then slowly wiggle the trucks into the chassis. After that, make sure the all the power pickups are in the right place. They can be move out of position during the installation.
Ken, The problem is that you broke the 1st commandmant of Z scale...... "thou shalt not drop Z scale locos and rolling stock" ) I know you did it accidentally, but none the less, you got an 'ouchy' for it. The guys have given you some good advice and for that everyone who reads the replys will benefit by your misfortune. Next time do what the base ball players do.....put some pine tar on your hands. Of course, then that presents another whole problem doesn't it..... Loren
I know it's good advice. I just wanted to be clear we were talking about the same thing. In as far as dropping it, I've already dropped 4 or 5 cars and one other engine. Luckily, the only damage I've done is breaking couplers or losing a railing, which I found and replace. I was able to change out the broken couplers too. So if I get ouchy's oh well. Chalk it up to experience. I'm sure it won't be my last.
Think we all know the feeling well. I dropped a cylindrical hopper on my desk a couple of months ago; both trucks exploded on impact. Parts have been slowly turning up every since, and I found the last wheel set yesterday. Only thing missing now is a bolster pin. There must be 52 of them lying around somewhere on or around this desk....
One of my GP35s fell down from 4' / 1.25 m on a hard pavement a while ago. Result, 2 bent front stairways and the cab getting free. After "unbending" its footsteps and putting back the cab to place, everything ran fine. There's a Lord for clumsy z-scalers....:merr: Dom
