I was working with my newly purchased Atlas shay last night and accidentally knocked out the a small part of drive shaft at the rear truck (please see the attached the picture for reference). The question I have is that can I glue that piece together without damaging the drive shaft operation, if so do I need to glue both ends or just one end only. By looking at it, I don't see how the truck is able to turn if I glue down both ends, thanks in adance for your help. .
I think that piece has to telescope in and out, You need to ask this on the Atlas forum. Maybe Randgust will answer. He's the Shay guru. Al
Al is correct - the one part simply slides into the other. IIRC, the trick to getting everything reconnected is to disconnect the one side of the driveshaft from its truck, slide the two driveshaft pieces together, and then reconnect the disconnected shaft end back to its truck. Here's hoping you have a magnifying lamp and a good set of tweezers, it's not hugely easy (esp the first time). Cheers, -Mark
I'm guessing that what you knocked loose was the universal off the end of the crankshaft? Or did you just have the driveshaft pop apart at the telescoping section? If that's it, that is relatively easy, get two sets of tweezers and a tranquilizer. Don't start gluing anything here until we make sure exactly what the problem is. And even glue is not the solution as nothing was ever glued to begin with. When mine came apart (universal came off the back end of the crankshaft) I about had a heart attack. I actually just presses back on the crankshaft end. The trick...no matter what you do....is to realize a basic on the Atlas Shay. As it drives through the truck gears and all those cranks and universals are flying around for decoration, you have TWO drive systems, one real and one cosmetic. If you're not careful you can accidentally stress the two against each other. It's absolutely critical to make sure that the decorative drive system is in relative 'slack' in all directions and not in tension against the actual truck gears. You do this by making sure the eight drive wheels are pushed one way or the other (all in contact with the drive system, and then reconnecting the driveshaft so so that it isn't in tension or torque in that position. If you study it it will suddenly dawn on you the miracle that this thing ever works at all. Seriously. And this is also one of the few times where you may actually be better to either send it back for repairs or find somebody with the proper sets of dual, super-sharp tweezers to hold everything together and reattach it. You can't do this with fingers.
Hi, thanks for the help, to better clarify, it actually the universal piece that fell off, when I pop it back on, it didn't stick and fell off again that's why I asked weather glueing back together would destroy the whole mechanism. The other problem in the same the area is that the crankshaft is too short may be I broke it or something, so when I swing the truck it would come loose too.
OK, that's exactly where mine came apart. It's likely not broken. It's a press fit of the universal on the end of the crank. But when you just push on it, the Delrin crank distorts inward toward the cylinders slightly and it doesn't go full on. So it pops right back off. I used a tiny pair of needlepoint tweezers that fit INSIDE the universal and behind the first 'throw' of the crankshaft to literally press the two against each other in a clamping move. That held. It's possible to use ACC...but one slip and you're done. You'll either glue the crank in the bearings or glue the universal together. The only concievable way to apply it would be a needle, don't get the tube anywhere near it. I'd do that as a last resort. But no, you probably won't get it pushed back on against the crank any better than I did, and the risk if you push hard enough is that parts will go a-flyin. Work around some kind of containment area including a lap part catcher on this one. The secret, if there is one, is having a fine enough pair of tweezers to fit a point inside that universal.
To add my 2 cents worth ditto on the fine needle point tweezers. And it is the most common point where the mechanism separates. Basically because a truck rotated to far and the shaft is limited in length thus the separation occurs and sometimes the universal comes loose with the end. My hat is still tipped to Atlas for the fine design that is a little working marvel. But these little fellas are so delicate around that running gear that handling them is almost like doing open heart or brain surgery. One oops and you have a big problem. Probably the only weak point is the lack of a limiter to the truck rotation to prevent separation.
I know that Atlas most likely isn't re-releasing these for probably a very long time, if ever, now. I already have one, but it needs a particular part which Atlas says they no longer have in stock (Surprisingly .) Does anyone know if there is anywhere else it might be possible to get the U-joints for the drive shaft (Specifically, the one that is listed as Universal Joint A on the parts plan), or even an entire replacement driveshaft?
