Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
The Pro-Am 57xx build continued today, concentrating on fitting the suspension and cosmetic springs. This was not something I was looking forward to, mainly because I was working blind without the benefit of instructions or experience.
Back at the start of this thread, you'll have seen the photos of the cast springs and keeper plates. They were obviously meant to fit together in some fashion using the cast loops, but I couldn't immediately imagine how. Several trial fittings ensued, and I even entertained the thought of removing the keeper plate loop entirely. Of course, there still followed the question of how to fix the things to the frames, a job that seemed to require at least four pairs of hands.
Before all that, I recalled OzzyO's warning about the suspension spring bolt holes on the hornguides. I drilled them through, soldered in 1.5mm tube, carefully drilled clearance and then tapped 12BA. So far so good. All the bolts were trimmed down to around a third of their length, sufficient to have at least a millimetre projecting into the hornguide, so at least there was something for the spring to rest on while I wrestled with bearings and spring castings.
Each spring and keeper plate was assembled with a length of 0.9mm brass wire, filed flat and bent at right angles, passed through the loops and soldered to the central spring shackle. I forgot to take a photo. This left the keeper plate swinging on this "hinge". I tinned the mating parts where the springs were to fit the frames, and prayed to the gods of solder that this joint would be sufficient to hold things together while the loco is played with by its new owner.
Using an axle with one wheel fitted, with the square end through the bearing I was trying to fit and the wheel up against the opposite frame, then clamped up so the bearing was fixed against the spring and bolt, I eventually managed to wrangle the spring/keeper plate castings into place. More clamps, some flux and soldering iron, and everything seemed to fit in place neatly. The keeper plates are not fixed, held only by the wire "hinge". I have no idea if this is the way they are meant to be used, but having no instructions to speak of...
I repeated with the three remaining under-spring castings.
The cab end springs are above the axle, so I had to, ahem, bodge the keeper plates. They are soldered directly to the bottom of the hornguides.
Now, I guess I don't need to actually spring the rear axle, as it's the driven axle. It has springing, nevertheless, as it made sense to me not to fix an axle at a riding height at this stage until I can ascertain exactly what that height will be. This I plan to do by using the brake hangers and adjusting things until it all runs level. Then, the plan says, I shall find a means of fixing the driven axle bearings so they don't move about.
You can tell I'm tending to wing things a bit. Still, refitting the coupling rods and everything still rolled. I shall fit the motor next and see if things can run under power.
Back at the start of this thread, you'll have seen the photos of the cast springs and keeper plates. They were obviously meant to fit together in some fashion using the cast loops, but I couldn't immediately imagine how. Several trial fittings ensued, and I even entertained the thought of removing the keeper plate loop entirely. Of course, there still followed the question of how to fix the things to the frames, a job that seemed to require at least four pairs of hands.
Before all that, I recalled OzzyO's warning about the suspension spring bolt holes on the hornguides. I drilled them through, soldered in 1.5mm tube, carefully drilled clearance and then tapped 12BA. So far so good. All the bolts were trimmed down to around a third of their length, sufficient to have at least a millimetre projecting into the hornguide, so at least there was something for the spring to rest on while I wrestled with bearings and spring castings.
Each spring and keeper plate was assembled with a length of 0.9mm brass wire, filed flat and bent at right angles, passed through the loops and soldered to the central spring shackle. I forgot to take a photo. This left the keeper plate swinging on this "hinge". I tinned the mating parts where the springs were to fit the frames, and prayed to the gods of solder that this joint would be sufficient to hold things together while the loco is played with by its new owner.
Using an axle with one wheel fitted, with the square end through the bearing I was trying to fit and the wheel up against the opposite frame, then clamped up so the bearing was fixed against the spring and bolt, I eventually managed to wrangle the spring/keeper plate castings into place. More clamps, some flux and soldering iron, and everything seemed to fit in place neatly. The keeper plates are not fixed, held only by the wire "hinge". I have no idea if this is the way they are meant to be used, but having no instructions to speak of...
I repeated with the three remaining under-spring castings.
The cab end springs are above the axle, so I had to, ahem, bodge the keeper plates. They are soldered directly to the bottom of the hornguides.
Now, I guess I don't need to actually spring the rear axle, as it's the driven axle. It has springing, nevertheless, as it made sense to me not to fix an axle at a riding height at this stage until I can ascertain exactly what that height will be. This I plan to do by using the brake hangers and adjusting things until it all runs level. Then, the plan says, I shall find a means of fixing the driven axle bearings so they don't move about.
You can tell I'm tending to wing things a bit. Still, refitting the coupling rods and everything still rolled. I shall fit the motor next and see if things can run under power.