Help needed Spectrum 2-8-0 tender

[djconway]

Help -- I need to remove the shell on some Bachmann Spectrum tenders.
How can I get inside to install a decoder?

Figured I would ask before I break one trying to pry the shell off.

[Chris333]

Unscrew the trucks. One or both screws go up into the tender deck.

[Kisatchie]

Unscrew the trucks. One or both screws go up into the tender deck.

Hmm... no wonder I
couldn't get mine off...
had to use plastic
explosives...

[djconway]

WOW that was on there hard.  Broke a piece of drill rod trying to push it up through the truck holes.

Thank you Chris333

[babbo_enzo]

This is first place to check:
http://www.spookshow.net/loco/spec280.html
He said:
To remove the locomotive shell, first free the forward ladders from the boiler. Next, free the handgrabs from the back side of the cab. Lastly, pry the sides of the shell apart back by the cab. The whole thing should lift right off at that point (just give it a bit of a forward push at the same time to clear the headlight).
To remove the tender shell, well... the first version's tender is (apart from the top) a single casting, so there is no way to separate the shell from the chassis. However, the second version's tender shell does come off - just stick a small screwdriver into the opening where the wires go and pry upwards. This should free the clips on the shell from the chassis.

Cheers

[mmagliaro]

I don't think that's right.  I think even the first version does come off, but it is really stuck on there tight.
I remember one where I had to slip a thin philips head screwdriver up in there through the truck screw hole (after removing the trucks), and actually smack the back of it with a small hammer to break the shell free.  I was worried that it was glued or all one piece until I saw it break free like that.

[djconway]

I did manage to get the shell off.
Slid a piece of drill rod through the truck hole and managed to press the deck and coal bunker off.
It was a very tight fit, broke one rod in the process of getting it off.

[mmagliaro]

To correct my answer....
Mark (Spookshow) talked to me and even had an exploded diagram from the 1st version Spectrum 2-8-0 tender.

I stand corrected.  The sides, front and back ARE molded as one solid piece with the floor.  Only the top (the coal bunker and rear tender deck) push out.  But oddly enough, that top comes out with its own set of "inner" sidewalls.  That's why I must have gotten confused.  I just remembered that when I got the top out, it was more than just the top.

[sizemore]

If this is a Spectrum 2-8-0 there is enough room in the front of the boiler to install a decoder, versus the tender. You can use a Digitrax DZ123 and still keep the headlight.

HTH,
The S.

[strummer]

I once spent a long time trying to take apart one of those: I finally gave up, as I was afraid of breaking something...

Mark in Oregon

[djconway]

I once spent a long time trying to take apart one of those: I finally gave up, as I was afraid of breaking something...

Mark in Oregon

That's why I asked here figured someone here would point me in the right direction.

[rgengineoiler]

Yes,  I installed a DZ123 in the front of the boiler.  Had to do some slight adjustments adding more room but all went well and took my time.  It really runs smooth at 1 mph.  Doug