Re-Gauging the Kato GP38-2 and Other Engines...

[strummer]

LOL, I haven't  forgotten about that -  I'll post the details (hopefully soon). I was going to do it last week but the snow storm (and 2 days without electricity) delayed everything. 

I guess depending on where you are, you might be getting more snow soon. Hate to tell you, but it was 73 on the beach here today...

Mark in Oregon

[nkalanaga]

Louis:  That's the way I've done it for years.  Trying to put the trucks back together again was too much hassle.

Mark:  "if those couplers will stay intact when I pull the side frames"  Maybe, but not usually, in my experience.  Once the sideframe is removed, on those old metal-frame trucks, there's nothing holding  the two frame halves together, except the axles.  Disturb them, and the whole thing falls apart.  That's why I prefer the screwdriver method, although I usually use a 6-inch stainless steel ruler.  I bought half a dozen of those back in the mid 70s, from a local office supply store, and use  them for a lot of things, besides rulers. 

Of course, in N scale, a ruler marked in 64ths of an inch is a good scale ruler.  1/64 inch is 2.5 scale inches - very simple math.

[peteski]

I guess depending on where you are, you might be getting more snow soon. Hate to tell you, but it was 73 on the beach here today...

Mark in Oregon

I'm very well aware of that.  All I have to do is to look out of the window. 3 major snow storms in 2 weeks, in March. Not much fun. 

[strummer]

Louis:  That's the way I've done it for years.  Trying to put the trucks back together again was too much hassle.

Mark:  "if those couplers will stay intact when I pull the side frames"  Maybe, but not usually, in my experience.  Once the sideframe is removed, on those old metal-frame trucks, there's nothing holding  the two frame halves together, except the axles.  Disturb them, and the whole thing falls apart.  That's why I prefer the screwdriver method, although I usually use a 6-inch stainless steel ruler.   

I get what you're saying about the frame halves (why I prefer the newer plastic design, which is one piece)  but the coupler box is part of the side frame casting, which is also one piece, so it seems that it (the coupler assembly) should stay intact, as part of the side frame assembly...?

Edit:

I just finished my first F unit; this was a Kato F7 with the green box insert; it has the pointed wheels, "cup-type" brass pick-ups, and as such has the plastic sub frame. The coupler box is part of this frame, not the side frames. Everything worked out ok, although Mark "Spookshow" was right when he wrote "good luck with putting it back", referring to the pilot coupler...   

Mark in Oregon

[nkalanaga]

You're right, it was part of the sideframe casting.  Mine were converted to body mounts years ago, but the way the old couplers were cut off clearly shows that the box had nothing to do with the metal frames.

My Kato Fs are from the first runs, with the metal inner frames, and even there the coupler box was part of the sideframe.  So, removing the sideframes on those old ones causes the entire truck to disintegrate, but will NOT cause the coupler to fall out. 

So much for my memory...

[strummer]

My Kato Fs are from the first runs, with the metal inner frames, and even there the coupler box was part of the sideframe.  So, removing the sideframes on those old ones causes the entire truck to disintegrate, but will NOT cause the coupler to fall out. 

That's a relief, since my remaining Fs are all earlier releases. I think of all the tasks in N scale, dealing with these tiny coupler parts is my least favorite thing... 

Having said that, once everything gets installed, they do work great!

Mark in Oregon

[atsf3751]

Since this thread started asking how to regauge an N Scale engine, I thought I would add the way I have done it for years with no disassembly and no problems later. My club track is handlaid code 40 so accurate wheel gauge is a must. What I do is press a small Xacto chisel blade (not their large one) behind a wheel with the tapered part of the blade toward the wheel, just press it down until it touches the axle, do not twist or turn it in any way. You will feel the wheel pop out a little and 99% of the time that is all you need to make the gauge perfect. The gauge is perfect all the way around, the wheel is not tweaked on the axle because it does not move enough for that to happen.