# springs for sprung trucks



## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

A few months back, I bought, off of ebay, a set of parts to make ten of the old Delton archbar trucks, but they didn't come with wheels or springs. I found plastic wheelsets easily enough on ebay and bought enough to equip all the trucks, but I couldn't find the right size springs. I tried some of the bigger Kadee coupler centering springs, but they're not strong enough for the purpose. I finally found some springs at the hardware store that seem to work pretty well for the trucks. They're strong enough, but not too strong. These come from the Century Spring Corp. and their part number is C-520. they are listed as 3/16ths by7/8ths by .016, and they come in a little bag of 6 pieces. Enough for 3 trucks. You cut them in half and then bend the cut end flat like the other end. I put them in the truck with a pair of heavy tweezers. They work pretty well, and they look good also.


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

That is a great way to get some cars rolling cheaply. I got a pack of ten trucks form that seller too. I don't have mine sprung yet. I have been looking for springs but haven't found one I don't have to cut. One of the stores, maybe Track side details or the Accucraft store sells them. I'm holding out for that hardware store find since I won't be needing trucks until spring.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Amber / Randy 

Look at the springs from Hartford Products. I used them as replacements on my early AMS trucks where the springs were so stiff they caused the sideframes to be "out of square" with the bolster and caused binding in the wheel bearings.. 

===> http://shop.hartfordproducts.com Look under "springs"


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## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

I am not sure about the specific truck you are using, but to replace springs in Aristo trucks, I use the spring that comes with the hook and loop coupler. That's the only part of the coupler I keep. I can't believe you bought plastic wheels. I just threw about 200 axles out last week. 
Paul


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Man your right there about the plastic wheels. I'd given you a bunch just to get rid of them. You can also purchase truck springs from Aristo Craft they have several types available. Later RJD


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I found some for a friend at True Value hardware. In those little drawers they have of stuff, they have a selection of small springs, have to cut them to length, but they springs don't have to work anyway. I find quite a few useful items in those boxes at the Ace an True Value. Better than the big box stores.


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Well the reason that I use plastic wheels is because they're cheap and I'm broke!  I'd love to use steel wheels on my cars, but they're too pricey for my limited budget, and I don't have a permanent outdoor track...yet. I found a couple of websites where I could get the Aristo springs, but I didn't want to pay that much for a dozen springs. It's not just the almost 10 dollars for the springs, it's also the 7-8 bucks they want to ship them. Also, I'd have to drive 100 miles to get to the nearest train shop that sells G scale stuff, thus the hardware store springs option. I don't mind cutting them to fit as long as they work and they're inexpensive.


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

"Well the reason that I use plastic wheels is because they're cheap and I'm broke! " 
Well said that man.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Amber, springs don't really work on cars anyway, not that much load on them usually. Some have used ball point pen springs on the Delton trucks, as I recall. So might look into that. If you are like us, you have a bunch of those free ones laying around they give out and you could easily get more, if they do the job for you.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Jerry 

Your statement should be "Amber, as delivered by the manufacturer/importer, springs don't really work on cars anyway..." 

If the springs don't work on your cars, it is because you are using springs that are much too stiff for the light cars. The springs on my Accucraft NG stuff work [I installed softer ones] and they work on my passenger cars that do have coil springs. Since as a group, many are fixated on how many cars they can pull, we keep the car weight down and put ball bearing in our wheels. I have seen many a C-16 or K-27/28/36/37 pulling far more cars than was typical [or possible] with the real locomotive. I add weight to the cars and adjust the springs, just like some folks do on their locomotives.


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim

Do you mean that a single K28 would never of pulled the 50 car stock train? Though it did look much better with Jon and Dave's K28 cut in later that day. That was a fun 2 hours pulling around 200lbs of stock cars.

At the very end of the clip you can see the front of the train in the backround on the next loop. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOEetOFvvFw


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

I've never order springs from Lee Spring Co, but know guys who have. They say it's a great outfit. They have over 14,000 types of springs in stock. If you don't mind wading thru a 700 page on line catalog, you'll find what you need.

Lee Spring Company


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

If I recall a thread a while back on truck springs, a member had found a replacement spring for the Aristo-Delton trucks from I believe Lee Spring as Bob noted above. Again if I recall the quantity to order was a consideration. The thread had a part number too... 
I found the post via "Google" http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx
Lee Spring #LC 016AB 05S; web address: http://www.leespring.com/product_sp...mp;subType=

Michael


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## general1861 (Jan 22, 2010)

As Jerry said above.. I use the ink pen type springs too. they look good and best of all they are free....


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

The auction information on e-bay did mention using ink pen springs for the trucks. Would you believe I don't have any of those type pens around the house? My pile of pens are all the Bic type, no springs there. Maybe I need to go to the local banks and "borrow" a few pens.


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## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

thats the ones iused on both delton and aristo stuff and the fit great.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Springs -- like so many things, pay $3 for 2 or $15 for 6,000,000


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## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

Cost me $0.31 each back a year ago. if I ordered 1,000 of them. which I did....


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## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

They also fit behind the coupler too....


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## GaryR (Feb 6, 2010)

Ball point pen springs? http://www.sciplus.com/index.cfm search the site with "pens by the pound" Think it turns out to be about 10 to 20 ¢ each, not sure. 
2 pounds @ $9.95, they work too. 


GaryR


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Just an update on this topic,I recently ordered a few things from Hartford Products from their website, including a set of their truck springs to try out on the Delton archbar trucks. You get 8 springs for $1.95. The springs I ordered are .154 diameter according to the invoice, and I actually got 10 springs in the package.  
I tried them out this evening, I built a pair of the trucks and the springs work very well! They fit nicely and have enough spring pressure to do the job. Now I just have to order a couple more sets to put together the rest of my parts. I have enough parts for 2 more sets of trucks. They look pretty good under the logging cars that I've been building, I just need to figure out how to hang brakes on the trucks, or at least 1 truck per car anyway.


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