# perfect power pick up for climax



## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Recieved a Climax from a Client which barely came back from bmann repair service,allready contact problems showed up on his indoor layaut.Up on opening the motorplate you could see the brass sleeves where slightly fused against the bed and also the contacts under the bolster showed some arking marks. This problem would persist or even get worse by additional installation of the Aristo PM smoke unit!Here is what i came up with:step 1 order LGB Item (carbon brushes) no 63110 there are 4 in the bag,you need 3 bags! step 2 take all the contacts out(brass sleves with springs and balls)junk the balls Keep the springs and sleeves,go ahead and drill out the narrow part of the brass sleeves to .136 so that the small end of the carbon brush fits (slides easy) now remove with a Dremel disk or sandpaper the thick end of the carbon brush down(make shorter) till just a thin lip still stays(this will make space for the original Bmann spring) step 3 now go ahead and put the carbon brush and spring into the brass sleeve and pop assembly back into motorblock.The motorblocks are done now you need to replace the contacts in both bolsters which is easy Step 4 unscrew the bolster contacts remove the spring and ball(reuse the spring)shorten the big part of the carbon brush (you don't have to take the brass sleeve out ,just ream out the plasic so the carbon brush slides easy) assemble the contacts you may have to stretch the spring a little!( I soldert additionally a jumper wire to connect the 2 trucks together) After this modification you will see a very smooth running climax without any burnt up contacts or melted motorplate!!!

Manfred Diel P.S writing took longer than the mods!!


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Manfred,

I'm looking for ways to make a pickup for track power for engines. I've looked at the LGB slider shoes and don't like them--they're pretty noticeable--and wondered if you had a pic of what you just described. Since I'll be using plastic wheels, I want some sort of rail-contact device. Presently I am thinking along the lines of phosphor bronze sliders under/near the brake shoes. My indoor layout is small, and will run small engines only. Also, I'm building strap rail type track as used ca 1850 and before (or on SL after that date. I understand electricity and mechanics well enough, but there are some brilliant ideas that pop up occasionally.

The other method I am thinking is based on LGB's slider shoe, but recessed behind the inside plane of the wheels, with an arm sticking out, spring-loaded in the vertical plane, to slide along the track.

Your opinion would be valued.

Les


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi Les! 

LGB makes some springloaded carbonbrushes in a alu housing-all what you have to do is exchange the plastic wheels where you want to have railcontact with metalwheels(bmann will work)and install those in between the wheels (slide brushassembly into a styrene tube and glue(hotglue)into place,don't forget to solder a wire to the housing (solder will work,its an copper aloy mix(brushhousing) 

Manfred


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Manfred, do you have some pictures to share? 

Thanks, Greg


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Manfred:

Thanks for the prompt reply. Regrettably, for a number of reasons, the chief of which is I'm just getting started in building, and I'm on fixed income, I want to go with plastic wheels. Later, as skill/experience grows, I might well change to metal pickup wheels because that's far and away the best I know of. Just think 'Critter' and you'll get an idea where I am. 

Les


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