# USA F3 assembly question



## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a USA F3 that I am having problems getting to go back together nicely.

The floor is screwed to stanchions from the roof to form the carbody. The front stanchion screw head stripped out and in drilling the screw out, I also drilled out the stanchion. I have removed the remaining plastic, and am using a 3" #8 wood deck screw through the hole to support the front of the locomotive. This screw actually goes between the cab detail section and the circuit board. Seems to work OK. 

The problem is that there is a gap at the front of the locomotive of about 1/16" between the carbody and the floor, resulting in the pilot drooping. I had hoped that adding the screw would pull the floor up enough to close this gap. As the F3 pilot is low to begin with, I am wonder if anyone has any ideas of what I can do to raise the front part of the floor. Perhaps I missed something when re-assembling the locomotive? Is there a slot for the floor that I missed? It almost seems like it. Any advise?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mark, I'm assuming you are talking an "A" unit. 

You have not gotten the "front" all the way in, it should sit nice and flat. Now, you removed the "rod" entirely? 

Usually you insert the front end first, get it all the way in, and then lower the back of the chassis. 

I address this on my page: *http://www.elmassian.com...trong>** 


Normally you may have to fiddle a bit to get it to sit "down" into the body.

Regards, Greg*


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

Thanks. Yes, it is an A unit. I'm getting pretty good at removing the shell, so it won't be too much trouble to go back and give it another shot. Without looking at your webpage, do I need to remove the pilot?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You mean the front coupler? yes... the pilot housing? no... 

It looks like you have to remove the pilot, but no... 

I DO encourage you to take a quick look at my pretty pictures and text... I normally write this stuff on the laptop as I do it, and then do it again and check the procedure... so it's usually good info. 

Regards, Greg


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

I took a peek at your F3 page, but didn't see any pictures about the body shell. I was looking at the motive power page, should I have looked somewhere else?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, if you click the link I embedded for you in my first post, it goes right to the disassembly page. 

If you are on the main F3 page, look at the menu on the left, you will see 2 sub menus: 

F3 disassembly 
F3 mods and tips 



The entire site is hierarchical ... top down from general to specific...


TRAINS .... MOTIVE POWER..... USAT MOTIVE POWER .... F3...... F3 DISASSEMBLY 


so you just keep "drilling down" to get to where you want to go... the menu on the left "opens up" more choices as you "drill down"

Regards, Greg


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, Thanks! 

Some blind, old fart just tapped his white cane in to my office and showed me how to navigate that pane! Doh! Thanks, Jim.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

It's the best I can do that also allows me to do quick mods and additions. 

There's now 350 pages on my site, so organization is key, or I myself cannot find stuff! It began as notes to myself on working on stuff. 

Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I have used computer mother board standoff hardware to fix those posts. Works for me.


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