# OVGRS Heavyweight 6 wheel truck mods



## mjltuk (Jan 3, 2008)

Decided this should have been a new thread, sorry to have hijacked Dirk's build.

I am looking to fix some older Heavyweights and have read widely and tried many fixes. Am now looking for some detail on how OVGRS solved the Heavyweight 3 axle truck tracking issue.

In December 2006 Fr Mills posted on LSC: Changes in Aristo Heavyweight Pass. Trucks....Kadee Couplers that he was "toying with the of using the "Secondary bolster", as the main bolster, and cutting off the old main bolster... the one in the curved slot. It is attached to the bottom of the car with three screws. It looks like, if you reverse it; you can use it as a bolster in the new hole drilled in the centre of the truck. I'll have to drill new holes to mount the bolster on the bottom of the car". 

In April 2008 Dougald posted on MLS: A summary of Heavyweight advice that OVGRS "now have cars that have the bolster placed correctly on the cars and centred on the truck ........ we removed the original bolster and moved it to be centred fore and aft on teh truck ... a new kingpin was fabricated and the truck reinstalled. I will try to get a picture on wednesday when I am next at the IPP&W shops". 

Are these two descriptions of the same or a different mod? How was a new kingpin fabricated? Dimensions and/or pix would be ideal.

Has anybody else done this successfully - or not?

Many Thanks


mike


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Actually you were asking for info on the trucks... some of that found on my HW thread... never jacked to me..good start here tho!!

If you take a car apart. .. they all have a screwed in place "plate" , which has a heavier pivot than molded to cars floor. Now mind you... I noticed early ac HW cars to be based on a narrow plate... while all my newer cars come with a wide plate.

The heavy bolster allows the washer and screw to be in place.. used in the curved slot on the trucks. I have measured..finding this to slightly larger in diameter than the one molded in place..bad news is the original on cars that I have are cracked from aging..loose screws come to mind. 

In my effort..moving the pivot to the curved slot position is fairly easy. It only requires an intermediate 3D part..fit in the slot from below to go to work..

No drilling of trucks.. 

Secondly.. I'm not fond of trying to place a pivot in line with the middle axle.. becomes an off angle pain to use a screwdriver on the screw below..under the axle!!

Ponder this...yes your curves are smaller than my needs..5 ft R is small...

Another point involved here are your couplers. What method are you using?
On the trucks.. or body mount..big difference here!!

Dirk... glad your working towards a solution...


----------



## mjltuk (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks again Dirk,

Just completed my measurement of the stock trucks and can confirm your description of the two pivots.

I hear what you say about the difficulty accessing the retaining screw if its dead centred under the middle axle. But if I use the existing curved slot why would I need a 3D part to fill in around the pivot? What should it look like?

As to couplers I am using truck mounted straight shank KDs successfully. I know that if I move the 3-axle trucks I will have to go to body mounts.

Of course the other alternative is to forego the 3-axles all together and try to find some 2-axles to swap (heresy I know but they work no problem). Any takers?

mike


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

My minds eye view for using the curved slot location used nearly all stock components all ready on the car...just in a new order.....

Using the long open.. Curved slot does require a single fixed pivot point..reason for 3D filler. Neat part.. Glues in slot..provides a round pivot that matches existing parts..clean Paint..glue assembly on truck .. Place back on car...Add screw n washer..go play..

Part is designed .. A trial was built.. Test fit in a truck.. Not moved forward with project from this point.. Life reared head again...

No current time line

SD


----------



## mjltuk (Jan 3, 2008)

Can anyone help please with actual real-world experience of fixing older generation heavyweights for good by:



Removing the centre fixed axle from the Aristo 6-wheel truck, or
Removing the main Aristo pivot in order to centre the Aristo 6-wheel truck using the secondary pivot, or
Swapping the Aristo 6-wheel trucks out for Aristo 4-wheel trucks, or
Swapping the Aristo 6-wheel trucks out for Bachmann 4-wheel passenger trucks, and in particular building a new pivot
 
I am still hoping to find a solution that works! Should this be a poll?


mike


----------



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I had several HWs with three axle trucks. They would not go through my 10' diameter curves. I removed the center axle on all of them and the problem was solved and I got some nice metal wheels that could use elsewhere. This was 10-15 years ago. Everything is working fine and you have to really look hard and closely to see that the center wheels are missing.

Chuck


----------



## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

My 3-axle heavyweight (SP diner car) was always a problem with back-to-back LGB 1600 turnouts (S-pattern). Removing the center axle helps, but was not ideal.

Changing out to the newer 2-axle truck took care of the problem, but the newer trucks have half as many wheel pick-ups for the lights, and if you put the axles in "backwards" you may have no pick-up.


----------



## mjltuk (Jan 3, 2008)

Thank you Chuck. I'll try losing the centre fixed axle again. Like Todd I had noticed some improvement the first time I tried.

Thank you Todd. If these were the newer 2-axle trucks with "the rib", did you have to grind it off at the ends as some recommend?


----------



## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

The rib? I didn't have to grind anything. IIRC, they were a direct fit.


----------

