# Aristo Mallet disassembly



## bcbrit (Sep 21, 2011)

Now that decisions have been made regarding decoders and DCC equipment. I now find myself up against a problem taking the loco apart. I have followed Gregs method/instructions and all has gone well untill I try to take the prime movers apart. All screws have been removed and I do not see any others that should be, brake hangers are all off but the end over the motor will not budge, there is some elctricians tape around the end and 1-2" around th sides. I have gently peeled away the tape at the joint and there seems to be some sticky residue, tape adhesive or could it be that the two halves are glued together? Is it possible that the motor is held in by a screw from the top? although I have an exploded drawing I do not see anything else that could be holding the parts together.
As usual any help aprreciated,

Regards
Colin


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Mallet disassembly*

This may sound like a dumb question, but whose Mallet? LGB, Bachmann, or Aristo?

Chuck


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## bcbrit (Sep 21, 2011)

*RE: Mallet disassembly*

Not a dumb question Chuck, I should have put it in the heading. It's an Aristo. 
Regards 
Colin


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I have an Aristo mallet, but I haven't done any major surgery. Another question that others might need an answer to in order to help you, is your Aristo mallet one of the new ones or one of the original ones? I think that there is a significant difference in where the plugs are located, in the engine or in the tender.

Chuck


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## bcbrit (Sep 21, 2011)

It's a new one, purchased last November. I am installing a Zimo decoder and am planning on taking all the original boards/wiring out from both the loco and tender, adding a speaker in the loco, replacing the original smoke unit with a Pro line and using the Aristo smoke unit for steam effects from the pistons. 

Regards 

Colin


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Colin:

I hope you can get an answer to your question. I am very pleased with my original Aristo Mallet. I use it to pull a 32 car iron ore train with a battery car and a caboose. It takes a 1% grade without even slowing down.


Chuck


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Check to see if the tiny screws holding the 2 halves of the block have been removed, they are NOT the screws that mount it to the loco. Should be at each end of the motor block. 

The tape needs to come off. 

I have never seen them glued on. 

I think they are tucked away in the ends and pointing down. 

Greg


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## bcbrit (Sep 21, 2011)

Thanks Greg, 

Yes I have checked, checked and checked again that all the screws are out although it does seem that there is something holding the back end of the motor block to the cover. All four screws are out of the motor block. Not quite sure what you are refering to when you say "they are NOT the screws that mount it to the loco", the prime mover is removed from the loco as in your pictures. 

I am contemplating removing the front drive wheel to get a better look at the 'joint', perhaps even a small flat head screw driver to gently pry the cover off. 

Colin


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I don't have one in front of me, but it might be the circuit board holding it together. From memory it should not be, the only things it connects to are the motor leads and the 2 wires that go along the top of the motor block. 

Is is possible this has overheated? You must be pulling it apart for some reason, what is it? 

greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm just curious as to why you would be removing the motor bricks to install DCC. There is only one screw that holds the brick to the frame. Later RJD


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## bcbrit (Sep 21, 2011)

Main reason for tearing this apart in one word:- PARANOIA. 

I have read so much about being careful that the motor brushes are to be isolated from the frame and not directly connected to the track that I want to make damn sure that all is well in this respect. I'd rather trust my eyes than a multimeter. 

As Axel has said, when he installs decoders into a loco he disconnects all internal electronics, as they are optimised for analog, so before I run into any problems in this regard I want to make sure what I am letting myself in for, remember I am a total newbie trying to err on the side of caution. 

If someone can Guarantee that nothing is amiss in the wiring then I will forget this experiment, but that is something I would not ask from any one. 

Regards 

Colin 

p.s I have still not got it apart


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You don't need to do that at all. 

The end of each motor brick has 4 pins... if you look at the circuit board you will see that 2 pins go to the 2 wires that run along the top of the brick, that's the power collection from the gearboxes. 

The motor solders right into the circuit board, that the 2 larger blades. 

Just by visual inspection you can see the wiring. There is no wiring inside the motor block. 

No one has ever had a problem with this... it's further inside where the wiring problems are, and it's normally that the track pickup is only the tender or the loco. 

Spend some time reading my site about the Aristo electric mikado... you will learn everything there is to know about wiring. 

Aristo locos with the socket have always been simple to convert to DCC, especially if you use a decoder that plugs right in. 

Greg


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