# Bachman 45 Ton



## grandpa jay (Jun 24, 2014)

How do you replace the brush springs in the motor block? 
Grandpa Jay


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Are these the brushes that make contact with the backs of the wheels for track pick-ups, or the brushes/plungers that make contact between the motor block and chassis of the locomotive? 

If memory serves, the spring/plunger assembly that contacts the back of the wheel is crimped at the end to kind of hold things together. If that's the case, you could cut/sand off the very back of the assembly to get to the spring to replace it, and then just crimp the back a bit to hold the new spring in place and transfer the electricity to the side of the case. (I don't think it's brass, so I don't know if you can solder to it or not.)

Unfortunately, I run battery power, so my 45-tonner's trucks have been gutted of all track pick-up electronics, with the components now occupying the local landfill. 

The contacts between the truck and the chassis are similar, though I think they use brass there. Most folks who have trouble with the pick-ups at this interface end up hardwiring the two together, bypassing the plungers/pick-ups.

If you can take a photo of the part you're having trouble with, that'd be a big help. Just download it from your phone to your desktop, then use the yellow button in the toolbar at the top of the quick reply window that looks like yellow sky with grey mountains to upload the picture from your desktop to the MLS server.

Later,

K


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## grandpa jay (Jun 24, 2014)

This is a test for adding an image. I am new to face book.
The brushes are to the back of the wheels.
Jay


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Jay under this reply box is the option to Go Advanced, use it to add attachments from your hard drive.
Pick Manage Attachments, after you enter your file names, scroll down to bottom of that box to Save, then close that box. Your pics will be listed below, open a pic by clicking on it, right click on the opened pic and copy the image location to paste into the box opened by the postcard icon. This will embed an open pic in your post. Move your cursor down an Enter to add another below.
Post your reply.
John


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## grandpa jay (Jun 24, 2014)

Thank you
This is my second try. It may have worked.
Thanks again
Jay


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

The pic is a little small; can you upload something around 800 pixels wide so I can see a bit more detail? From what I can tell, it looks like the pick-up assembly (plunger, spring, and case) fit into the metal die-cast structure on the PC board. If you can remove the plunger/spring/case assembly from that, you may be able to measure the diameter of it and see if perhaps an LGB or USA Trains brush assembly would fit in its place. 

Later,

K


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## grandpa jay (Jun 24, 2014)

The problem is getting those small casting out. They appear to be fastened from the bottom of the PCB. I think that the idler gears will have to be removed.
Jay


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