# Aster Challenger Step 9



## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

The work would seen to be less time consuming and not as complex but looking at the diagram does not indicate things like: very, very small "O" rings, and figuring how to put together the linkage:

Challenger Kit Build Step 

Can you figure how the pieces come together (part 3 & 13)NO Ross you cannot give hints?


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

Slide the BT-05 up part 13 after threading the parts together? I thought the instructions were improved since the Hudson! No more "tax your ingenuity"!


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like you could allow 13 to hang straight down after sliding it onto 3, then slide the BT-5 up 13 from the bottom and into place.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

I'll bite, though the posted picture appears to be cut off ... 

The hollow short cylindrical tube (I assume it to be flexible?) goes over one end of part 3. 

Followed by part 13. 

Move them both to the finished position shown in the bubble. 

If part 13 can't navigate the bends in part 3, force it by relaxing the bends. 

The cylindrical tube keeps part 13 centered in the bottom of the "U" in part 3.


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## RP3 (Jan 5, 2008)

I'll add one complicating point: The illustration says the piece of tubing is supposed to be 7mm long while the text says 5mm. You need to make it 7mm long. Now figure out for yourselves how to put it on! 

Ross Schlabach


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Are you sure? 

I think 5 is a diameter, while 7 is a length ...


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

it looks like part 13 has a hole in the end. part 3 is made of wire which should fit through the hole...thread it though until it is at the bottom of the reverse bend. hopfully there is enough wiggle room that you can do that! I am guessing the 5x7mm tube will fit over the other end of part 13 and can be slid all the way up to part 3. when part 13 is pivoted over to the angle pictured, the little bit of tubing should be captured?


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## pickleford75 (May 3, 2012)

on a blueprint or drawing when you see a circle with a line through it that is the symble for outside diameter.... meaning 5mm o.d. 7mm long


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

So, we are not so patiently waiting for the answer. We got the Hudson running on it's own power last night, the Challenger awaits. (PS, I couldn't figure out how to make a Ø on my iPad.)


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Several people got the answer, that one was not very tough... a small O ring keeping the rod from slipping off it's "loop".


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## RP3 (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By BigRedOne on 04 Feb 2013 07:36 PM 
Are you sure? 

I think 5 is a diameter, while 7 is a length ... 

I double-checked the written directions and while the tubing is BT5, the written directions said the length of tubing should be 4mm in length while the Illustration 9 says the length should be 7mm. Maybe there wouldn't have been any confusion if I had correctly remembered the wrong length as 4mm instead of 5mm. But in any case, the 7mm length is correct and will help keep Part 9-13 in its proper place. Ross Schlabach


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, the complete unit did take a few minutes to orient to location of the rod going through the frame along with ensuring that the long rod with the hole would not get hung up on the "U" portion of the cross piece going from one set of drain cock pistons to the other. Then there were the small "O" ring to get onto the piston. Combine that with final assembly and took more time (even more on the rear engine)than anticipated to complete the setup:


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## ConrailRay (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Charles (and other challenger builders), 

I thought I read this somewhere before, but worth checking into... Sorry I don't have the manual in front of me so not sure of exact part numbers/names. But for the equivalent part to #3 in the first photo of this thread for the rear engine, I had to bend mine as I saw that I didn't have the proper movement to fully close the cylinder drains. Pretty soon you'll screw down a plate on both engines that keep these "levers" down and to swivel properly to raise and lower the cylinder drain valves. At the time on mine, I didn't yet screw the black part under the cylinder that directs the cylinder drain steam exhaust out (the pipes on those need to be bent as well to clear the black cylinder covers), so I was able to see inside the cylinder drain movements, and mine wasn't coming down all the way and covering the tiny port hole from the cylinder. 

-Ray


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray

Good of you to indicate to others a check on the drain cock piston motion. Our completion of the step had proper range of motion for the drain cocks without having to do any correction to the wire.


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## RP3 (Jan 5, 2008)

I think the best way to check the drain cocks for proper operation is during the air test. Just one man's opinion.

Ross Schlabach


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## ConrailRay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By RP3 on 07 Feb 2013 05:52 AM 
I think the best way to check the drain cocks for proper operation is during the air test. Just one man's opinion. Ross Schlabach 
Not really sure the point of your post Ross, but thanks for you suggestion.
-Ray


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## zephyra (Jan 2, 2008)

I just got back from a business trip to the UK and thought I'd start on step 9. Mistake - each o-ring is taking forever and travel induced tiredness quickly took over. Any hints on how to do this more quickly - I'm thinking I need to make a small conical jig. 

Robert


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By zephyra on 08 Feb 2013 05:25 PM 
I just got back from a business trip to the UK and thought I'd start on step 9. Mistake - each o-ring is taking forever and travel induced tiredness quickly took over. Any hints on how to do this more quickly - I'm thinking I need to make a small conical jig. 

Robert Robert
We used a small vice, some oil and patience...


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## RP3 (Jan 5, 2008)

Ray, I don't think you can look down the bores of the drain clock holes and assure yourself that you have proper operation of the drain clocks. If instead you test the operation of each drain clock when you are doing the air test of the chassis, then you can be sure that each valve is opening properly by observing air flow out of each drain cock pipe. Does that make it clear for you? 

Ross Schlabach


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## ConrailRay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By RP3 on 08 Feb 2013 06:04 PM 
Ray, I don't think you can look down the bores of the drain clock holes and assure yourself that you have proper operation of the drain clocks. If instead you test the operation of each drain clock when you are doing the air test of the chassis, then you can be sure that each valve is opening properly by observing air flow out of each drain cock pipe. Does that make it clear for you? 

Ross Schlabach 
Hopefully I'm miss reading this obvious testing procedure. But if you see something CLEARLY wrong before hand, why not fix it before this test since it would fail. ? (which btw, it didn't fail after I made the adjustment.)
-Ray


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