ROCO Br 44 - Operation

QUOTE (ebaykal @ 4 Jun 2007, 15:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I am simply planning to get rid of the shaft and gear mechanism inside the loco body, make it only tender driven and avoid the interlocking of the loco wheels. I will also gain enough space, once the shaft is gone, for future sound decoder instalment. The firebox already open for the shaft can easily accomodate a loudspeaker. Need yr opinion, should I go ahead or would I worsen things up
Hello Baykal,

Could you just take out a single gear and see how well it performs with the loco wheel mechanism being driven from friction against the rails? Is it possible to run the model 'naked' and observe how it how it works and where it is catching, perhaps a small adjustment will make a big difference?

Also does the model have a guarantee etc. - could you send it back to Roco for 'repair'?

Personally, Roco have never replied to a single one of my emails so I probably wouldn't want to send my favourite locomotive back to them even if they did design it....or perhaps this is just because Roco don't seem to give a about N scale at the moment and my queries/requests were all N related??

I'm sure ME 26-06 will have something useful to say this!

Goedel

Hi Tom,

No, the motor works fine.No problem there.Its the gear mechanism inside the loco body which gets stuck for some unknown reason locking the loco wheels and the coupling rods.

I have done some research on the web just writing " Roco Cardan Shaft" into google and was surprised of the outcome.

Here is what I found from various forums:

"...However a recent purchase of a BR93 revealed a split plastic ball joint on a cardan shaft. I believe that this is a common failure and that Roco have replaced this item with a metal ball joint that is bonded to the drive shaft..."

"....Roco have been using Cardan shafts on many of their more recent models and there seems to be a quality issue with failures of the plastic male portions of the ball/socket.

This is not helped by Roco's inability (albeit short term) to supply replacement parts which may fail again?

Given these two factors, those who own Roco models with Cardan shafts have a potential problem, this is not my first time with these issues..... "

Now am I in trouble or what?

Baykal

I have the version that is tender powered and also find this problem
The only way I find to cure it is to strip the chassic down and clean all moving parts including axles
This usually solves the problem.

All the best,

David

Guys, I am very frustrated

Took the loco apart as seen below:



You can clearly see the cardan shaft, the white plastic ball, the worm and gears.

Then took the worm and all gears out:



Between you and me with all this stuff out one gains a huge space for a loudspeaker

Anyway, with all the gear out tested on track. Locking of the wheels continued.

Only other place left was to check the side rods of the wheels and to my surprise found out that one was missing causing the wheels to lock:



It seems that I was really had, bigtime, from the shop that I bought it from. It looks like it was played with and being the sucker I am fell for it.

Besides, as you can see from the above picture, that the crescent shaped parts on the wheels should all be on the same level which is clearly not so. Trying to fix that up I spoiled all the sync of the rods further.

The loco's on my bench and we both are staring at each other at the moment.......

Baykal

Hi Baykal,

I sort of figured it would be the rods... sorry.

The crescent-shaped parts are weights in real life, and on many German freight engines, they are not aligned. Even on passenger engines, as this photo shows:



I´ve heard that this company is very helpful if you need Roco spares, just in case.

Edit: here you can see that on the class 44, the second wheelset´s weights look as if they are "different" from the rest:

Baykal,

Is the coupling rod present on the other side if so it looks as if the quartering on the first set of wheels is way out, as the hole for the coupling rod small screw is not visable it should be in line with the other wheels.
Is the screw also missing.
I would get in touch with [email protected] to see if they can advise you on the best course of action.
I am very surprised that a retailer ( you seriously found a bad un ) supplied a model in this condition to you,as I find the shops I visit in Germany are very eager to demonstrate the models they are selling,which includes having it running on a test track.

All the best,

David

Howes do a Roco spares service with credit card payment,website www.howesmodels.co.uk

if I were you, I´d get the first axle complete with wheels, any missing parts, and a second (or third, in case I´d mess something up ) plastic plug to secure the rod on the "other", undamaged side.

Tom, can you pls explain in simple words.I am a bit of an idiot in this respect.

I am very surprised that a retailer ( you seriously found a bad un ) supplied a model in this condition to you,as I find the shops I visit in Germany are very eager to demonstrate the models they are selling,which includes having it running on a test track.

David,

Its my fault completely. The sheer excitement of finding a loco long sought after, having a plane to catch and all that .. and I'm not counting the honesty of the shop owner who could have at least have the decency to tell me beforehand the situation of the loco. ( Would I buy it then?...Paradox?)

Serves me right.

Thanks all
Baykal

Thanks Peter.

Cheers
Baykal

QUOTE (ebaykal @ 7 Jun 2007, 11:13) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>if I were you, I´d get the first axle complete with wheels, any missing parts, and a second (or third, in case I´d mess something up ) plastic plug to secure the rod on the "other", undamaged side.

Tom, can you pls explain in simple words.I am a bit of an idiot in this respect.

Thanks all
Baykal

Sure (and imho, you´re no idiot )

I´d order the first axle, complete with wheels and all, as a spare part and install it instead of the one that you wrote you tried to align the crescent-shaped weight on. The angles of the crescent on the left and right wheel have to be at a very specific angle (both), or else the engine will stall, or have a rough ride. If you did anything with these wheels, it will be difficult to restore the original position of the weights, so it would be easier to buy a new wheelset imho.

The driving rods are fitted with some plastic "bolts"; they may break when you disassemble the wheelset. You may want to order spare bolts as well, in case they really do break, you´d be on the safe side.

Well finally have done it. She is back running with her new rods. It took me a neat 4 hours to assemble them in sync.

Tom thanks for all the advise and pointing me to Gustav Adams.



Cheers
Baykal

Baykal,

Looks a job well done
By the way are you modelling Turkey or Germany?

All the best,

David