A simple spreader for 2-rail wheel sets

Interesting... Would you mind posting a photo please?

Bob -- I'll see if I can borrow a digital camera or iPhone tomorrow and then post some photos (I only carry a flip-phone, because it's so small).

Here are some photos to show the spreader. I apologize in advance for their poor quality (taken outdoors with a flip phone), but I think they show the basic idea.

I cut the slots using a fiber-reinforced abrasive disc in a high-speed rotary tool.

I added the spacer (washer) because the device was too long to fit between the wheels with both end caps in place, but was a little short with only one (i.e. only a few threads engaged between cap and body of the union).

With slots on cap and union aligned, device can be slipped over the axle.

Hope this helps.

A very ingenious idea! Thanks for sharing. 

Nice!  What did you use / how did you cut the slots, especially thru the brass fitting?  Thx for sharing.

I cut the slots with an thin fiber-reinforced abrasive cutting disc chucked in a rotary tool (like a Dremel, but mine is from Black & Decker).  I removed the end caps and ferrules, put the body of the union in a vise using the flats on the hexagonal central part to clamp it tight, then made two parallel cuts along its full length all the way through. Same procedure with the end cap. Finally, I dressed both parts with a file to clean up the sharp edges. The union cost about $3.50 at my local ACE. 

I use Athearn trucks on all my freight cars (except cabooses), so it's easy to pop out a wheel set that needs to be replaced or adjusted. But the spreader could be used to adjust a wheel set in a brass passenger or freight truck without having to disassemble the truck in order to remove the axle. 

Smithy,

I have had a jar of Brass Unions sitting on the workshop shelf for 20 years from my Automotive days and never gave them a second look until I read your article!

Thank you for providing a simple solution to what you would normally do... "put them in a vice and a tap with a soft hammer"  your idea is much better and more professional. Roo.

Thanks, Roo ... I'm not sure what the pitch of the theads is on the union and cap, but it's not too coarse, so you can move the wheels apart very smoothly just a little bit at a time, and you can easily check your progress with an NMRA gauge right while you're doing it. 

Roo,

What a great idea ! Perfect ! Never even considered it and I are mechanical. Duh !

Ron H

I like this, but how do you keep the wheels centered on the axle?

I only needed to move the wheels apart by 10 or 15 thousandths of an inch in order to fit the NMRA gauge, which wasn't enough to adversely affect centering on the axle. I guess I would say that this thing works well for fine adjustments, but it might not be as useful if the wheels are extremely out of gauge. In my case, some wheel flanges were picking the switch points and pinching at the frog -- but it did not require a large adjustment to correct the problem.

Also ... these particular wheel sets have a Delrin insulating bushing on only one of the wheels. The other wheel is a press fit on the axle without a bushing. I think probably the wheel with the plastic bushing will move on the axle before the other one does, so when the gauge is correct the wheels will again be centered. That's just a guess ... I haven't experimented with it.

Don't want to start into a great discussion on measuring wheel sets as this thread is about a great idea that works for Smithy and myself because I am going to make one as well might use the mill and mill a slot. Anyhow I have also found when measuring "Back to Back" on modern wheel sets it's very little you need to move the wheels like Smithy said, if it was anymore than a few thou there would be something wrong with the wheel sets or they are 50 years old then you would put them in the cabinet as collectors items and go modern. (opinion!) Roo.

Good idea, well done  B. ? (whatever your name is)

regards

 Bob Comerford

Thanks, Mr. Comerford.  The "B" stands for Benjamin. My mother was born in New Zealand, and her father was named Benjamin Franklin Cranwell, so named by his own father (my great-grandfather) who admired American inventiveness and who had a business in Auckland importing American machinery.

Well, good work Ben :>

You have been named in honour of a very inventive man and it has rubbed off.

cheers

 Bob