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Last night I was replacing rolling stock on my renovated (sort of) layout and one of my MTH passenger cars was making an odd noise as I was trying to adjust re-railing. The truck started to just fall apart.  I searched on the forum and found a post that included a comment about zinc rot.  Is this a common problem?  Has MTH offered replacement at their cost?  (Hmmmm, I can't believe I asked that.)  Are MTH replacements good or just as bad? Are replacements difficult to install? 

Last edited by pennsynut
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My friends and I noticed this problem over a year ago. At that time, MTH did not want to admit to it. Maybe now they have had enough evidence to change their minds.

 

These are the three axle heavyweight trucks that came on the cars with full interiors and people. The cars also have the new diaphragms with anti rattler struts.

 

It seems that the manufacturer took a perfectly good one piece side frame and made it out of nine thin fragile pieces instead. Probably under the guise of continuous improvement. Anyway, these new side frames had the dual problems of being weak to start with, plus having zinc rot.

 

You can literally crumple them in your hand like a potato chip.

Last edited by RoyBoy

I took photos of the damaged truck and then remembered that I removed the rollers a long time ago.  To be quite honest, I may have weakened the side components in that process and so I will just have to buy a replacement truck.  But I may need advice on the process for replacement. 

I also need some advice on whether an unsprung truck can be substituted for a sprung truck.

The car is MTH combine 5150, one of a two car set #20-4173, in catalog Dec. 2005.

Last edited by pennsynut

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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