Lowering MTH Diesels

Stephen, If your SD70ace has a dimple in the chassis frame you can grind down the bosses on the truck to match that height.  All the newer SD70ACe's don't have that dimple and are at the right height.  The dimple was only in the early runs and caused the model to sit too high with the Kadee height gauge.

You can do the same thing with the e8 but you should measure for proper height first.

Thanks Michael      Does this leave some slop in the trucks up and down movement? 

Stephen From Down Under    (cTr...Choose the Right)

Steven,

  I've used Michaels method and its an easy way to remove the gap.  It also lowers the pilot.  Michael I'm not sure how lowering the engine and coupler affects you, but for me some two rail cars the couplers are a little off. 

The only problem for me is the permanent change (damage) and if you lower it too much.  So now I add plastic angles for fill.  I also apply piping which adds detail.  The photos below illustrate.  I use Gorilla glue which bonds very well to styrene and engine.  A little paint and you would think the manufacturer did it.  If your track is not perfect, the truck may rub it and they will eventually break off.  I have had one break off.  I glue it back on and grind some of the plasitic to make more clearance.  I have the process down now, and it takes about 30mins.

 3/16" evergreen angles cut to length.

Glue with Gorilla glue and hold for 15sec

Add piping (use glue), can't remember size

Paint;

 Before

After

A few other engines I did

Another

Cool huh?

These were screen shots from video I took.  If I don't add this to the next DVD I will eventually post on my website.

Rich

www.toytrainsontracks.com

Rich,

Pretty ingenious, good job!!!  That certainly "hides" the gap with no grinding off.

I'll have to take a look at my small fleet of engines to see if I need/can do that.

Rich    Thanks for the pictures there great! I checked out your web sit and it was great to. The chassis rail under the trucks is another great idea.    I have a hight inconsistency problem with my ACe's as Michael pointed out, some have dimples and some don't and Id lick them to be the same hight.

Stephen from Down Under     (cTr...Choose the Right)

Rich,  I only did the the grinding to lower the body on 3 of the very early SD70ACe's which had the frame stamped with a dimple raising the body too high.  All other diesels do not have that raised dimple stamped on the frame like your photo shows.  I keep those stock except to move the side frame inboard.  I do like the way you covered the gap with the angle L, I will give that a try.

2-railer here.  I have an SD-9 that I occasionally run.  It is higher than its PSC equivalent, but not high enough to bother with.  If I were going to lower it, I would slice the stel floor, and re- bolt each keyhole to stepped brass spacers.  It would take maybe two evenings to get it right.  Not worth the effort.

Absolutely beautiful!

The photos. appear to be of prototype locomotives. 

RJL

Bob     I have considered investing thous couple of evenings to employ your suggeston as outlined in No 133 !/48 ) scale.

Stephen from Down Under     (cTr...Choose the Right)

Wait for the six axle powered Proto-3 version.  Maybe they will get the wheelbase right?

Stephen,

 I filed down the truck "bosses" on my MTH SD45T-2, there's some slight slop when picking up locomotive.  You might be able to put a spacer on the motor side of the locomotive to stop any slop.

SPSF     That was my thinking to, what to use? and what to attach it with? Still thinking on that one.

Stephen from Down Under     (cTr...Choose the Right)

Plastic.  Contact cement.