Repairing MTH metal parts - Shay

Oh that’s ugly!...sorry, I don’t sugar coat,....do you have a better pic of the piece that broke off??....I don’t see where the snapped off piece connects to.....I see the break on the crank shaft, ....but yeah, I can fix that, I like a challenge,...😉....some of your pics are kinda blurry.....allow time to let the camera focus in on the broken parts.....

Pat

What model number?  The whole assembly is available as a part.  I have a few in inventory.  Send me and e-mail in my profile.  Obviously you have to weather it.  G

@GGG posted:

What model number?  The whole assembly is available as a part.  I have a few in inventory.  Send me and e-mail in my profile.  Obviously you have to weather it.  G

That’s a better solution George!...thank god you got something like that!...MTH parts are getting scarce already!...

Pat

It's a 20-3023-1.  The last flat part sheared off the cam shaft.  The spindle it attaches to has almost no clearance between the flat end piece and the piston that rotates on it.  Still waiting to hear back from USPS or ebay regarding an insurance payout on it.

That’s called the crankshaft, ....first see if George can help you get an entire replacement part, if not available, it can be repaired ......but first things first, get cleared of insurance claims, and then see what George has to say, ......If all else fails, then get up with me, I’ve fixed similar on Kline units, ....NO GLUE!...I’m a member of the national alliance against glue!..😉

Pat

OK thanks to both of you.  I'm not going to attempt any repairs myself for sure.  GGG, I'll let you know when I hear about the insurance.  It may be a few weeks knowing the USPS.  Dropping in a replacement unit and weathering it seems like the best option.

Interesting construction. George, does the replacement crankshaft come with the connecting rods attached? No rod caps. I have seen pressed on crankshaft journals on singles but not on multi cylinder engines other than opposed twins which share the same journal.

Pete

@harmonyards posted:

....NO GLUE!...I’m a member of the national alliance against glue!..😉

Pat

Does that mean you are a NAAG?

😃

@Norton posted:

Interesting construction. George, does the replacement crankshaft come with the connecting rods attached? No rod caps. I have seen pressed on crankshaft journals on singles but not on multi cylinder engines other than opposed twins which share the same journal.

Pete

The rods on a Kline are sheet metal and just crimped around the crank, ....remember that “ deal “ I had gotten off the bay Pete?...that had so much carpet wadding and hair wrapped around the crank and rods , it had snapped the crank in two places,....as if one wasn’t enough......the rod’s big end is just folded over the crank on the throw.....that MTH looks to be similar construction......I can see a gap at the middle of where a rod “ cap “ would be....

Pat

GGG - what does the replacement assembly look like?  Does it encompass the entire piston set and the crankshaft like I've highlighted?  From the looks of the screws on the bottom of the unit, everything slides out together as one unit.

Yes full assembly comes off.  Part is $70.  I could probably transfer the crank assembly into your frame so the weathering would be reduced to the new part.  If your comfortable taking the assembly off, you could just ship it.  Otherwise send the engine.  You can email me, but I do have that in stock.  G

Hi GGG do you have a complete crank shaft assembly for a 3 truck shay and if you do how much will it cost

Ultimately I just learned to live with the broken part.  That means that the front truck of the Shay isn't actually being powered.  That might reduce the actual tractive effort of the engine, but honestly I only run this Shay with short consists of log cars, so it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.  All the interesting moving parts on the piston side still look OK since the front truck's wheels still make the drive shaft rotate. Not a perfect ending, but it's satisfactory considering the alternative is replacing an expensive part that in the end wouldn't match the weathering and would only serve to give power to the front truck.  Engine runs fine with the crank shaft giving effort to the rear truck and the tender trucks. USPS gave me some refund due to the shipping damage, so it always pays to contact them when something gets busted in transit.