I've recently acquired some older Weaver centers flow hoppers. IMO they need weights, new trucks and couplers. Please share your ideas and suggestions.
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I like to add quarter ounce zinc weight from harbor freight tools over the trucks of lighter weight cars
A little Bird shot and white glue.
What trucks and couplers do you have now? This can get expensive.
I use leftover bullets of various weights from my reloading days. I probably have 40-50 pounds of them left, so I can add weight to a lot of cars.
Two bay hoppers, there were custom weights from Weaver.
I do not know how well it would work with O Scale. I used common sand (50 lb bag at Home Depot) to weigh my N Scale coal porters. I used my postal scale and the NMRA rules for weighing N Scale cars. Fill the hopper with sand per the rule and then use a mixture of white glue, water and rubbing alcohol to make it wet and adhere. By using sand you get an even layer across the bottom of the cars. Works well for hoppers!
Mark
The title got me a bit excited so I had to look.
I put weights in the bay of Menards hoppers. They are lead weights from an old set of drapes held in with double stick tape, but the wheel weights previously recommended would work the same.
As for trucks, not sure it would work for your Weaver cars, but I’ve put MTH trucks on a dozen or so Lionel 6456/6476 hoppers using 3-0.5 X 10 machine screws. I’ve been able to get the trucks on the cheap attached to RK cars that didn’t sell well such as old stock holiday cars.
Attachments
MTH was making the Weaver Roller Bearing trucks for these cars.
They might still be in stock somewhere.
Andrew
These are ACF CENTER FLOW 4-bay covered hoppers.
Andrew
For the centerflow hoppers, you best bet is to get a scale to weigh the car. After adding the trucks and couplers, find out how much additional weight you need to meet the NMRA recommended weight of 5oz plus 1oz for each inch length of carbody. The car is 13" long so it comes out to 18oz or 1lb 2oz.
Since the car bottom sags, is flimsy and not sturdy, i would find a flat piece of steel stock from a big box store, cut to size and glue it across all inside hopper "v crest" with J.B. Weld. This will sturdy the frame as well as add the needed weight to the car.