I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED MY NEW BACHMANN SHAY TO On3 IN LESS THAN 2 HOURS. AFTER 2 DAYS OF STUDY , THIS IS THE BEST WAY THAT I COULD COME UP WITH. FIRST THE TRUCKS WERE REMOVED FROM THE MODEL BY REMOVING THEIR MOUNTING SCREWS. THE TRUCKS HAVE WIPERS ON TOP SO THERE ARE NO WIRES TO CONTEND WITH. LOOKING AT THE FIRST PICTURE YOU CAN SEE HOW THE TRUCK WAS STOCK AND THE CONVERTED VERSION.
REMOVE THE BRAKE BEAMS FROM THE TRUCK WHICH HAVE A LOCKING PIN AND THEY ARE GLUED IN PLACE ON ONE SIDE. GLUE SEEMS TO POP EASILY BUT BE CAREFUL NOT TO BREAK THEM. NEXT USING A SMALL SCREWDRIVER POP LOOSE THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE END OF THE BOLSTER ON THE NON GEARED SIDEFRAME. REMOVE THE SCREW HIDDEN BEHIND AND THE SCREW AT THE TOP OF THE SAME SIDEFRAME. THE ASSEMBLY AND THE WHEEL SETS WILL FALL APART. THERE IS NO NEED TO REMOVE THE GEARED SIDEFRAME FROM THE BOLSTER
NEXT PULL THE GEARS OFF THE FACE OF THE WHEEL AND THE AXLE. USING A NWSL PULLER OR SIMILAR DEVICE OF YOUR CREATION SLIDE THE GEARED SIDE WHEEL ON ITS AXLE OUT TO On3 WIDTH USING THE STANDARDS GAUGE FOR MEASUREMENT.
NOW REMOVE MATERIAL FROM THE BACKSIDE OF THE GEAR AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURES OF THE BEFORE AND AFTER GEARS. I USED A DREMEL CUT OFF WHEEL AND THEN SANDED IT SMOOTH ON PIECE OF SANDPAPER ON A FLAT SURFACE. BE SURE AND ROTATE THE GEAR SO AS NOT TO GET IT UNEVEN IN THE SANDING PROCESS.
REMOVE THE NON GEARED INSULATED WHEEL FROM THE AXLE. IT WILL PULL APART WITH A LITTLE TUG. WITH YOUR GEAR BACK ON WHEEL, DRILL #55 OR CLOSE HOLE INTO THROUGH THE BACKSIDE OF THE GEAR. GIVE THE DRILL A SLIGHT ANGLE AND YOU WILL CLEAR THE IMPORTANT PART OF THE GEAR SAFELY. GO SLOWLY HERE. AT THIS POINT YOU CAN USE SCREWS AS I DID OR BRASS OR STYRENE ROD TO SECURE THE GEAR TO THE WHEEL SO IT WILL NOT TURN WITHOUT THE WHEEL UNDER LOAD. REPLACE YOUR OTHER WHEEL ONTO THE AXLE. AT THIS TIME REMOVE WITH YOUR DREMEL CUT OFF WHEEL ABOUT 1/32-1/16 INCH . FROM THE NON GEARED WHEEL AXLE PIN STICKING OUT. THIS IS NOT REAL CRITICAL BUT IT SEEMED TO RELIEVE A LOT OF TIGHTNESS WHEN THE TRUCK IS PUT BACK TOGETHER. YOU NOW WILL HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED A WHEEL SET. DO THIS ALL OVER AGAIN 3 MORE TIMES.
THE GEARED SIDEFRAME
IS THE ONLY ONE THAT GETS MODIFICATION. REMOVE MATERIAL TO AID IN GEAR AND WHEEL
CLEARANCE AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURES. THE PICTURE OF THE SIDEFRAME BY ITSELF
SHOWS ONE SIDE MODIFIED AND ONE SIDE NOT. THE PARTING LINE OF THE CASTING WORKS
AS AN EXCELLENT GUIDE AS TO HOW MUCH MATERIAL NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. I USED THE
DREMEL CUT OFF WHEEL AND FILES. DO NOT CUT OR FILE THE JOURNAL THAT THE AXLE
FITS INTO. IT IS CRITICAL TO PROPER MESHING OF THE GEARS. TEST TO MAKE SURE THE
WHEEL SETS MESH AND WORK WITH THE GEARS ON THE SIDEFRAME . CLEAN AWAY ALL THE
SHAVINGS FROM THE GRINDING WITH A BRUSH OR A BLAST WITH THE AIR HOSE.
RE-ASSEMBLE THE TRUCK IN REVERSE ORDER TO DISASSEMBLY. THE EXPLODED PARTS
DIAGRAM THAT COMES WITH THE MODEL IS VERY HELPFUL. ADJUST THE TIGHTNESS OF YOUR
SCREWS TO BE SURE THE GEARS TURN SMOOTHLY WITHOUT BEING REAL TIGHT OR TOO LOOSE.
PUT THE ASSEMBLED TRUCKS BACK ON THE MODEL AND RUN IT! I FOUND THAT RUNNING MY MODEL FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS MADE THE MODEL RUN MUCH SMOOTHER. I SERIOUSLY ADVISE TO DO VERY LITTLE RUNNING OF THE MODEL BEFORE YOUR CONVERSION. IT WILL BE MUCH BETTER BROKEN IN AS IT WILL BE USED. PLEASE SEE ALL THE PICTURE FOR CLARITY AND FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
WISEMAN MODELS SERVICES INC.
303 STONER AVENUE
PARIS, KENTUCKY 40361