Aristocraft Freight Bogies

[Gavin Sowry]

OK, what's the secret in reassembling these. The springs went west, and the bottom bolster, east. I have all the parts, but how on earth do you get them springs back in ?

 

[beavercreek]

I use a narrowish flat blade knife to compress the springs, after the bottom of the springs are located on the pin in the bogies.
Then 'slide' the tops of the springs along the knife into the upper 'pin' on the bogie.
It works most of the time but I also drape a cloth over the proceedings (allowing me still to see of course) to catch any spring that does not want to cooperate!

 

[Rhinochugger]

OK, what's the secret in reassembling these. The springs went west, and the bottom bolster, east. I have all the parts, but how on earth do you get them springs back in ?

With great difficulty - after my first experience, similar to yours, I made sure that I dismantled and reassembled said bogies in a clinically clean environment - it usually takes half a dozen attempts to get them back together, and each attempt is preceded by at least one spring making a bolt for freedom

 

[The Devonian]

A fine cotton thread through the spring helps to stop the spring flying off into the unknown.

 

[Rhinochugger]

A fine cotton thread through the spring helps to stop the spring flying off into the unknown.

Aw, c'mon - you're just being rational

 

[Gavin Sowry]

OK, no secret then...... just perserverance (and a buck load of spare springs).

 

[Rhinochugger]

Yes, I'd just love to watch the Chinese workers putting them together - I bet they had a system

 

[PhilP]

Is that why they 'squint'?? - Putting together all these fiddly little things for us 'westerners'??

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Is that why they 'squint'?? - Putting together all these fiddly little things for us 'westerners'??

Confusion (him cousin of Confusious) say, 'Closer eyelids together, faster they shut!".

 

[Gavin Sowry]

While chop sticking away on my lunch yesterday, I got to thinking about how to do these springs. Chop sticks won't work.
Perhaps tweezers, to compress the springs... nope, even them's too fat.

Finally cracked it though.

Don't insert the bottom bolster before trying to get the springs in. Turn the bogie/truck upside down, insert the springs into the hole, and leave them leaning in towards the centre. Then, carefully offer up the bottom bolster to the springs, getting them to line up with the recesses in that piece. Squeeze down, and thread bottom bolster through sideframe until it settles where all good bolsters are supposed to settle. Job done.