Micro Train FT Woes...

[strummer]

You guys are gonna love this: I was just thinking about how nice my example of this engine is....and then I DROPPED IT ON THE FLOOR!

The only visible damage is that the front coupler broke off; one of the little posts on the outer end is gone, so I'm hoping a call to MT will produce a replacement.

But now, although it still runs(!), there is a audible "hitch" ("clicking") sound to the mechanism. I don't see any wiggle, just can hear something out of whack.

Any suggestions as to where to start looking?

Thanks in advance... 

Mark in Oregon

[Curtis Kyger]

Make a very close inspection of the gears -- you probably caught a bit of ballast or dirt or something which is wedged deep in one of the gears on one of the trucks or it may have migrated deeper to the worm gear.

Curtis

[narrowminded]

Or the drop may have knocked the frame halves slightly out of alignment.  Just do a careful dismantle and reassembly watching for issues that a hit may have caused along the way.  I feel bad for you. 

[strummer]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm inclined to think that you're right, that the frame halves are out of whack: the trucks don't seem to be able to pivot properly.

Will look at it tomorrow or maybe Wednesday...sigh...

Mark in Oregon

PS: It could have been worse, like a steam engine... 

[nkalanaga]

Of the trucks don't pivot freely, it could be as simple as one of the trucks not seated right.

[Point353]

Also check to see that the electrical contact strips from the frame are still sitting on top of the tabs on the trucks.
The trucks won't pivot freely if one (or more) of those strips has slipped off to the side of the truck tabs.

[JoeD]

You can send it to me and I can fix it.  If the chasses sides got knocked out of wack then I would think your shell is destroyed...those puppies are held together pretty well.  I suspect gears in the tower may be jogged loose or something got broken.

Cheers

Joe

[MK]

Cracked gear somewhere in the gear train?

[BAZ-man]

I would think that the forward truck is the issue. Likely gear hopping.
Since you bashed 'in' the coupler, it may have distorted the plastic frame, compressing the gears, therefore more friction and the resulting gear hop.

[strummer]

Update:

I finally got around to taking a look at this. One of the contacts seemed to be bent, so I adjusted it, and the trucks swivel better now.
 I did pop out the trucks, and they seem to roll ok, with no hitch in them, so I guess the problem lies inside the chassis itself.

 I wasn't able to figure out how to remove the circuit board, so I wasn't able to totally disassemble the unit. While running the unit without the trucks, I think I can see a bit of hesitation in the rotation of the worm in the 'B' end of the loco. Oh,and now after doing this initial checking,the headlight now doesn't work...  It was working when I started this procedure...I hate N scale! 

If anyone can tell me how to remove the circuit board, I'll take this thing down to the bare metal...

Thanks.

Mark in Oregon

[peteski]

Mark, in my experience if there is a cyclical hitch, it is related to the rotating part of the mechanism which has the hitch. Usually one hitch per revolution or more (never less than one hitch per/rev.) The only rotating parts inside the chassis are the motor and worm shafts/worms.  Those rotate so fast relative to the locomotive's speed that if there was a hitch in those it would happen many times per a single rotation of the locos wheels. That would be hard to notice.

I don't have that loco handy, but isn't there an exploded parts diagram included in the loco's packaging?  That might give a clue as to how to disassemble it.  Looking at http://spookshow.net/loco/mtftab.html it uses a standard split-frame design. Looks like the circuit board should slide forward to unlatch it then it can be lifted up. The chassis should disassemble bu removing the fuel tank first, then loosening the screws in the side.

[SandyEggoJake]

My question is why try?   

If Joe is willing to do it for you, isn't that your dream scenario? 

[strummer]

Peteski, et al.

The circuit board has a couple of brass tabs soldered to it and contacting the brush covers. These are held captive by a plastic piece. It looks like the board would just slide forward and off, except for those "tabs".

Since I've already made things worse(!), I don't want to try and force anything. Those plastic retainers (which run length-wise and appear to be part of a "cradle", perhaps for the motor?),would have to be taken off first, to allow those tabs to be removed, along with the board itself.  You can indeed see it (them?) on Mark's site...

I tried to post a photo, but it didn't work, for some reason.

Mark in Oregon

[strummer]

My question is why try?   

If Joe is willing to do it for you, isn't that your dream scenario?

A fair question. I think because I like to "tinker", and because I've worked on some MT Z scale locos and got them to work, I should be able to trouble shoot and fix this.

Joe's generous offer is still an option...I hope! 

Mark in (wet: 2.70" on Tueday) Oregon

[peteski]

Well, the circuit board appears that is is the slide-out type (you shouldn't have to disassemble the chassis to do that.  If you see that the connection between the board and the motor is soldered on both ends then yes, you would need to unsolder those first.  The black headlight shield will probably have to also be removed before the board comes out.  The motor cradle will not come out until the chassis halves are separated, but it should not have to come out just to remove the circuit board.

But you're right, if you take the chassis halves apart, everything should come apart. Well, except if the motor connections are soldered to both motor and the circuit board.