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Trucks Seem To Drag

Jonathan has an HO layout and is wanting advice from anyone with experience with couplers:
"I have IHC 85 pass. cars w/plastic trucks and McH knuckle type couplers. These wheels (#33) seem to drag when on the track but roll freely if rolled by hand.  Does anyone have any ideas?"
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3 Responses to Trucks Seem To Drag

  • Anonymous says:

    HI, Have you tried adding weight to the trucks.You say they run freely when you roll them by hand so the weight of your hand is helping the truck along.Also check to see if you have adhesion on the wheels, they could be too shiney.One more thing to check,are the couplings centred.If not the bogies are possibly being pulled at an angle.All the best Keith.

  • jimbob says:

    Jonathan look to see if yuor wheels are scraping on the bottom of the car . I had a coboose that did the same thing ,I had to put shims between the truck and under frame[ witch also brought the couplers to corect highth ]

  • Bob Brant says:

    Jonathan;

    Ok this is not a new problem With IHC , or older Riverossi P Equipment. The truck has a issue called details. The brake shoes rub the wheels causing severe drag. Three options I use. First, is if you want the Brake Shoe detail you need to carefully bend the shoes away. I do this by heating the end of a fine pair of Needle Nose Pliers. Just enough heat so be able to bend the shoe away from wheel sets. Please be careful with the heat. Then use your finger or some king of block to hold shoe til totally cool. Second, is to just cut of the shoe detail and get rid of them. At one time Riverossi did have a replacement metal truck. Third option is to replace truck with Walthers P. Trucks. They are a good quality truck.

    Bob

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