1835e Restoration

You might want to check eBay for a replacement frame. Repro frames have been made and there are some MTH frames on the market. The 385 and 1835 frames are the same. I've seen them on the Bay from time to time. If you bid on an original, be sure it's straight - old die-cast tends to warp. 

Regarding the gap between the boiler and the boiler front, that shouldn't be there; the boiler front is hinged at the bottom and it should swing right up and latch. The gap could be due to frame warping or damage, or it could be that the sheet metal boiler isn't properly mounted on the frame. 

You might want to post photos of your engine - other forum members can be more helpful if they can see exactly what's going on. 

You need a new frame. The boiler front not fitting is due to zinc pest expansion. Even if you repaired the motor mounts the frame is disintegrating and will fail again. I've restored several of these loco's and 385's which are the same essentially. I used MTH frames when I needed them they are excellent castings with little modifictions to make compatible for vintage frame replacement. If you can try to get an earlier version as opposed to the later version.

Gandy

Thanks all for the information.  I'm just getting caught up on the reponses.  I've found a repro frame for an 1835 on ebay, but the price seems a little crazy, but that may be the going rate for a frame like this.  I'm going to continue to dig.  George Tebolts site is down at the moment, or at least I can't access it.  I'm hoping to find one outside of ebay if possible.  Not to mention the tons of other items I'm going to need.  As for the space between the boiler and boiler front, its a perfect 1/4" gap all the way around.  I'm hoping that it's indeed the boiler mounted incorrectly.  Will check that tonight, and continue looking for my camera cable.  Thanks again.

Just checked George Tebolt web site, it's $110.00 for the 385 frame, When I redid mine I just had to replace the steamchest which I got from George it's great quality

and just had to be painted, Not sure about MTH if theirs is painted or not. When all

done their beautiful trains and is unsurpassed in quality.

Tin 

Thanks Tin, I followed through with a frame from Jeff at Train Tender.  He's been great to work with.  I think I'm now up to about my 4th order in the past month with him.

That's good, glad you found the part you needed, you really have to look around 

and get the best price and part as you can.

Tin 

Jeff is tops. Love to see pics o your project.

Restoring 385/1835s usually means using a repro frame. I did mine several years ago. Personally, I think the black and nickel 1835 is one of the most handsome standard gauge locomotives of all.

I agree, now that I've got the majority of the engine refinished, it's really taking shape. I've taken photos throughout the entire process and will post some here once I get back to home base. 

I've got 2 posts going right now regarding this restoration, so I apologize for the multiple questions/posts.  I'll ask an additional question here, hopefully someone can help.  I've been "tutored" to a certain extent throughout this, which I am incredibly grateful for, but i've hit yet another roadblock.  My other post centered around pressing the main drivers on, I've got that now.  THe forward and rear trucks are assembled and the main drivers are now on thier axles.  What I'm having issues with now are the driver gears binding on the gears that are spinning off of the motor.  The major issue looks like the posts and center hub on the rear of the repro wheels (MTH) will not allow the wheel gear to sit flush on the back side of the hub.  And if I get them anywhere near close to sitting flush, they wobble slightly which causes the binding on gears coming from the motor.  Is anyone aware of any modifications that need to be made to the driver gear in order to get these to sit flush?  I hope I'm making sense here.  All gears, axles and brass bearings/bushings are original.  THe only new parts on this motor are the wheels.

Once installed in the motor, I can spin the wheels by hand and they engage the gears and will rotate feely to a certain point.  Then the wheel gears decide to wobble slightly, either due to not sitting flush or the wobble itself, which causes the binding.  Its almost like I need to drill out the center hole which sits over the hub in order to get these to sit right and tight. 

I'm limited on shop space at my home, so most of this motor work is being done by myself and father in law in his shop here in PA over the holidays.  I've got one additional day to do any mods, then its back to using the floor as my anvil and my better half and a pair of c-clamps as my vice.  So far its worked, but I've made a train restoration enemy in the process, and we've both lost some skin on the fingers to boot.  Thanks to everyone for the help, and if anyone has any idea on this current issue, I'd appreciate the assistance.

Joe

Best I can do for pics of the current problem.  Pictures are as the motor lays flat.  The wheel on the right, which are the majority of the pics seems to be where the issue is at.  I used a phone for the pictures, so they're not the greatest.  But if you look at wheel on the right, even the left, you'll see the gap between the gear and rear of the hub.  Its not sitting flat, but if that's ok to a trained eye, the axle itself must be bent.  That's all I can think of right now.  Thanks.

Humm...not sure I understand the problem that you are experiencing. Here is a photo of my 1835E motor. Everything meshes perfectly and it runs smooth as silk. Maybe this will help pinpoint what is wrong with yours. These are the original wheels. The frame is a repro on mine as is the tender body.

The pictures I posted don't really tell the tale of what's going on here.  Thanks for posting closeups of your setup.  The gears on my drivers mesh well with the motor gears.  Its when I spin the wheels themselves, the gear attached to the driver wobbles very slightly which causes them to bind against the lower gears on the motor.  Its either that the gears on the wheels aren't on straight, or the wobble factor comes into play.  If its the fact that they're aren't on the wheels straight and true, I don't know how to correct it.  The gears are on as far as they can possibly go, over the hub and posts on the wheels as far as they can go, and still there is a wobble causing the binding.

I'm in touch with a shop that is willing to look at the whole motor setup for me to correct anything I may have screwed up.  Many lessons learned throughout this whole process.  It'll be nice to see this run when all is said and done.  The majority of the 1835 is still in pieces waiting for final assembly, but when I set things together the way they're supposed to go when all is said and done, man is she looking good.  I'm looking forward to putting the side rods on and dressing it up.

The gear on your wheel needs to sit flush on the back.  The gear then is staked to the wheel to prevent it from moviing and coming off.  Didn't you have to grind something off of the old wheel to get the gear off?  As you have learned the MTH wheels aren't the same dimensions as the original Lionel wheels.  You have to drill out the axle holes and the gears to get them to fit.  If you bought the wheels from Jeff Kane I suspect he alerted you to this.  I noted in one of your other posts that someone advised you to bore out the axle holes.  Why MTH didn't make the wheels to fit is anybody's guess as they are a good looking wheel.  Hope this helps.

Don