Alternate Fix for PS3 Wireless Drawbar

Good idea Scott.  I guess you could also groove the post and allow a clip to engage and keep the draw bar in place, for folks that are ok with a more permanent method to keep the draw bar engaged.  G

That's what I was thinking as a more elegant solution. The drawbar would compress the spring sliding upward. Once the connector is engaged the spring would pop forward just enough to act as detent and keep the connection secure. Then you could disconnect while the engine is on the track.

Thanks for rescuing my post. Was afraid it was gonna get bumped into oblivion.

As you say, MTH could fix this with a simple flat spring, job done.  I think not enough testing went into the drawbar design before it was released to the unsuspecting public.

 

I agree that MTH should do something about it. I like your solution Scott. Here's antoher idea. I used silicone fuel tubing from RC planes and cars. With the small diameter and the silicone's ability to stretch it makes a pretty good colar and it's non conductive.

 

Ralph

Now Ralph4014 thats a good idea

 

Clem k

Dang, Ralph that IS a good solution. I had thought about something similar but was stumped. Using a tygon type tubing never occurred to me. Well done.

Do they make black fuel line?  Even rubber hose would work.  The smaller vacuum hose size.  G

GGG, they might. At the moment I'm not recalling we had had in black. I know we have a bunch  of other colors.

The stuff I have is 1/8" inside diameter. But the silicone can stretch pretty far.

Ralph

Ralph - really like that idea. Much better and cleaner looking than my zip-tie trick. I will have to do that to my PS3 steamer eventually...

It stretches and it's pretty tacky. Just the right combination. In fact, once it's on the post I don't imagine it will come off very easily. So that's what you would need to look for in a black fuel line hose. I'm also wondering about nuts with the inner nylon ring feature. The diameter would have to be just right.

You could probably roll a rubber O-ring on there and accomplish a similar thing.  They come in black and aren't likely to move unless you move them.

 

Definitely an issue to ask Mike Wolfe about Thursday

That's a good idea also John. I was just thinking of something that wasn't conductive incase it touched the pins. But I guess you could cover them.

Ralph

Rubber O-rings aren't conductive, at least I've never had a problem with rubber.

 

Ralph, you have hit on the best idea yet.  Good job and thank you for sharing.

 

John, I would think the O ring would work good also.  I just tried what Ralph showed and it is a winner.  More material on the stud works great. 

If you could find the tubing in black, it'll be invisible and certainly shouldn't come off.  I though of the O-ring because I have a large assortment of all sizes from Harbor Freight.  I tried one on the drawbar and it works pretty well, at least it appears that it would.  My one locomotive with the drawbar doesn't come disconnected, so I don't really need it.

 

Will a Magic Marker work to make it black ?

Ralph,

 

Thanks for sharing that!  That is an excellent idea!

 

Dave

 

Cool. I'm glad you guys like it.

Clem I'm not sure how well the marker would work. But once the engine is flipped over you can barely notice it.

Ralph

What Ralph pointed out works perfect.  I tried it and you can take it to the bank.

Is that a standard size silicon tubing?  It's been a long time since I touched any hobby involving nitro.  Thank you.

It's 1/8" inside diameter. I slid it on as a whole tube then cut it off and pushed the rest up.

Ralph

Great idea.

Bibb washers. Found these at the hardware store looking for an o-ring type fix. These are hard elastomer with a good thickness. The inner diameter (looks like about 1/8 inch) is about right. The outer diameter is big enough so that you can get your fingers under it to pull it up the post to seat the connector with the train on the track. Color is black. Test results with my problem PS3 engine have so far been great.

 

 

That should work.  The fix Ralph gave us covers the stud very well and gives better contact.  Many things can do the job but the Ralph fix is number one in my book.  I am someone who wants to do a job one time.

 

Thank you Ralph.

Thanks Marty. Lol the Ralph fix.

Ralph