My 303

Good for you, Paul!  Keeping these things running is what it's all about in my opinion.  Keep it up!

Have a 336 northern on the way.  Also a 293 for parts to get my 290 going.  The front drive wheels on the 290 were shorting out the engine.  I pulled them off and found out why.  Apparently the tires had come loose, so a previous owner decided to pour a and brad through the tire into the wheel.

Hi Paul.

In the early days of S, Gilbert discovered that the white plastic insulators were made of a plastic that shrunk.  So they recalled them and had their service centers stake the tires on with wooden pegs.  Usually three to a wheel.  I think that's what you're seeing here.  However, your wheels should be fine.  Use a mulitmeter to see if there's continuity between the wheel center and the tire.  If not, they're OK.  If you had shorting, check the gauging of the wheels.  The tire may be contacting the frame and causing the short.  Good luck!

 

 

I think that it's the case, but maybe those wooden pegs fell out and someone tried to fix it themselves.  They look like metal too me.  And there's 1 in one wheel, two in the other.   After I pulled the wheels off, I tested the engine. It ran fine, no shorts whereas before it would move an inch and stop because of the short.  

Paul Moore posted:

I think that it's the case, but maybe those wooden pegs fell out and someone tried to fix it themselves.  They look like metal too me.  And there's 1 in one wheel, two in the other.   After I pulled the wheels off, I tested the engine. It ran fine, no shorts whereas before it would move an inch and stop because of the short.  

Sounds like one of the wheels is shorting.  Either by a poorly seated tire, or gauging.  Check continuity from the wheels centers to the tire.  The wood will look like metal if covered with the "crud".  Then again, someone might have USED metal!

 

 

The driver center has a ridge to provide some clearance from the chassis for the metal tire. If the tire is loose on the insulator, it can work inward enough to hit the frame, causing the short. The lose tire will also cause derailments as the gauge changes. I use super glue to reset the rims, and if the wheel is off the engine, a small punch to wedge the wheel center against the insulator, just about like ACG did originally.

I forgot to mention that occasionally that raise 'ridge' or shoulder can be worn down--a small washer can substitute.

I don't recall ever seeing the staked wheels before. Was working on some odds and ends this weekend and came across a 312 SIT with the barbs.

Yep, this was an "in house" recall, and ACG sent repairmen out to major retailers and repair centers to do the deed. Unfortunately , not every repair person did it carefully enough--note in your example that the tire isn't against the insulator. Nowadays we have some more advanced glues to do the fix, as even the "stable" plastic has shrunk.

Exactly.  The wheel with the tire NOT tight against the insulator may be the culprit.

PS, BTW, that siderod needs to be straightened--it's just gonna wear things like that. Oh, and it's on backwards, the "bump" goes to the rear--yes, it makes a difference, look at the holes, the front one is elongated.

Oh, I forgot to mention, the bent main rod reminded me; there are two lengths of crossheads, if the long one is used where the short one is needed, it will strike the front of the steamchest and either stop the wheels, or bend the main rod! The difference is small, about 1/8 of an inch or so.