@Lou1985 posted:Crank it down till it stalls, back off. Like timing belt tension
These belt drive locomotives should have an automatic slack tensioner,...like a serpentine tensioner,...😉......
Pat
@harmonyards posted:These belt drive locomotives should have an automatic slack tensioner,...like a serpentine tensioner,...😉......
Pat
You should machine up a little one. That can't be hard to fab right? 
I've not been a huge fan of the belt drive setups. Depending on the model they can be finicky to set just right.
@Lou1985 posted:Well there's the video that proves the flywheel works
Belt could be a little tighter but it seems to be in the ball park. Looks pretty similar to a 3rd rail drive mechanism.
I think the belt should have some slack in it. The cogs keep it from slipping and too tight might wear stuff out?
I thought of an idler pulley on my conversion as well. With the belt very loose, it still never slips. Other stuff on mine will fail first.
@Lou1985 posted:You should machine up a little one. That can't be hard to fab right?
I've not been a huge fan of the belt drive setups. Depending on the model they can be finicky to set just right.
I’m with you on this one,...I’m not that big of a fan with this kinda set up,......
Pat
@Engineer-Joe posted:I think the belt should have some slack in it. The cogs keep it from slipping and too tight might wear stuff out?
I thought of an idler pulley on my conversion as well. With the belt very loose, it still never slips. Other stuff on mine will fail first.
Correct Joe, the slightest bit too much tension on this particular model, and it tries to literally pick up the lower shaft and make it bind,.....it’s a fine line not to cross even the slightest,...
Pat
Update on Dick’s SGL Reading Pacific,.....after some back and forth with the gear box eliminating a ton of lost motion, I’m happy to report we have a very smooth running locomotive!....Dick’s complaints with the locomotive were horrid Jack rabbit starts, and slamming to a stop,...after adding the much needed flywheel, I noticed the worm shaft would turn a full 1/4 revolution before moving the locomotive ( lost motion ) so as I reported earlier, we’ve remedied that.....I will say adding the flywheel did make mounting the shell back to the locomotive kind of interesting at first, but for those of you wanting to add your own flywheel to these SGL models, the remedy for easy shell install/removal is to relocate the the tether receptacle to the body side instead of the chassis side,....easy peasy, and makes shell removal a breeze!!.....here’s the first test video, no electronics yet, we’re running on a simple rectifier for testing purposes....we’re pulling 31 freight cars in this shot,...stops and starts are smooth as silk, if you watch closely, you can even see the moment the slack is let out and the tug begins,....priceless!...I’ll follow this video with a video of the SGL doing it’s thing cruising around the layout.....😉
Pat
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Here’s Dick’s SGL cruising beautifully, as if it had cruise installed,....31 freight cars in tow,....the last thing mechanically I don’t like is the sheet metal pilot truck makes some tinny sounds as it glides around the layout, probably trivial, but a small flat weight will remedy that,....other than that, I couldn’t be happier with the performance, all the attention to detail in the driveline paid off, amps are in the dirt pulling this drag ...less than 3/4’s of an amp!...that’s efficiency!....time to add a reverser, some sounds, and fan smoke and get her back to Dick’s pike!..
Pat
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Very, very nice. Nothing like a smoooth running loco. Great work of mechanical art.
I like sound and smoke too. The engine has to perform before all the bells and whistles.
Whenever I have any issues, I shut everything else off and listen and watch for clues from the drive.
Great work, again.
Almost as quiet as my 2 rail. 
@Engineer-Joe posted:I like sound and smoke too. The engine has to perform before all the bells and whistles.
Whenever I have any issues, I shut everything else off and listen and watch for clues from the drive.
Great work, again.
Almost as quiet as my 2 rail.
Joe, I’m going to get it even quieter when I deal with that noisy pilot truck,....that thing is a speaker on wheels,....😉
Pat
Loving what I see!
Hey Pat, The engine performance looks really great. I'm looking forward to getting it with all the improvements. Needless to say, the engine is performing beautifully, no comparison to what I sent you. I could not ask for better.
@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:You know what I like best about all these Harmon Shop posts? Steam, steam, glorious steam. That sure is a snug fit in there Pat. Reminds me of a couple of years ago at the park playing horseshoes with my brother and cousins. I got a ringer(I'm terrible) and my brother had to top my ringer or knock out to win. Well, he topped mine, and won because it also knocked out mine. Also, he's a great player. No idea how you got in there, must be like that horseshoe, sneaky.
First of all, An outstanding job you did on that loco. Im just curious why the Dallee reverse and not ERR with railsounds?
Finally, I bet you sing the same thing about cheese too! " Steam, Steam glorious steam"
@prrhorseshoecurve posted:First of all, An outstanding job you did on that loco. Im just curious why the Dallee reverse and not ERR with railsounds?
Finally, I bet you sing the same thing about cheese too! " Steam, Steam glorious steam"
Dick’s layout is all conventional, so no need to spend the extra bucks on command equipment,....hence why I really needed this SGL to be smooth as glass via throttle,..😉....Dick inputs the commands,...with his hand on the throttle,....
Pat
