I am facing repairing a large backlog of bad order Chinese Weaver RS-11's and FA's locomotives having those Alco trucks with the vertical can drives. They all suffer from destroyed wheel wipers which seem to be a virtual Achilles heal in the truck design. Some have been "cooked off" due to shorts, others torn off, bent and then consumed in the adjoining wheel gears etc. etc. In addition, at least one of them has had some frame/casting/axle damage from an encounter with floor after a five foot drop (I am disparing that I'm going to have to find a "doner" for that one)
Is there a supplier for these wipers? (Multiple web searches have come up bup-kis) Or am I stuck having to cut/bend/form fabricate them myself? and if so have any of you had to do the same and have any observations/tips/caveats about the process that you could share.
Any feedback or advise appreciated.
Pete
